ISTANBUL — Well, here we are. With November coming, Manchester United is safely snuggled between Bournemouth and Brentford in 12th place in the Premier League. In the Europa League, they are 21st, with European featherweights Viktoria Plzen and Elfsborg on either side, as if settling into a lovely, warm burrow for the winter, satisfied with life. There is no sense of panic as they move from one letdown to the next. Erik ten Hag and his troubled team’s leitmotif continues to be meek surrender, which is not a significant issue.
“Everything will turn” remains the party line. A point in a difficult Turkish environment is not to be overlooked, insists the manager. Read Next: “The mess will take years to fix”: Inside Ineos’ first 10 months at Manchester United. Read “The mess will take years to fix”: Inside Ineos’ first ten months at Manchester United.
Andre Onana was adamant after United slipped to a fourth straight draw in European competition against Fenerbahce, having led at least once in each game, that things will get better. “If not today, then tomorrow.”
But what if tomorrow never comes? No individual, other than perhaps Onana, is improving, so why would the collective be able to start sashaying around any corners anytime soon?
In isolation, a draw against a Fenerbahce
Andre Onana was certain that things will improve after United drew their fourth straight game in European competition against Fenerbahce, despite leading at least once in each of the previous three. “If not today, then tomorrow.” What if tomorrow never comes? Except for Onana, no one is improving, so why should the collective start sashaying around corners very soon? In isolation, a draw versus the Fenerbahce
Taking the lead once against teams like Galatasaray, FC Twente, Porto, and Fenerbahce and losing is understandable as long as it does not happen again. Four times in a row indicates there is no abnormality. Something is inherently wrong with Manchester United’s mentality, and nobody is doing anything to change it. To address this issue, Ten Hag must put an end to the acceptance of mediocrity that has strangely crept in. By continuing to focus on the positives from one point against opponents like Fenerbahce, he is allowing his players to feel that if they continue as they are, better times are ahead. Onana continued reiterating the same message: change will occur naturally.
But that’s not how it works. If one win in 11 in Europe and one in seven in all competitions this season doesn’t make it clearly plain that what United is doing isn’t working, then the club’s power brokers have completely missed the mark by giving Ten Hag more time to resuscitate this sleeping, stuttering monster. Read Next.
Yet, time and again, a psychologically weak United chose the wrong final ball, took the shot on with choices in acres of space disregarded, squandering wonderful possibilities to kickstart their European campaign and breathe life into their stagnant season. They settled on a point. A reasonable return from a challenging voyage. Except this is Manchester United, Erik, and Andre. A draw against mediocre Turkish opposition is tolerable if wins have already been recorded. A better tomorrow will not occur if Ten Hag and his players continue to think this way. The quality of some recent goals, both in the weekend’s win over Brentford and Christian Eriksen’s first-half strike in Turkey, demonstrated how much talent exists.
Something like the belief to get results over the line or steal late victories when opponents are on the ropes, like Sir Alex Ferguson’s fire-breathing beast used with gusto, needs to be reintroduced soon. And it is up to the manager. Erik, it’s time to put an end to mediocrity once and for all. Topics