Manchester United’s coach, Eric Ten Hag, attempts to make their players challengers, as he wants his side’s players to play nastier and smarter.
On Thursday, in the group match of the Europa League, Manchester United gained a 3-2 victory over Omonia Nicosia. After United’s this win, Ten Hag said he believed players have to add an edge to their play and be more streetwise to avoid needless yellow cards.
On Sunday, in the opening moments of the match against Man City, which United lost by 6-3, United’s coach referenced Diogo Dalot’s booking for a challenge on Jack Grealish.
Ten Hag said I know what nasty is, and in that manner, we can progress and sometimes also play a little bit smarter. Moreover, he said we have too many bookings, I wonder why we collect so many, and I do not understand, like the first booking on Sunday, I do not understand.
Ten Hag said we want to play tough, we want to keep the game going, and then in the second minute, it was already a booking for Diogo, and it was clear that it was a foul but a booking. Moreover, he said I saw many other bookings where I think, Is that necessary?
He said I have to keep reminding them to play smart, but they have to play nasty as well.
In the loss against City, Ten Hag believes that it was due to a lack of intensity. He said It’s like a routine, a way of life, and you have to bring it to every training session as a squad and an individual player. Moreover, he said It’s not something that you build or can progress in a week or a month, but it’s a system that has to be and a demand in top football.
About losing against City, Ten Hag said, It’s a quite clear City is the standard in this, and there are more teams too, but I think we can deliver that.
Moreover, he said we had seen it against Arsenal and Liverpool when winning, but now we have to do it consistently, and that is what we have to work for now.
