Erik Ten Hag, manager of Manchester United, has expressed the need for patience, emphasizing that there is a necessity of time to cultivate the abilities of young footballers like Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, and Rasmus Højlund to allow them to fully develop their skills.
Following Wednesday’s unsatisfactory 1-1 draw in the Europa League with Twente, and a 0-0 stalemate at Crystal Palace on Saturday, United has dropped to the 11th position in the Premier League. They have managed only seven points from five fixtures, with just five goals to their name, bringing them to a goal differential of zero.
Despite over £600 million being invested in Ten Hag’s team across five transfer windows, the progress is being questioned. In response, Ten Hag urges the fans to evaluate the situation and understand that building a young team takes time. Players like Højlund, who was signed last year, together with Zirkzee and Yoro, are seen as long-term investments.
Prior to their uninspiring performance against Palace, United had shown promise in their 7-0 thrashing of Barnsley in the English League Cup and a 3-0 victory at Southampton.
Ten Hag has accepted his impatience and desire for instant progress, but emphasizes on the need for continuous hard work to sustain success over the last two seasons.
In the aftermath of the unsettling draw with Twente, Ten Hag conceded that the Dutch team showed more passion.
Responding to questions about the need for his players to demonstrate more hunger on the field, he stressed on the importance of consistency in showing drive. He mentions that the most successful teams exhibit this trait.
Now in his third season as the United manager, Ten Hag faced criticism for his team’s reduced initiative in comparison to their adversaries. In his defence, he stated that every team is bound to have games in a season where they are left wanting in performance and the psychology of top football is to manage to bring out the hunger within the team consistently. He emphasized that since they are a team with ambition, they always demand to bring the best out of themselves.
-Guardian