Erik ten Hag was miffed with Man United’s start in the first and second halves of their 2-2 draw with Leeds.
Erik ten Hag admitted he may have to re-emphasise Leeds United’s intensity in his team talk ahead of Manchester United’s rematch at Elland Road on Sunday.
United were 1-0 down after 56 seconds to Wilfried Gnonto’s strike at Old Trafford and Raphael Varane put through his own net within three minutes of the restart to give Leeds a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford.
Although United recovered to earn a 2-2 draw, Ten Hag was disgruntled by the manner of both Leeds goals, with Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho dispossessed in the moves that led to each goal.
Ten Hag said United were caught so cold there was an issue with their formation in the first seconds of the game. “I think we could expect that (Leeds’s aggression) so I was really disappointed.
“As always, I take it to myself. We talk about they have to be ready and what the approach from them would be. Maybe we should have emphasised it even more, I don’t know. I have to think about it, I have to reflect on it. But definitely, it was the truth that in each half we were not ready.
“I started my talk at half-time with “eh, come on guys, we are not ready, make sure when we go out for the second half, make it ready, then you equalise and you win the game”.
“But then in the second half it’s the same and you concede a goal so quickly because the opponent is on the front foot, is aggressive, is winning challenges, that’s the point where I am most disappointed about. We lose all the battles in the first minutes of each half.
“Sometimes, yeah (I shout at the players). I have mixed feelings. So I have to compliment them with the way they fight back. I think they can do more and you have to be proactive and don’t let it happen. You think we go into a game, come on, it’s a battle. You have to be ready for the battle.”
Ten Hag downplayed the raucous atmosphere in the away end at Old Trafford. “We’re not playing against the fans, you’re playing against the XI who are on the pitch.
“So come on, take your responsibility, first deal with the ball – that was the first mistake – we have good football players. But also make sure we are playing in the right formation because there was a problem with the first goal; there was a wrong decision from the movement from one player.
“Then second: win your battles. Win your battles. Then it’s not possible you concede such goals we did. Third point: the rules. Make sure you’re disciplined in the rules and in that manner it’s too easy how we concede the goals.”
Source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
