Incoming Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has already been shown one of his priority tasks as Ralf Rangnick’s recent comment suggests that a physicality problem stemming back to the Jose Mourinho era remains unsolved. Ten Hag’s appointment as the Red Devils’ new boss was confirmed on Thursday as fans gear up for a summer of sweeping change.
It may be a sobering crash to reality for the Dutchman when he leaves his successful project at Ajax to take over a dysfunctional Man Utd side. With results faltering of late, Rangnick has voiced concerns over the side’s lack of physicality which was also hampering the Red Devils’ Premier League prospects long ago.
United were thrashed by Liverpool on Tuesday, considered to be one of the most physically impressive sides in the world, and players showed little in the way of intensity. Fans were left frustrated as the Reds were allowed the space to run riot and romp to a 4-0 victory.
“They are one of the best teams in the world and we are just not physical or athletic enough,” said Rangnick after the final whistle, “Against teams like this, if you want to cause them problems, you have to have a few counter-attacking moments yourself but we couldn’t and that’s why we lost 4-0.
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“I’m pretty sure any of the player in the starting XI knew about the importance of the game – not only with regard to the league table but also with regard to our fans and supporters. To be able to get something out of a game like this you have to be on them. You have to attack them and cause them problems.”
Backtrack almost four years and the entirety of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s patchy reign as United boss, Mourinho spouted similar issues after another defeat to Liverpool. Ten Hag must surely press the club to address their physicality deficit this summer, and indeed work with the squad to improve strength and fitness, or risk ending up with the same problem as his predecessors.
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“We have lots of problems related to physicality,” admitted the Portuguese back in 2018, “We have lots of players I could consider injury prone because some of our players are always injured and it is not with me. I have lot of good players technically but we don’t have lots of players with that intensity, that physicality, so when the game has high levels of intensity it is difficult for us.”
A tenacious midfield arrival is virtually certain this summer with Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic both expected to leave for free. Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips and West Ham’s Declan Rice are both believed to be on the Red Devils’ radar, although naturally, neither Jesse Marsch nor David Moyes will be keen to let go of their respective midfield generals.
Ten Hag could also seek to address the issue by recruiting a tireless runner or a domineering target man up top. Pressing from the front has become the norm among the Premier League’s top teams, and attack is set to be a transfer priority this summer with Edinson Cavani on his way out and Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford potentially following suit.
A scouting system revamp is already underway at Old Trafford as the club prepares for Ten Hag to instigate change. Although Mourinho and Rangnick both had, and in the latter case continues to have issues while at the helm, the incoming Dutchman may be wise to digest their complaints if the goal is to compete with the country’s best.
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