United are on the verge of missing the top-four spot this season. United have consistently failed to produce the right results when it was needed the most. A draw against Leicester City poised a serious blow to the top four hopes making Arsenal and Tottenham the right fit for the Champions League spot. The season isn’t going the way the club and the fans expected it to be. Rather it’s worse! This is exactly the kind of situation when a proper manager helps the club from hitting rock-bottom and compete for the titles or makes the club a different opposition to face.
Ten Hag-(4-3-3)
According to many reports, the club as well as some United players want Erik Ten Hag as the next manager of the club. With the improvements being made in his current club (Ajax) it seems that he might be a good fit. Over the past few years, we have seen a lot of managers being sacked by the United board for not reaping the right results. However, Ten Hag seems to be very much composed while handling tough situations and has a lot of experience in this field.
With his inclusion in the United team, Donny Van De Beek might get the green light. With many reports claiming Pogba is leaving United as a free agent this summer window, arrival of Ten Hag makes the perfect reunion between him and Van De Beek. Bruno Fernandes and Van De Beek should be able to play a pivotal role in the midfield area.
Ten Hag has the capability to bring out the best out of any player. Over the past few years, Ajax has produced some fine talents of this generation ranging from De Jong, Donny Van De Beek, Antony and Sebastian Haller. Haller is one such player that reached a whole new level under his guidance. Haller never worked out at West Ham but has proven himself to be a cut above the Eredivisie since his arrival here. Haller has scored 7 goals and has 5 assists in just 12 appearances. Antony has also proved to be an important part of the team after his arrival from Sao Paulo in the 2020/21 season. So far this season he already has 8 goals and 8 assists making him a hot prospect for the upcoming transfer window.
Manchester United board is confident to make him the manager in the upcoming season. With the sudden upsurgence in Fred’s performance United defense seems to be better when we compare the stats from the start of the season.
Ajax don’t keep possession and so does United. Instead, they build-up the game in such a wonderful way that helps in breaking the opposition down. Ten Hag builds pressure from various degrees like breadth, width and the back four. Patience under his tactical idea plays a key role in attacking and demolishing their opposition. United is desperate for such a type of manager.
Ten Hag has revolutionized Ajax into being one of Europe’s most exciting teams. The fact that he wants to be a part of the United project makes the fans and the board have an optimistic approach. This manager will surely help in rebuilding the whole squad and compete in the title race which had long gone since the Ferguson era.
Mauricio Pochettinho-(4-2-3-1)
Pochettinho is also a very reliable manager. Recently, reports claimed that he has ruled himself out as the next potential manager of Manchester United. Pochettinho has played a massive role in taking Tottenham to their first ever Champions League Final. In fact, defeating the much-anticipated winner of that season, Ajax. No doubt that season Spurs were lucky to be handed a ticket to the knockout rounds, but they quite swiftly went past through their opponents.
Pochettinho’s tactical abilities paid-off in the 2nd leg of the UCL semi-finals when Lucas Moura scored q spectacular hattrick to chuck Ajax out of the finals. Pochettinho’s era in Spurs saw Dele Alli reaching his prime along with Harry Kane who has been a consistent performer ever since. It was under his guidance that Spurs earned a top-5 spot consistently but failed to win any silverware.
Pochettinho was sacked after a season and was nearly unemployed for a year. Thomas Tuchel on the other hand was sacked from the PSG managerial role and that is when Pochettinho took over the mighty empire. In his first season, he failed to win the domestic league. This season, he got in some remarkable players like Messi, Ramos, Donnarumma, Nuno Mendes and Wijnaldum.
What we have seen this season is that PSG has failed to capitalize on some easy chances especially in those big games. Real Madrid got the better of the two sides when they met in the Round of 16 in the UCL.
Pochettinho’s tactics are not universal which doesn’t make him a worthy contender for the United job. At this stage when United needs to rebuild an entire squad and compete for the title, he’s not the right man for it. United’s playing style totally contradicts his style of play. United builds pressure from the midfield but the only issue with it is that United lose possession a million times, sometimes even results in conceding a goal.
Pochettinho favors a more attack minded gameplay rather than just defending and holding possession. United needs to strengthen their defense and make some major calls at the back four. A sweet victory lies in the heart of the defense. A strong defense is the key to success in today’s modern gameplay.
United currently have the problem of how to implement Bruno Fernandes in the 4-3-3 formation but Erikson and Son often served as a key duo in Pochettinho’s era. On the other hand, there are a number of weaknesses in the current United squad. Wan Bissaka is not the kind of defender the Argentine is used to. Lack of physical strength in comparison to other defenders is what makes him fight for the position.
Overall, if we come to the conclusion of whether if he’s the right fit or not then the answer is “no”. United needs such a kind of manager that can bring out the best of any player without making any transfers. This factor completely rules out the Argentine from taking over the job.
Ralf Ragnick-(4-2-2-2)
After sacking Ole mid-season, the German took over United’s managerial role. He’s been appointed as the interim manager for the rest of the season. Ragnick after his appointment has played the 4-2-2-2 formation but it has failed to reap any positive results. He then switched from 4-2-2-2 to 4-3-3 formation which acted quite positively in the PL games against Aston Villa, Brentford and West Ham. Fred has been a player that has quickly adapts to his system of gameplay. Bruno Fernandes on the other hand has been a consistent performer ever since he joined the Red Army. Moreover, Diego Dalot seems to be a better performer in the RB position rather than Wan Bissaka. Jadon Sancho’s inclusion in the starting-XI has started producing positive results as well.
Ragnick has recorded the most points dropped by a new manager when managing for the Red Devils. On the other hand, United has been a tough team to beat. United in most of these games have come from behind and got the better of their opposition. Last PL game against Leicester City saw us reaping the same results.
Ragnick hasn’t acted as a catalyst in the United team. Ragnick is indeed the person responsible for the rise of RB Leipzig but he has failed to have the same kind of impact on the United team. Ragnick believes in the policy of three-K’s – Kapital, Konzept and Kompetenz-money, concept and competence. Ragnick in this United board can play a pivotal role in scouting new players. Over the years, especially in Leipzig he has played a key role in making these calls. Forsberg, Willi Orban, Yussuf Poulsen and Werner were one of the players heavily influenced by this German.
Ragnick has always been in the background or as a mentor basically who makes the right calls for the club’s benefit. There are a few reasons why he still didn’t succeed in the United role. Firstly, PL football is a different atmosphere altogether. Secondly, competition here is unrivalled. Coming in here requires proper expertise. Ragnick is a very experienced person without a doubt but he has never managed a top tier club and that also when that club is going through a rough patch of time.
United board believes that Ragnick can play a very important role in the upcoming future.
As things stand, United is still expected to sign Ten Hag as the manager next season as he seems to be the perfect fit for redemption. Ragnick doing his job from the background can also be helping in recruiting new players and change tactics which can prove to be clinical. If there’s a turn of events and United gets in Pochettinho then it would be very difficult to predict United’s future in the top flight football.
