Pre-season tour of Manchester United: 5 things discovered, including Erik ten Hag's no-nonsense strategies
MAN UTD TOUR: Manchester United's pre-season tour of Asia and Australia has concluded, with only two weeks until Erik ten Hag's Premier League debut against Brighton.
Erik ten Hag's 1st journey as Man United manager was an interesting insight into the club's new era.
Ten Hag was able to get to know his squad and prepare them for the upcoming season by playing four games in three different cities: Bangkok, Melbourne, and Perth.
Ten Hag's tour could not have gone much better in terms of results - three wins and a draw - and no injuries. He used the two-and-a-half week trip to impart his playing ideology and ensure his players are fit enough to carry out his high-pressing style.
Football is sacred.
United's pre-season tours are a balancing act of football training, matches, travel commercial, media, and charity obligations. Former managers, particularly Louis van Gaal, complained that commercial responsibilities undermined the football component of such tours.
Ten Hag, who had listened to his Dutch colleagues' opinions before accepting the United job, made certain that this was not the case. Every member of the United touring party, from club officials to coaching staff, conveyed the message that football came first for ten Hag, with no outside activities allowed to interfere with training, fitness, and tactical work.
Advertising tasks for players were reduced, and Ten Hag denied a suggested meeting by players to the set of the popular Australian soap Neighbours in Melbourne because it would interfere with their workout regimen. "Football is one, two, and three," Ten Hag said upon his appointment as United manager. That was never more evident than on the tour.
Discipline has been reestablished.
Last season, United's summer was stymied by poor management, first from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and then from his replacement, interim manager Ralf Rangnick. Cliques and divisions formed within the squad, and certain players prioritized their own agendas and needs over those of the team, resulting in a sixth-place finish and United's lowest-ever Premier League points return.
Ten Hag recognized that standards had slipped and immediately set about restoring them. Fines for late arrivals to training and meetings, no cell phones during mealtimes, and players eating together three times a day were among the measures implemented by ten Hag to restore the squad's spirit, unity, and discipline.
A constructive personality with such a high press
Ten Hag's playing style has been described as "proactive with a high line," with his team pressing opponents to win back the ball whenever they lose possession. To implement such a style, players must be in peak physical condition, which is why Ten Hag insisted on double training sessions at the start of the pre-season tour, in order to get his players to a level of physical condition where they have the stamina to carry out Ten Hag's approach.
The high defensive line was a feature of United's style on tour, and it will take time for the players to adjust to, as Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof were caught off guard in the second game, when Melbourne Victory beat United 2-0.
Full-backs are inspired to intertwine both going forward coming inside, which requires them to cover a lot of ground in 90 minutes. However, all indications were that United's players had bought into the new way of playing.
The tour was won by Martial and Sancho.
Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho, two players who struggled last season, were rejuvenated on the summer tour, both scoring three goals and thriving under Ten Hag and his coaching staff. Martial, who scored once for United before going on loan to Sevilla, where he also scored once, looked sharp and hungry throughout the tour, his questionable attitude and sluggish approach a thing of the past.
Sancho was equally impressive, combining well with fellow forwards Martial, Bruno Fernandes, and Marcus Rashford, indicating that he has overcome his difficult debut season and is ready to reach his full potential following his £75 million move from Borussia Dortmund.
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