Erik ten Hag has embraced Manchester United’s identity. Will it blow up in his face?

The Manchester United head coach is committed to playing transition football but does that bode well for the Red Devils’ Premier League prospects?

Breaking the mould is never straightforward, especially when everyone else leans in a different direction. Tell that to Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, even if you sense it is something the Dutchman is aware of.

Ten Hag and Manchester United so far

Depending on who is asked, conclusions should not be reached from pre-season games, as it is effectively a fitness-building and team bonding few weeks. 

However, there is a risk of missing out on some instructive information from the manager, tactical elements expected in the imminent season or a potential breakout star.

Ten Hag’s remarks to MUTV in late July highlighted the United head coach’s plan for the season. The mention of one thing, though, stood out.

“What do we want to be?” asked Ten Hag. “We want to be the best transition team in the world.

“We want to surprise; we want to play dynamic; we want to play with speed; we want to play aggressive, forging the right team spirit, because that is United.”

Favouring a transition-heavy approach jars with Ten Hag’s modus operandi at Ajax and recent Premier League-winning sides.

Ten Hag’s possession-reliant Ajax

While Ten Hag’s Ajax side moved the ball with purpose, they were also adept at controlling a game’s tempo when required.

Admittedly, the current United boss was taking over at one of the league’s leading sides with a philosophy entrenched in keeping the ball. But the team’s possession in his four full seasons — 63.6 percent (2018-19), 64.1% (2019-20), 63.9% (2020-21) and 66.5% (2021-22) — compared to the two years before his arrival — 54.3% (2015-16) and 59.7% (2016-17) — underlines the improvement that took place under Ten Hag.

Elevating the Red Devils’ approach with the ball was expected when the 53-year-old took charge in 2022, but United’s mean possession in 22-23 (53.7%) was negligible from 21-22 (52.7%).

The Red Devils still cannot get the better of Sevilla, and Erik ten Hag will bemoan his team’s egregious game management at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag’s first year at Manchester United

Even though Ten Hag seemed intent on implementing his methods at the start of last season, he swiftly altered his approach after their early-season struggles, especially in the build-up phase.

Manchester United’s best football under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came in games where they played direct, counter-attacking football, and Ten Hag’s team looked at their best in those situations last term.

Unsurprisingly, the data validates the eye test. According to Opta, the Red Devils were involved in 423 open-play passing sequences that contained 10 or more passes.

This placed United sixth among the 20 Premier League sides, but the chasm between the Red Devils and fifth-placed Arsenal (580 sequences comprising 10 passes or higher) was striking. Expectedly, Manchester City and Liverpool ranked first and second, with 851 and 616, respectively.

Digging deeper, Manchester United’s 98 build-up attacks — i.e., open play sequences containing 10 or more passes that ended in a shot or had at least one touch in the box — were significantly lower than Pep Guardiola’s men (224), Mikel Arteta’s team (157) and even Brighton & Hove Albion (140).

The clearest indicator of Ten Hag’s preference at Old Trafford was the volume of direct attacks last term — the Red Devils’ 102 outdid the other 19 teams in the division.

Onana’s expected arrival from Inter Milan to replace the departed De Gea suggests the Red Devils are undertaking an overdue evolution.

Interestingly, this has continued into the club’s preseason, strengthening Ten Hag’s direction regarding the Manchester outfit’s approach.

How have Ten Hag’s United fared in the off-season?

The Red Devils have had a mixed pre-season going by their results, but some notable moments in their attacking transitions have stood out.

In their first game against Leeds United, a swift phase of play should have resulted in United going ahead early.

When a loose ball falls to Aaron Wan-Bissaka, the right-back’s first thought is a forward pass to Hannibal Mejbri, whose deft touch sends the ball Mason Mount’s way.

The England midfielder wastes no time releasing Amad Diallo, isolating the wide attacker with the Leeds defender.

Diallo picks out Hannibal in the box, but the Tunisian’s shot is saved by Kristoffer Klaesson and the rebound is not converted by the Ivorian. United should have scored.

Against Lyon a week later, an early move showed Manchester United’s intent after regaining possession.

After Hannibal intercepted Anthony Lopes’ poor pass, the midfielder ignored Diallo and Mount. Instead, he passed the ball to Jadon Sancho, who released Antony, but the Brazilian was denied by Lopes, making up for his initial error.

United won 1-0 through Donny van de Beek’s second-half volley.

A different kind of attacking transition played out in the 2-0 defeat by Real Madrid last week.

After Lucas Vazquez’s throw-in, Scott McTominay and Victor Lindelof double-teamed Joselu, who lost possession to the Scot.

McTominay subsequently strode forward impressively, weaving through the Spanish side’s midfield and defence before shooting at goal. 

Andriy Lunin saved the Scot’s shot, but it was fascinating to spot several United players breaking their necks during the attacking transition.

Not to be confused with going direct, another facet of United in their tune-up games, Ten Hag’s team seem intent on swiftly getting the ball into high-value areas after regaining possession. The Red Devils have also been direct in their build-ups — seen in the opening goal against Arsenal and evident in this week’s defeat by Borussia Dortmund.

Less than a year after altering his methods to suit his players, the erstwhile Ajax boss does not appear to want to change tack. However, will a transition-based approach deliver the first Premier League title since Chelsea in 2016-17?

Arsenal’s underwhelming performance comes despite their extensive £200m recruitment drive, with new signings Havertz, Declan Rice, and Jurrien Timber featuring from the start.

Can Ten Hag match Leicester City and Chelsea’s Premier League feats?

Antonio Conte’s Blues were the last side to reign supreme in the English topflight utilising largely transition football, following Leicester City’s triumph in 2015-16 under Claudio Ranieri.

Since those two campaigns, Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp dominated the league before Arsenal’s emergence under Arteta, even if the Gunners’ extended wait for a Premier League title continues after last term’s late-season dip.

While the snide “copycat” digs at Arteta are unlikely to stop, the North Londoners must be recognised as title contenders again after their upswing in the last 18 months.

It remains to be seen if Ten Hag’s transition-first approach brings a title in the long term, especially as teams demonstrating control of games have succeeded since Conte’s Premier League triumph at Stamford Bridge.

Comparisons with Klopp are incorrect, with the former Borussia Dortmund boss moving away from his heavy reliance on intensity and chaos to implementing a style featuring control while not losing their previous edge in the lead-up to the Reds’ 2019-20 league win.

Time will tell if Ten Hag’s methods bring the title to Old Trafford. But the imminent season should be all shades of fun at the Theatre of Dreams. Watch this space.