Erik ten Hag launches a big defence of his not-so-Ajax ‘direct’ style of play at Man United, blaming ‘missing players in back four’, for bad ‘routines’ and hailing himself, his team and his staff as ‘strong’

• The stats that SHAME Ten Hag after Man United’s worst start in six decades 
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• Is Erik ten Hag out of his depth at Man United? Listen here to It’s All Kicking Off 

Erik ten Hag has defended his managerial style amidst a dismal run of form for the Dutch manager’s Manchester United side. 

The team currently sit eighth in the table and will travel to Fulham on Saturday after back-to-back 3-0 home defeats. 

Poor results against Manchester City in the Premier League and Newcastle in midweek Carabao Cup action mark the first time in 93 years that the side have lost five of their first ten home games. 

The former Ajax manager raised eyebrows on Monday when he shared that the team would ‘never’ be able to emulate the style of his successful Eredivise side. 

But Ten Hag was keen to stress that he was focused on building a unique playing philosophy at Old Trafford.  

Erik ten Hag was keen to defend his managerial style after recording back-to-back defeats

Manchester United have lost five of their first 10 home games for the first time in 93 years

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‘I came here with my philosophy, based on possession, but also to combine it with the DNA of Man United, but also with the players and their character,’ Ten Hag said. ‘We combined it last year and we played very good football last season. I want to play from the back and we try that in every game, but like against Man City, if they are good at pressing, it’s a good option to go direct. 

‘We want to press, then go direct, because we have the players who are very good at it.’

When asked if United were perhaps playing without a style, Ten Hag demurred. 

‘I don’t want to say that. That’s too strong,’ he continued. ‘The intention is clear, but the execution isn’t there. 

‘In the moment we’re in, with so many changes, we can’t line up the same game each time and we have to swap. We miss players in the back four and every time we have to adjust, which doesn’t help the routines.’

But despite the side recording consecutive 3-0 home defeats for the first team since the 1962-63 season, Ten Hag said the atmosphere was ‘positive’. 

Summer signing Mason Mount was the only player to stay on the pitch and applaud the fans on a dismal Carabao Cup night at Old Trafford

‘They (players) are positive. They want to put this right and we know the standards here. We have to match them every day, we’ve had two big setbacks, but we’ll fight back. 

‘The dressing room is strong, the staff are strong and this manager is strong.’ 

He also stressed that his players were ‘hard to beat’ – despite their recent record providing evidence to the contrary. 

‘I’m convinced in the long-term, they will be hard to beat, and they know how to do it,’ Ten Hag added.  

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