With the Euros well underway, the 24/25 fixture list released, the transfer rumour mill in full swing and Kobbie Mainoo still being the greatest midfielder to ever play association football, I think it’s time to fully acknowledge that, despite a few golden moments, last season was horrid.
Thankfully, in years to come, no one will remember United’s lacklustre league position being our worst finish in the Premier League era. Nor will they remember the abysmal number of shots we faced across the campaign. All we’ll fixate on is the joy of two of our academy graduates helping us beat City in the FA Cup final and stamping an Amad Diallo-shaped mark on Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour. With that said though, now INEOS have made the correct decision to stand by Erik ten Hag, there’s a few things that can be done to help us improve and move forward next season under the tutelage of the Dutchman.
1. Move the correct players on
United post-SAF have always been guilty of having players on the books that have either become surplus to requirements or have proven that they didn’t deserve to be here in the first place. This squad is no exception. We’ve been notoriously bad at shipping players out effectively, but with INEOS on board we might see that change.
Casemiro stands out as obvious example here, and while the Brazilian did have a solid first season, his form seems to have fallen of a cliff recently. Whether the pace of the Premier League has taken its toll or his *maturity* is catching up with him, it seems its time to say goodbye and try and recoup as much as of the £70m fee we paid for him two years ago and invest in a long-term defensive midfielder.
Jadon Sancho is another one seemingly on the chopping block. The former City boy joined in 2021 with the world at his feet and many United fans immediately believed the hype. Flash forward to June 2024 and after a rather uneventful loan spell back at Dortmund, it seems he’s no closer to burying the hatchet with Ten Hag. While there is still clearly a talented player somewhere in there, it’ll do no good for the squad harmony keeping him around.
I would also be accepting any money that anyone offered for Antony. It seems the Brazilian isn’t up to standard and in the handful of appearances Amad made, he looked a far more competent option to have at right-wing. These are of course just a couple of examples and I’d expect to see many United players moved on this summer.
2. Sign a left back!
Following on from the previous point, I’ll briefly mention transfers in too. I’d like to preface this part by saying I rate Luke Shaw very highly, but I just don’t think we can keep relying on him with the underlying injury problems he suffers season after season. With Shaw often side-lined and Tyrell Malacia pulling an Ozzie Smith in Homer at the Bat (look it up if you don’t know), United have been forced into using makeshift left backs all season. When you consider this, I don’t think it’s any coincidence that Rashford looked isolated and less creative than usual.
So far we’ve been tentatively linked with Milos Kerkez, Nuno Mendes, Miguel Gutierrez and Luca Netz and I’ve no doubt plenty more links will follow. A number of positions need addressing in this window, but personally I think that a reliable left back needs to be high on the priority list if we want to improve next season.
3. Flexibility in our tactical approach
Last season was poor by United standards and far too many times we seemed to lack any sort of tactical flexibility. Whenever United kicked off, you’d know what to expect and that wasn’t usually a good thing. It’s clear that Erik ten Hag has his principles and style of play, and he wants to stick to that which is very commendable. However, his rigidity and refusal to compromise led to us playing some baffling football throughout the season. I’m not going to sit here and pretend I know more than ETH about football but one thing that seems glaringly obvious is we get outplayed and tactically outclassed far too often. When he does have his preferred players available, we’re capable of playing some great football that’s undeniable but unfortunately that won’t always be the case. United are clearly not the finished article personnel wise and the profile of players doesn’t necessarily always harmonise with Ten Hag’s ethos.
4. Get the injuries under control
United’s injury crisis last season was staggering. I won’t list every example as I don’t think I have the word count to cover it, but it was by far one of the worst in the league. Whether it was down to the intensity of training, rushing players back or simply just sheer bad luck, it needs addressing. It does seem to be a combination of all three factors, but Ten Hag needs to look at the impact he has. In an interview with Gary Neville, Rashford claimed that Ten Hag’s training sessions were the most intense he’d experienced at United. It’s clear that the Manager wants to raise the physical profile of the squad which should yield long-term benefits, however it’s coming at a huge, short-term cost. He needs to figure out a way to achieve the physical levels he wants out of his squad in a way that doesn’t leave us with an injury list containing our best XI.
5. Keep bringing the youth through
My final point in this list is actually something he’s been doing well so far. Nothing gets the Reds going quite like academy talent succeeding at our great football club and Ten Hag has shown he has no issues with bringing the kids on if they’re good enough. Both of our scorers in the FA Cup final were academy graduates who’ve thrived under ETH’s reign. Kambwala and Forson also got brought through by Ten Hag and although the latter has since left the club, it has shown the manager’s belief in our philosophy of youth. He needs to ensure he stays true to those principles and always have an eye on who is ready to make the step up. Shea Lacey signed his first professional contract with the club not long ago so it’ll be no surprise to see him get a chance at some point in the upcoming season.
Credit: United We Stand fanzine
I’m glad that INEOS have decided to stick with Ten Hag. Two trophies in two seasons is a sign that he is doing something right and I’m hopeful that we will come good under the Dutchman. The above list is of course not exhaustive and there are more factors to consider when it comes to improving United, but sometimes the simplest steps are the best ones to take.