In Manchester United, Everton came up against the one Premier League team at a lower ebb than them.
Frank Lampard’s side are deeply flawed, as has been demonstrated in recent weeks, but Manchester United aren’t so much flawed as completely broken. Saturday’s defeat at Goodison Park proved it.
There is a sense that many within the Manchester United dressing room are now simply waiting until the end of the season. On the basis of the performance produced at Goodison Park, this has been aggravated further by the news this week that Erik ten Hag is set to be the club’s next permanent manager.
The Dutchman won’t arrive at Old Trafford until the summer, so what motivation is there for United’s players to perform if change is coming regardless?
FT: Everton 1-0 Man United
— Sporting Life Football & Infogol (@InfogolApp) April 9, 2022
‣ xG: 0.37-0.79
The Toffees hold on for a huge three points.
Another poor performance from Ralf Rangnick's men though, recording their lowest xGF tally since the German took charge. pic.twitter.com/qdgBcfYIlM
Ten Hag has a huge job on his hands
If Ten Hag wasn’t already aware of the reconstruction job awaiting him at Old Trafford this summer, he surely is now.
Manchester United’s current squad is desperately lacking in physicality, nor do they have the technical ability to play the possession-heavy, dynamic brand of football favoured by the new manager in-waiting. The mentality of the current group is also weak.
In a footballing sense, they aren’t the sharpest either.
For years, United’s defence has lacked match intelligence. It was a problem under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it’s still a problem for Ralf Rangnick and it’s a problem ten Hag must address when he takes over.
This deficiency was illustrated in the way Everton scored the opening goal when none of the eight players United had in their own box recognised Anthony Gordon’s presence 18 yards out.
Huge contrasts between United and Ajax
Formation-wise, United lined up in a similar 4-2-3-1 shape to the one used by ten Hag at Ajax, but they played nothing like the Eredivisie table-toppers.
There was no cohesion to their pressing, nor was there to the wing play that characterises Ajax - Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho were left isolated with Cristiano Ronaldo starved of service as a consequence.
Rangnick used a double pivot in midfield much like ten Hag does, but Nemanja Matic offered nothing like the coverage of Edson Alvarez with Paul Pogba (who failed to register a single key pass) too slow at moving the ball forward, in contrast to Ryan Gravenberch who rarely takes more than two touches.
Meanwhile, Aaron Wan-Bissaka was a limited outlet on the right side, whereas Noussair Mazraoui is a conductor for Ajax in possession, even driving into central midfield as an inverted full-back.
Even when United enjoyed a period of pressure towards the end of Saturday’s match at Goodison Park, there was no discernible pattern to their attacking play. There was no plan.
Ronaldo repeatedly dropped deep due to his frustration at not receiving the ball, but this denied his team any presence in the box. Bruno Fernandes was so short of options in front of him that he played a 40-yard pass back to David de Gea more than once. Harry Maguire even struck a shot from 30 yards out.
United’s play was largely focused down the left wing, with Alex Telles registering 109 touches compared to Wan-Bissaka’s 83. But the Brazilian full-back completed just two of the 13 crosses he attempted with the right side left open.
Ten Hag’s Ajax outfit, in contrast, play with genuine balance and have Antony and Dusan Tadic to offer different things on different wings.
Everton, a side that had lost 10 of their previous 12 league matches, were made to look organised and well-drilled in contrast to a Manchester United team that looked lost and disinterested throughout. At least under Solskjaer, United played with spirit. On Saturday, Everton ran a full 10km farther than their opponents.
United lack 'composure, intelligence and guile'
Ten Hag’s Ajax play with composure, intelligence and guile - qualities Manchester United lack in all areas of the pitch.
Recent reports state the 52-year-old wants meaningful input over transfer activity, and that is understandable given the scale of the rebuild facing him. There aren’t many players in the current squad that would suit ten Hag’s approach.
Of course, ten Hag has changed his approach numerous times over the course of his coaching career. The Ajax team that reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2019 played a different game to the one played by the current Dutch champions, and so it’s possible ten Hag might adapt again upon arrival in England.
However, Rangnick’s inability to mould United in his image is a warning sign to ten Hag.
At first, the German coach wanted his team to play a high-pressing style, but quickly abandoned this approach due to a lack of physicality and willingness within his squad to play in such a way.
How many of ten Hag’s ideas will be batted away inside the dressing room? Manchester United are counting on their players accepting the help they so desperately need.
