Arteta won the FA Cup at Arsenal with a style centred around pragmatism.
Arsenal did press high and tried to keep the ball when they got it, but also accepted they lacked the quality to reliably do both of those things, and sat back for large periods.
Ten Hag has done the same.
Arsenal did press high and tried to keep the ball when they got it, but also accepted they lacked the quality to reliably do both of those things, and sat back for large periods.
Ten Hag has done the same.
The most exciting thing about this United project, though, is the fact that ten Hag's primary approach is similar to that at Arsenal and Manchester City.
He can implement an elite high press, an elite counterpress, elite positional play in the final third.. this is the start.
He can implement an elite high press, an elite counterpress, elite positional play in the final third.. this is the start.
Just look at the players he has signed - Lisandro Martinez, Antony, Malacia. They're all players who are often doubted physically due to their small stature, but they sure as hell make up for it with their tenacity and most crucially their technical quality.
That base will grow.
That base will grow.
As I said, Arteta's Arsenal undertook the same development process, except ten Hag's United are a little further advanced in their project relative to where Arteta took over Arsenal, but that's even better for United fans.
They can look forward to winning reliably instantly.
They can look forward to winning reliably instantly.
The entire make up of this United team will look different, except the current core of Martinez, Varane, Casemiro, Bruno and Rashford will remain. Add extra technical quality to that and phwoar..
United will pin teams back and dominate games through passing and pressing.
United will pin teams back and dominate games through passing and pressing.
The likelihood of that evolution seems almost inevitable, by the way. Ten Hag is a fierce leader who can handle adversity in the short-term, but his squad building is also elite. Look at how quickly he fixed United through coaching/recruitment. Now another window on top of that..
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