By Ziyah News Sports Reporter
It is only the second match of the season and already Manchester United fans have been reminded that its still a long way to go before the team gets back to its glory days. A 2-1 win against Fulham on match day one in an improve show compared to the dismal performances last season had given the Mancunians hope to believe that at least a top four finish was attainable.
While the season is still too young to extinguish those hopes already, the defeat at the hands of Brighton exposed the frailties that haunted the team last season. It could be a long one again unless Eric Ten Hag has something up his sleeve to plug the glaring defensive challenges
The performance against Brighton has raised serious questions about the team’s setup and coach Eric Ten Hag’s decision-making. The 2-1 loss was marred by poor defending, lack of positional awareness, and questionable substitutions all an indictment on the coach.
Ten Hag’s insistence on playing a false 9, despite struggling to retain possession, is one that boggles the mind. The midfield trio of Bruno, Casemiro, and Mainoo was exposed, with Bruno’s erratic positioning and Casemiro’s lack of legs causing defensive vulnerabilities..
Both Brighton goals resulted from poor defending, stemming from a lack of positional awareness in the defense and midfield. Ultimately when you buy a player, it is an acknowledgement that you are not satisfied with what you have at your disposal and the continued benching of the only striker in the team Joshua Zirkzee and defender Matthijs de Ligt can explain
Ten Hag’s obsession with Rashford and Bruno has led to puzzling decisions, subbing Mason Mount clearly the best player on Saturday. and not starting Alejandro Garnacho, who offers more threat than Rashford. The front three for the team at the moment based on form should be the trio of Zirkzee, Amad Diallo, and Garnacho.
This season is Ten Hags’s third in charge of the team and no one yet is able to clearly see the playing style of his team, nobody knows the team’s identity, now when it takes Enzo Maresca two months to give his Chelsea team an identity and a playing style, then maybe, just maybe Ineos might have made a mistake in keeping Eric Ten Hag