---
# System prepended metadata

title: 'Erik Ten Hag Faces Questions on Philosophy, His Squad and a Must-Win Match at Craven Cottage'

---

<h1>Erik Ten Hag Faces Questions on Philosophy, His Squad and a Must-Win Match at Craven Cottage</h1>
<p>Erik ten Hag was faced with questions about philosophy, his squad and Saturday&apos;s lunch-time clash at Craven Cottage when he attended a press conference prior to facing them in action.</p>
<p>Ten Hag is determined to restore United&apos;s beautiful game and is making every effort to do so. Mitchell van der Gaag and Steve McClaren have provided invaluable help, with each coach using their own coaching style at Carrington.</p>
<h2>Ajax&rsquo;s success</h2>
<p>Ten Hag&apos;s stock surged after leading Ajax to an Eredivisie and KNVB Cup double in his first season in the Netherlands, beating Real Madrid and Juventus along the way to almost reaching a Champions League final.</p>
<p>His tactics have been crucial. His team currently leads the Eredivisie in terms of shots after high turnovers, possession won in the final third and passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA - 7.9).</p>
<p>Ten Hag is no stranger to English football or culture and will need to exert his authority with fierceness when managing United&apos;s players. Known for being strict yet fair with Ajax players, former Ajax player Karan Tejwani hails him as &quot;easily the best Ajax manager since Louis van Gaal.&quot; Likewise he must not only win their respect but impose his beliefs as well.</p>
<p style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;'>Read more: <a href="https://www.ksakora-live.com/"><span dir="RTL" style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;'>كورة لايف</span></a></p>
<h2>Eriksen&rsquo;s devotion</h2>
<p>Ten Hag&apos;s intelligence, personal devotion to his players and near-obsessive attention to detail are the keys to his success at Ajax. He tolerates no dissent, shaping players into efficient units of attack.</p>
<p>However, he also understands that players need a sense of freedom to discover their individual identities and so while laying down fundamental rules and taking swift action on violations - he gives his players the freedom to challenge each other on the court.</p>
<p>At Wembley, Casemiro and Raphael Varane fist-pumped each other after shepherding the ball out left for a corner kick, while, more recently, all defenders huddled together as one in recognition after blocking Joelinton&apos;s close range shot from Joelinton - such actions are proof that their team truly belongs together and have true cohesion. This scene provides tangible proof of this truthful statement of intent from our players.</p>
<h2>Malacia&rsquo;s aggression</h2>
<p>Ten Hag made an immediate impact upon arriving at United, quickly leading them to third place finish and qualifying for 2023-24 Champions League competition while reaching FA Cup final.</p>
<p>His decision to sign left-back Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord for PS13 million shows he&apos;s not afraid to make bold moves in the transfer market. Malacia is quick, confident in possession and has quickly become something of a fan favourite at his club due to his aggressive play with the ball.</p>
<p>At first glance, it may appear surprising that Luke Shaw has been chosen to challenge for a starting spot against Jack Butland but his aggressive nature and ability to cover space has impressed the boss. These characteristics are shared among his full-backs and could prove essential in their pursuit of a top four finish this season, especially should either of the current top two falter.</p>
<h2>Martinez&rsquo;s competitive charisma</h2>
<p>Ten Hag isn&apos;t known for having charisma, yet still manages to leave an impactful impression with players. Eriksen&apos;s uplifting devotion and Malacia and Martinez&apos;s confidence, aggression, and enthusiasm help mitigate that, making Ten Hag an indispensable member of his dressing room. While United may look askance at Tottenham&apos;s reasons for not hiring Ten Hag as manager themselves, one club&apos;s loss has become another&apos;s gain.</p>
<p>Ten Hag faces an immense task in moving into Manchester United&apos;s global spotlight and expectations, yet is already making his mark as interim manager. Manchester United have shown themselves willing to let someone play out their tenure before selecting someone they might regret in time - something which does not sit poorly with those who know him best who believe this move to be exactly what is needed.</p>