If evolution is the realistic endgame in the first stage of Erik Ten Hag Manchester United The project, the massive 3-0 lead in the first half against Liverpool in Bangkok meant the feeling was akin to revolution in this opening game of the Dutchman’s tenure.
It’s not of course. And it will only prove that if Tin Hag possesses the kind of managerial magic of Jurgen Klopp, who has changed his ten players on the field every half hour, and possesses Pep Guardiola. This was also the first pre-season game for LiverpoolHalf-naked and slow in front of goal, the German players edged out, in what ended in a stunning 4-0 win.
The manager gave a factual assessment. “We are happy today because I think it was a team [ours] In great spirits and we know we just started and things went wrong.” “We made some mistakes in pressing – believe me, I’ve seen a lot of mistakes. We missed some chances but we also created a lot. Our team played bravely, played proactively. We have to work hard to correct mistakes but we are happy with the first match.”
At Rajamangala’s sticky albeit unsold stadium, this was a dream for Tin Hag with each of United’s four strikes offering hope for a brighter future even if the rear guard always remained close to the latest farce.
Example: Isaac Mabaya’s raid along the right-back lane left Luke Shaw nowhere and David de Gea had to turn him away. Other: Tyler Morton, opposite, skated down to the left and took a hit on a ball that De Gea tried before being cashed out by Bruno Fernandes.
Each of these was a quick break. Although United’s crowd was smoother than last season, it was closer to the engineering versatility that Guardiola implements with Manchester City, and when they hit, it was with the precision Tin Hag wanted.
Jadon Sancho found Anthony Martial who fed Scott McTominay who recycled the ball. Fernandez sank diagonally, Mabaya filtered his clearance and Sancho was there to finish what he had started, driving out of Alison.
Looking at the first half, reading the four Diogo Dalot, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw with the same Shield players ahead McTominay and Fred, there was a distinctly surprising sense of just how porous this unit was. Fábio Carvalho and Luis Díaz approached in a comical montage in a red shirt featuring McTominay’s header, only the goal frame halting the tie.
United’s squad could have been left out of any outing last season leading up to Martial’s January loan and missed Cristiano Ronaldo, who is not on tour. That retro feel is hardly what Tin Hag would have wished for, but since only Tyrell Malacia was recruited, his pick was Hobson. In addition, the 52-year-old could have gotten a first look at a squad that failed miserably when they trailed City by 35 points, with the reconfirmed captain, Harry Maguire, missing out on a knockout.
Monday evening training here was helpful. Ten Hag has been unrelenting in terms of player exploration, whether the activity is an oversized rondo, involving a center circle, a small-sided game, or an all-out attack versus defense competition. This may have fueled Varane and Lindelof on Liverpool’s 18-yard streak when Fred lost the ball after some of Sancho’s early bluffs: these are the loudest presses.
Sancho was the smartest player at United. He drew one of the traps behind the ankle with his other foot “Oh!” So did the subsequent cross, though McTominay failed to make it two. A unique act to crown another impressive sequence. This included McTominay, Fernandez and Sancho, who dropped the ball in the area. Martial is thwarted by Joe Gomez but when possession passes to Fred he rips Alison generously.
Arrived in half an hour. Klopp made his first 10 changes and it immediately backfired as the new team (Bar Allison) caught a cold. Reese Williams was picked up by Martial, and as the goalkeeper advanced, he was again hit with a chip from United.
In the second half, Ten Hag changed his 10 men on the field (Klopp substituted Alisson instead of Adrian), this formation shows the midfielder Donny van de Beek as 9 false; Alex Telles, left back in central defense; And for the first time, the left-back Malacia is in his right position. Malacia showed sharp sharpness when biting off the ball from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Club’s last constellation appeared Andy Robertson, Trent
Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Thiago Alcantara, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez, making this a reliable A-team. But it was young Tom Hill who stole Eric Bailey and seemed to get close to Thiago before the Ivorian stabbed the ball away.
Nunez’s contribution was Tom Heaton’s late save but while Liverpool finished playing for United, Salah came close, their overall report card was “silent”.
It wasn’t the case for Tin Hag and his men: their fourth came through Bailey’s dazzling foot movement, which moved the center back to the opponent’s half. Facundo Pellistri took charge, exchanged passes with Amad Diallo, and finished the match.
But, as the new Number 1 mentions, these are just the simplest of the beginnings. “Liverpool play in three teams,” said Ten Hag. “They weren’t at their strongest, so we shouldn’t overstate this result. We have to be careful. But, nevertheless, I’ve seen some really good things and what you see is that we have a lot of creativity and we’re speeding up front, so we have the potential.”
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