Ten Hag has got to be way better… Man Utd boss' system is still a mystery

I NEVER know from one week to the next what Manchester United are trying to do, what their system is or how they play.

That was the case a few weeks after Erik ten Hag had taken over — I’m really none the wiser now and we’re 18 months on.

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And that’s one of the reasons why there is far more riding on today’s game for Ten Hag than for Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou.

Ten Hag seems to be under pressure all the time. They get one good result, then a bad one. There’s no consistency at all.

This week it was the Europa League and a draw against little FC Twente.

At the start of the month it was getting smashed up at home by Liverpool.

It is difficult when you are not winning.

If you are winning, you can keep a consistent team. In Sir Alex Ferguson’s time, the team pretty much picked itself every week.

When you’re losing, it’s very different. You are looking for that formula, so you are chopping and changing players or even altering systems of play.

Of course, Man United and Spurs both have  traditions of playing attacking football. But in the end, it’s all about winning.

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Let’s not kid ourselves that everyone is so educated and just wants to see this incredible style of football.

Winning games and being up near the top of the league is the only thing that will keep  people happy.

It’s no good playing good football and getting beat 3-0 on a Saturday.

If you’re not playing good football AND you’re not winning, you’re bang in trouble, of course.

Which is where Ten Hag and United are still.

We know all about Angeball and when Spurs are playing  well, they are great to watch. It’s a very open, attacking style.

They have some excellent forward players. Dominic Solanke seems to be settling in now that he’s got a couple of goals.

Postecoglou can’t really play any other way with the players he has. They don’t have a lot of workhorses.

The two full-backs can’t defend. You couldn’t turn that squad into something else.

If Spurs are winning games and playing like that, the fans will love it.

Having said that, a draw at Old Trafford today would be a decent result for Tottenham.

But not for United. They have to be winning their home games.
Ten Hag keeps making a point about winning a trophy in both his seasons at the club so far.

But at United, you expect more. If you’re a Man United fan, you’ve been spoilt. You’re used to winning league titles and European Cups.

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He needs to do more, he needs to be back up there challenging.
The cup wins, well done — but still not good enough. They need to improve, big-time.

Both sides will be looking to get back into the Champions League as a minimum.

You’d put your shirt on the top three being Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal in whatever order.

But it’s going to be a real dogfight for that fourth spot.

Villa are in the Champions League this year and that could be a distraction.

Spurs and United are in Europe but their  fixtures aren’t anything like the same level.

Chelsea are starting to come together and they could be a threat.

I still think Spurs have the players to just about take that last spot.
And Ten Hag has it all to do at United.

A lot of people were surprised he survived the summer, really.
It was very strange. All the talk was that he would be going. I still think Gareth Southgate could be lurking on the radar.

I can see the former England boss being of interest to the people who run the club if United’s form does not improve.

Ten Hag needs results — and quickly.

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Hold-up even left our Ron in a rage

THE travel nightmare that Qarabag had on the way to their game at Tottenham reminded me of the worst journey I ever had.

As a player at West Ham, we had a League Cup semi-final replay against Stoke at  Hillsborough in 1972.

We were stuck in  horrendous traffic and going to be really late.

I’d never seen Ron Greenwood lose his  temper but he was going crazy at the driver.

He was in such a state that he was trying to  get through gaps that weren’t big enough and ended up hitting six cars on the way.

They all followed us to the stadium and then the drivers got out and started having a row.

It was like the  Keystone Cops.

Was it worth it? No. The game ended 0-0 and then we got beat in the second replay.

Sam was a write one

EVERYONE’S banging on  about dark arts — or  whatever people want to call them — after Manchester City and Arsenal’s 2-2 draw last weekend.

It’s nothing new, all that verbal and physical stuff.

But Wimbledon chairman Sam Hammam once found an amazing way to stir up some trouble.

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Before one game against them with West Ham, I got to Upton Park about 12 o’clock and my groundsman said: “Harry, their chairman has been in their dressing room for an hour and he’s got a big bag of pens.”

I opened the door and all over the walls he had  written “Fashanu, you t***er”, “Vinnie, you . . . ”, all that kind of thing, in big writing.

It was as though we’d done it, so that when  Wimbledon came in, they would get the raving needle and want to kill us.