Ten Hag doomed if Man Utd lose to disaster struck Chelsea
The Red Devils must secure a victory at Stamford Bridge on Thursday to maintain their faint hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has identified individuals he believes can revitalize Manchester United. Dan Ashworth, currently on gardening leave from Newcastle, is set to join as the director of football pending agreement on compensation terms with Newcastle.
Additionally, formal steps have been taken to acquire Southampton's Jason Wilcox for the role of technical director at Old Trafford. Wilcox reportedly expressed a strong desire to leave his current position, indicating eagerness to join Manchester United.
With these moves underway, United is entering a new era, although uncertainty remains regarding Erik ten Hag's involvement. Doubts surrounding the Dutchman existed even before Ratcliffe's INEOS company assumed control of the club's sporting affairs in December. These doubts have only grown since then, particularly due to inconsistent performances despite improvements in results.
The 'turning point
The thrilling 4-3 triumph over arch-rivals Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals was anticipated to mark a significant turnaround in a season marred by Manchester United's early exit from European competition, having won just one group stage game in the Champions League.
Erik ten Hag, reflecting on Amad Diallo's decisive goal in the 120th minute amidst a fervent atmosphere at Old Trafford, expressed hope that this victory would serve as a catalyst for the team. He emphasized the importance of such moments in a season, believing it could instill energy and belief within the squad, empowering them to achieve remarkable feats.
However, the subsequent Premier League encounter against Brentford proved to be a stark contrast. United delivered a dismal performance, failing to build upon the momentum generated by their FA Cup triumph.
Criminal' escape
A draw marked an improvement compared to the previous season's heavy 4-0 defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium for Manchester United. Despite taking the lead in the 96th minute, they couldn't secure all three points.
Jamie Redknapp, speaking on Sky Sports, emphasized that an away win would have been undeserved, considering United's lackluster performance, a sentiment echoed by former captain Roy Keane who described their play as "absolute rubbish." The statistics reflected Brentford's dominance, with the hosts registering 31 shots, four of which hit the woodwork.
Given the circumstances, securing a draw could be seen as a fortunate outcome for United. Their upcoming match against Chelsea presents an opportunity to narrow the gap to Aston Villa and Tottenham, who currently occupy fourth and fifth places in the league table.
However, based on their current form, it appears unlikely that United will be able to surpass either team and secure a spot in next season's Champions League.
Unstable formula
Manchester United has encountered significant defensive vulnerabilities throughout this season's Premier League, facing 20 or more shots in 11 matches - a statistic only surpassed by the league's bottom team, Sheffield United. This issue has been particularly pronounced in their recent performances, with six of these high-shot-count games occurring in their last seven outings.
Despite managing to secure victories in four of these matches, Ten Hag's side does not exhibit dominance or a sense of strengthening as the season progresses. Instead, injuries, especially in defense, have further weakened an already underwhelming United squad. Consequently, their success relies heavily on sporadic moments of brilliance from their forwards, improved goalkeeping performances from Andre Onana, and inefficient finishing from opposing strikers.
This approach is neither stable nor sustainable in the long term. Eventually, United's luck may run out, possibly even in upcoming fixtures like the one at Stamford Bridge, which would represent a significant setback.
Embarrassment on and off the field
Chelsea's management has been widely criticized, with Todd Boehly and his associates accused of squandering vast amounts of money in just two years, a feat that took Manchester United a decade to achieve. They've been dubbed the "billion-pound bottle-jobs," both on and off the field, due to their perceived incompetence.
Recent reports suggest Chelsea may have to offload homegrown talents like Reece James and Conor Gallagher to address financial concerns. Mauricio Pochettino's team, plagued by inconsistency and imbalance, could only manage a 2-2 draw at home against 10-man Burnley last weekend.
Despite their myriad of self-inflicted problems, including financial risks and a dismal 12th place in the Premier League, Chelsea still have a chance to secure a European spot. If they were to win all their games in hand (a challenging task), they could climb to seventh place. A victory on Thursday would narrow the gap to Manchester United to just five points, with a game in hand.
The fact that Chelsea are in contention for European places despite their struggles highlights the dire situation Manchester United currently finds themselves in.
Outplayed and outfought
Despite Cole Palmer's best efforts, Chelsea are often criticized for their wastefulness in front of goal. However, statistics show that they actually convert a higher percentage of shots (12.6%) and capitalize on more big chances (37.5%) compared to Manchester United (9.7%, 32.8%). This is despite United's lackluster goal-scoring record, having scored a meager 40 Premier League goals this season, fewer than every team down to 13th place.
It's clear that Chelsea, despite their mental fragility, will be highly motivated for this upcoming game. Erik ten Hag will be hoping that his players match this level of intensity. While United demonstrated resilience in their cup victory over Liverpool, they were notably absent in key moments against Brentford. The team not only suffered defeat but were also outperformed physically and mentally.
Reflecting on the match, Ten Hag admitted on Match of the Day that Brentford displayed more passion, desire, and determination than his team. He lamented their lack of focus and aggression, acknowledging that Brentford deserved the victory.
Ruthless Ratcliffe
Ten Hag's tenure at Manchester United likely hinges on nothing less than a full-hearted effort at Stamford Bridge. Despite grappling with injuries, United have an opportunity to reinvigorate their pursuit of a top-four finish by defeating a Chelsea side that has underperformed relative to its talent and sits closer to the relegation zone than the top four. However, a loss would severely diminish United's chances of closing the gap on teams like Aston Villa or Tottenham Hotspur, making it improbable for them to secure a Champions League spot. In such a scenario, Ten Hag's position would be in jeopardy.
While Sir Jim Ratcliffe may harbor a fondness for Manchester United, his primary concern is success both on the pitch and financially. Failure to secure Champions League football would likely prompt decisive action from Ratcliffe, potentially resulting in Ten Hag's departure from the club.
