Rene Meulensteen has pinpointed the reason for Manchester United’s defensive struggles under Erik ten Hag this season.
Erik ten Hag’s struggles with Manchester United’s defense this season stem from a notable lack of energy in midfield, according to former coach Rene Meulensteen.
Manchester United have faced a challenging start to the campaign, suffering six defeats in 11 games (W5 D0). Part of the reason for their struggles has been in defense. They’ve only kept three clean sheets and conceded 19 goals in total, an average of 1.7 goals a game.
Now Meulensteen has pinpointed specific issues within the squad. The Dutchman cited the midfield energy as the root cause of the defensive woes. He even noted the difficulty experienced by players like Raphael Varane in coping with the intense pace in England.
“United have certain shortcomings. [Varane] cannot handle the pace,” Meulensteen stated in an interview with ESPN.
“The Premier League is dynamic. Everything goes at 100 kilometers per hour. That is the big problem in midfield. They have no energy, and that is how the defense gets into trouble.”
Meulensteen also singled out Casemiro as another player struggling to adapt to Ten Hag’s high-intensity style of play.
Despite the manager’s conviction in his preferred playing style, Meulensteen suggested that he needs to make adjustments for success in the challenging and fast-paced environment of the Premier League.
Manchester United languish at the bottom of Group A in the Champions League, having lost 4-3 and 3-2 to Bayern Munich and Galatasaray respectively. In the Premier League, they’re positioned 10th, five points outside the top four.
The Red Devils will return to action on October 21 away to Sheffield United in the Premier League.
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