Erik Ten Hag Pleads For Patience At Manchester United
by Sam Pilger · ForbesManchester United manager Erik ten Hag has asked the club’s fans to be patient with him in the aftermath of yet another disappointing result.
"It is up to them but it is the truth,” the Dutchman said after United’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday at the Vitality Stadium.
This was United’s fourth consecutive game without a win, following draws with Liverpool and Brentford, and a defeat to Chelsea, which has left them slumped in seventh position in the Premier League table.
United’s hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League are fading, and they are now also at risk of missing out on the Europa League.
"This result is not enough,” Ten Hag said on Saturday. “We know that. We know when you're coming into the final stage of the season, this is not enough. And the truth is, today, we didn't deserve more.”
“If you allow them so many chances in the first half, then as a team, you don't deserve more. You have to take control. Don't allow them the chances. Take control of the game and score goals for yourself.”
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"We in this moment with all the problems we have, we play to our levels and we can play very good to our levels. But you have to do it over the course of the game until stoppage-time. In the last four games, we drop points where we often were in winning positions. Not today. We were in losing positions and we fought back."
Ten Hag attempted to find some solace in the fact that United had twice come back from losing positions. "We have a team that is resilient and has character,” he said. “We want to win. And twice we fought back, but we come into losing positions and that's totally unnecessary. Totally unnecessary. We lost the ball three times in the areas where you should not lose it.”
In the first half United were dominated by Bournemouth, who had already beaten them 3-0 at Old Trafford earlier in the season, and Ten Hag’s side were fortune to only be trailing 2-1 at the interval.
"We were not always well-organised, especially over the right side,” he was forced to admit. “There came some gaps and the opposition could benefit from it. And we should have done this better."
Ten Hag believes his players improved in the second half when they salvaged a point with a penalty from Bruno Fernandes, awarded after Kobbie Mainoo’s deflected shot had struck Adam Smith on the arm.
"The second half was better. We took more responsibility and then we closed the side. In the second half there were two things I told them to do: stay in the formation, in position, don't get erratic, because we will create a moment. And the second was to do your job in the defending part."
"We conceded in the last four games three penalties and all the penalties were debatable, as also was the penalty we won today. It was also debatable. So we have to be honest."
Ten Hag was particularly grateful for the performances from his former captain Harry Maguire, and his successor Bruno Fernandes.
"Harry Maguire was struggling with an issue in the first half but we were very pleased he overcame that because we don't have any more centre halves. And you see in the second half his leadership is coming in. He's guiding and then we are more closed."
"Bruno scored twice. He's very creative, and he gives a lot of energy to the team. So he's acting as a captain, he brings energy and we are very pleased with this.”