What Erik ten Hag should do to avoid Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's fate at Manchester United
Erik ten Hag's rebuild project at Manchester United took off with much promise as the Red Devils stunned their fierce rivals Liverpool 4-0 in their first pre-season game under the Dutchman's tutelage on July 12.
Almost a month later, all the positivity from that outing in Bangkok has been overshadowed by the opening weekend defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. To make matters worse, the club has been inept in the transfer market.
The pre-season results raised expectations for the season ahead, as Ten Hag's ideas quickly took shape on the pitch. Nevertheless, there remained cautious optimism and understanding that in order to garner the same output in competitive fixtures, the former Ajax boss needed massive backing in the summer window.
United's midfield, which was comfortably outclassed by Brighton on Sunday, was a cause of concern for both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick. United's faltering midfield led to the former's sacking and the latter's failure to qualify for the Champions League.
Yet with just around three weeks remaining in the window, the side is bereft of a new midfield addition. Ten Hag's priority target Frenkie de Jong remains locked in a battle with Barcelona over his deferred wages, forcing his former manager to look at Adrien Rabiot. The France midfielder is being actively pushed out by Juventus after a frustrating time in Turin.
How Adrien Rabiot compares to Scott McTominay and Fred.📊 How Adrien Rabiot compares to Scott McTominay and Fred. https://t.co/4HvJACoExh
Rangnick had also highlighted the need for a younger forward, only for United to approach 33-year-old Marko Arnautovic before pulling out of the deal due to fans' outrage over his past misconduct.
All the talk about a 'new era' and 'planned recruitment' has brought the fallen Premier League giants to once again making panicked decisions to save face in the leftover days of the window.
What should Ten Hag do?
The new man in charge is blameless for the incompetent showing of the United hierarchy, but like his predecessors, is likely to be put to the sword if the situation unravels for the worse in the future.
He left Amsterdam for Manchester with the promise of getting players like De Jong and Antony to bolster his squad. United are now scrambling for underwhelming alternatives, which will be presented as 'backing', leading to pressure on Ten Hag if he fails to get the results.
After all, this won't be the first instance where managers at Old Trafford have been forced to put up with signings they never asked for in the first place. Solskjaer wanted Jack Grealish and was later blamed for not giving regular minutes to his alternative, Donny van de Beek. Jose Mourinho wanted Ivan Perisic to strengthen his attack in 2017, and was given Alexis Sanchez six months later on hefty wages.
To avoid the fate of Solskjaer and Mourinho, Ten Hag needs to stamp his authority and either wait for the club to get his first-choice targets or look at the academy to help his cause on the field.
Mikel Arteta at Arsenal is a good example of how a manager can avoid pressure from the fans and media despite mid-table finishes. So far, the Spaniard has only made transfer moves for players who are an ideal fit for his system. He has also depended on academy talents to fill other gaps.
One of the reasons the United faithful were excited about Ten Hag's appointment was his history of developing young talents at Ajax, most notably Jurrien Timber, whom he promoted from Jong Ajax, the Dutch club's reserve team.
Ten Hag needs to do the same and look at the United academy to find a De Jong and Antony alternative. The pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia showed the English outfit have a number of academy prospects ready to push for a place in the first-team.
Charlie Savage and Zidane Iqbal's pivot stood strong against Liverpool's press, while James Garner developed into a first-team ready midfielder following his successful loan spell with Nottingham Forest. Up front, FA Youth Cup winner Alejandro Garnacho hasn't looked out of place in the very limited minutes he has achieved with the seniors.
James Garner’s Championship season by numbers (44 games):
1,201 passes completed
88 chances created
82 tackles won
81% pass accuracy
63 interceptions
51 fouls drawn
49 blocks
49 shots
24 aerial duels won
18 successful take-ons
8 assists
4 goals
The top-flight awaits. ✨✨ https://t.co/4cBlaBbrcv
Now, their performances at the youth level, or even in the Championship, don't necessarily guarantee they will succeed in the first-team, but Ten Hag needs to take a risk. These players might lack the quality or physicality to play in the Premier League, but will offer a work-rate and willingness to learn his tactics and approach. They won't sulk if they don't get regular starts.
Looking at Rabiot's past with PSG and Juventus, the club might have to deal more with his agent and mother, Veronique Rabiot, than the player himself if he's dropped or not played in the position he fancies.
At a club that prides itself on maintaining a tradition of including an academy graduate in every matchday squad dating back to 1938, it's a bit of a dismay that Marcus Rashford under Louis van Gaal was the last talent to break and maintain his place at the Theatre of Dreams. It's high time to break that trend, and there's no better man than another Dutch tactical genius to do so.