“Very frustrating if you’re playing a good game” - Ten Hag pinpoints Manchester United weakness after disappointing loss to Chelsea
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag shared his frustration after the Red Devils blew up a 2-3 lead against Chelsea in added time to lose the game 4-3 on Thursday, April 4. The Red Devils started the game poorly as the Blues went 2-0 ahead within the first 19 minutes but Ten Hag's side made it 2-2 in the first half itself.
Alejandro Garnacho's 67th-minute striker looked enough to secure Manchester United all three points but Chelsea had other plans. The Red Devils conceded twice in the 100th and 101th minute, respectively, as Mauricio Pochettino's side secured three huge points.
Erik ten Hag shared his frustration following the game and highlighted that poor decision-making from his players and individual mistakes cost them the game.
He was quoted as saying by Manchester Evening News:
"Of course, that frustrates me the most. We started the game poor, making individual errors. But by that moment already I had the feeling we are dominating the game and we fought ourselves back into the game. We make ourselves in a winning position by very good football, sometimes brilliant football, scoring great goals. And then in stoppage time we didn't manage it, we didn't bring the win over the line and of course, that's frustrating."
"I don't know what it is but what it is that you have to do your job and they know their jobs and then you have to make the right decisions. And we didn't make the right decisions, we didn't react quick enough to avoid this situation. I said today to the players, on decision-making, we have to make better decisions, it's our strength," the Dutchman added.
Ten Hag also insisted that Manchester United players did not keep enough possession of the ball especially when they were winning. He also urged the players to improve defensively and cut down their tendency to make mistakes.
"You saw again how we score from counters - we can be such a massive threat. And we have seen today an example with tempo, how we can beat our opponents, where we are unstoppable. But we have to read when to keep the ball, especially when you are winning," he said.
"Keep the ball, pass and move and switch the play instead of giving the ball away or going only into long balls. Bring the ball into the opponent's half, keep passing, and discourage the opponent. But then if you have to defend you have to do it proper and we made the wrong decisions. And on individual errors and that's very frustrating if you're playing a good game," Ten Hag added.
Manchester United remain sixth in the table following their loss to Chelsea and trail fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur by nine points. Meanwhile, Chelsea are now 10th in the table but trail seventh-placed West Ham United by just two points and with a game in hand.
Chelsea and Manchester United eyeing a move for Real Madrid defender
Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a summer move for Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy. The Frenchman has been an important player for Los Blancos since his €53 million switch from Lyon in 2019, having won eight trophies during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu so far.
However, with the France international set to enter the final year of his deal at the Spanish capital club, the 28-year-old could be on his way out this summer. Real Madrid's strong links with Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies also suggest the same.
Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly prepared to make a move for the Frenchman as they both look to bolster their left-back options.