Erik ten Hag unleashes scathing critique on Man Utd players after Chelsea defeat
Erik ten Hag, Manchester United’s manager, did not mince words when he warned his players following their devastating 4-3 defeat to Chelsea. The Red Devils, who led 3-2 in the 99th minute, grabbed loss from the jaws of victory by losing two late goals to Cole Palmer, who completed an incredible hat-trick.
Ten Hag brought out three obvious shortcomings in his team’s performance. First, he criticized the players’ decision-making, suggesting that bad judgments on the field ultimately cost them the game. Secondly, he stressed defensive flaws, such as Diogo Dalot’s poor penalty concession, that enabled Chelsea to tie the match 3-3.
“Of course, that frustrates me the most,” Ten Hag said on the stoppage-time goals. “We started the game poor, making individual errors.
“But by that moment already I had the feeling we are dominating the game and we fought ourselves back into the game. We make ourselves in a winning position by very good football, sometimes brilliant football, scoring great goals.
“And then in stoppage time we didn’t manage it, we didn’t bring the win over the line and of course, that’s frustrating. I don’t know what it is but what it is that you have to do your job and they know their jobs and then you have to make the right decisions.
“And we didn’t make the right decisions, we didn’t react quick enough to avoid this situation.
“I said today to the players, on decision-making, we have to make better decisions, it’s our strength. You saw again how we score from counters – we can be such a massive threat. And we have seen today an example with tempo, how we can beat our opponents, where we are unstoppable.
“But we have to read when to keep the ball, especially when you are winning. Keep the ball, pass and move and switch the play instead of giving the ball away or going only into long balls. Bring the ball into the opponent’s half, keep passing, discourage the opponent.
“But then if you have to defend you have to do it proper and we made the wrong decisions. And on individual errors and that’s very frustrating if you’re playing a good game.”
The defeat is United’s 12th in the Premier League under Ten Hag’s management, increasing to the Dutchman’s rising pressure. With this latest defeat, United have suffered yet another added-time agony, after similar defeats to Arsenal, Fulham, and Brentford earlier this season. As the season unfolds, Ten Hag will face an uphill battle to solve these flaws and save United’s campaign.
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