Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United want to play fast football but they beat West Ham because they played slowly.
Chaos has reigned for much of United’s campaign as injuries and bizarre incidents — some within Ten Hag’s control and others beyond it — have diverted their manager’s aim of creating “the best transition team in the world”. This side have been vulnerable to the sort of counter-attacks they hope to spring on opponents, and David Moyes has built a West Ham squad well suited to troubling the “Big Six”.
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If Ten Hag’s players were not at their best on Sunday, West Ham could have joined Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest among a collection of teams who have dished out deflating losses upon United after possible “turning points” in the season.
Ten Hag avoided a potential pitfall by asking his players to first go about things carefully.
This season has seen several United games degenerate into high-scoring helter-skelter affairs in which the ball is treated like a hot potato. Two-goal leads have been erased in minutes as United players — desperate to rush forward and play at pace — leave themselves vulnerable to the counter-attack.
Ten Hag started the season talking about the importance of playing with speed, but this 3-0 victory owed a debt to his players making more considered decisions when in possession.
A look at Bruno Fernandes’ pass map (below) provides a good example of the adopted approach.
The United midfielder typically directs the majority of his passes forward in an attempt to feed his attackers. Against West Ham, he slowed things down, a sizeable amount of passes going sideways or backwards.
It was a smart decision.
Much of West Ham’s strength derives from seizing upon unforced errors, so United were particular in their passing and making an effort to avoid mistakes. On more than one occasion, Kobbie Mainoo waved his arms in a “calm down” gesture to team-mates when he believed the pace of the game was becoming too frantic. There were calls from the Mainoo, 18, and his manager to keep the ball on the floor after one too many bouts of head tennis.
United wanted to draw the sting from West Ham. Save for some corner kicks and one mistimed header that allowed Jarrod Bowen through on goal, they did so.
There was more to this victory than sideways passing, however.
United’s three goals came from two promising youngsters who are steadily growing in the first-team picture. Rasmus Hojlund’s opener midway through the first half saw him collect the ball on the edge of the penalty area before turning Nayef Aguerd and shooting into the bottom corner with his weaker right foot.
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It is now four goals in four games for the striker, who turned 21 on Sunday and seems to have found his feet at Old Trafford.
A brace from Alejandro Garnacho — again given a starting role on the right — helped turn what could have been a nervous second half into a (relatively) straightforward win. The most noteworthy aspect of the 19-year-old’s play is his perseverance. He runs and runs and runs, regardless of which side he is deployed on or which full-back he has to beat.
A look at his touchmap illustrates a player who is willing to do the dirty work to help his team win.
Garnacho is not discouraged if he makes a run in behind and the pass does not arrive, with Mainoo and Andre Onana both a fraction too late spotting him in the first half. As it was, the Argentinian’s first goal five minutes into the second half owed a thank you to a deflection off Aguerd before he celebrated by sitting on the advertising board, joined by Hojlund and Mainoo.
It is an image sure to be a fan favourite: three players offering encouraging signs for the club’s future. Garnacho’s second, a cool finish into the bottom corner after a swift counter, put the game beyond any doubt six minutes from time.
“A month ago, there was a lot of talk about us not scoring enough goals, but we are both young and growing every day,” said Hojlund of himself and Garnacho to Sky Sports after the game. “You can see the connection.”
There is a youthful vibrancy to the duo’s play. Hojlund and Garnacho are beginning to learn each other’s rhythms and coax the best from each other. Their contributions mean Sunday was the first time this season United have won a home Premier League game by more than one goal. A possible knee injury to Lisandro Martinez will put a dampener on any celebrations, but the routines Ten Hag talks of in interviews are becoming clearer as more players return from injury and playing options improve.
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“You didn’t believe me — I have seen all your pieces,” said Ten Hag when asked by the assembled media about his team’s recent improvement. The United manager would go on to describe his front line as one in balance and a threat to every opponent.
“They enjoy it, to play football, and they enjoy it to give opponents problems,” he added. “They want to do the togetherness. I think the three youngsters celebrating together… it’s not about one player, it’s about a team, and that is what I have seen today. It looked like a team and 11 defending, 11 attacking and, for me, it was enjoyable to watch.”
| Position | Team | Games played | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 23 | 51 | |
2 | 23 | 49 | |
3 | 21 | 46 | |
4 | 23 | 46 | |
5 | 23 | 44 | |
6 | 23 | 38 | |
7 | 23 | 36 | |
8 | 23 | 35 | |
9 | 23 | 33 | |
10 | 23 | 32 | |
11 | 23 | 31 | |
12 | 22 | 27 | |
13 | 23 | 26 | |
14 | 23 | 24 | |
15 | 21 | 22 | |
16 | 23 | 21 | |
17 | 22 | 20 | |
18 | 23 | 19* | |
19 | 23 | 13 | |
20 | 23 | 10 | |
*Everton deducted 10 points |
This victory extends United’s unbeaten streak to five matches in all competitions. It’s the longest period they had gone without defeat in 2023-24. A trip to Villa Park next Sunday will be a challenging test but, for now, Ten Hag can rest a little easier.
His team are learning the value of being boring as well as brilliant.
(Top photo: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)