IT had a familiar ring to it as Erik ten Hag ripped into Manchester United’s opening to the season.
He raged at players for ‘not running enough’.
AlamyErik ten Hag has hammered his players[/caption]
AlamyHe claimed they did not run enough against Tottenham[/caption]
Was that not the problem when they also lost their second game of last season at Brentford?
On that occasion, it was a 4-0 thumping and the then-new boss responded by hauling the team in the following day for a punishing run in the heat.
He joined in the 8.5-mile run — the extra distance covered by the Bees — to make his point.
There has been no such reaction this time but he clearly is unhappy with an unconvincing opening to this campaign.
Still frustrated by last Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Tottenham, Ten Hag accused his side of a lack of effort and application.
He was particularly angry at their failure to press better up front and felt the team turned off after a promising start.
United chief Ten Hag said: “They didn’t run. They ran in the wrong moments, too late — especially at the front.
“They didn’t recover. It’s a demand here if you want to win football games.
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“For the first 35 minutes, we were so good. We dominated totally. We should’ve scored a minimum once, I think twice.
“They were nowhere, nothing. And then things happened in the game and they got distracted — they were not doing their jobs anymore.”
United were fortunate to win their opening game 1-0 against Wolves after being outplayed before that deflating 2-0 loss.
The Dutchman, 53, was pulling no punches ahead of the clash with Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag said: “I told them, I gave them the feedback that it just isn’t acceptable.
“We have to work as a team with togetherness and everybody individually really has to take some responsibility. We need accountable players.
“I’m not used to it from this team because they always do it.
“It’s what the fans can expect and what we demand.
GettyMan United lost the game and were outplayed[/caption]
“In those games over the full course, we didn’t match the standards.
“We beat Wolves, the first 35 minutes were good at Spurs.
“But the demand at United is you do it for 90 minutes every game, no matter what.”
The manager is big enough to take his share of the criticism as well.
He admitted: “Oh yeah. We are in the same boat. I’m responsible for it, me as well.
“We have to do it with togetherness and to face that the first two games weren’t good enough.
“If we do the right things, we have a very good team.
“If everyone is doing their job we’ll win games.”
While Ten Hag hammered his team, he jumped to the defence of his captain.
AlamyBruno Fernandes was fuming at the referee after being denied a penalty[/caption]
Bruno Fernandes came in for some criticism for his antics in the defeat at Spurs.
He then demanded an apology from referees’ chief Jon Moss after United were denied a penalty for handball.
But Ten Hag said: “Of course I back him and I think he has to make his point. It’s justified, it’s a clear penalty. You can express that.
“Also, don’t get distracted by it. Keep focusing on your job.”
As for him being a captain? Ten Hag has no doubts after witnessing him with the armband for most of last season as Harry Maguire sat on the bench.
The Dutchman said: “Last season when he did it, he did brilliantly. Now as well.
“He’s an inspiration, an example for the team — he has the personality. He is a very good captain.”
United will be without injured duo Luke Shaw and Mason Mount against Forest.
AlamyMason Moun will not play until after the international break[/caption]
Full-back Shaw is likely to be out for six weeks with a muscle injury while £55million midfielder Mount will not be back until after the international break next month.
Ten Hag believes they have to look into why these injuries are occurring so early in the season.
He said: “You can’t avoid it in top football.
“Players go to the limits and you see it across all the teams, where injuries are coming.
“But it’s up to us to do research, to find reasons, and maybe you can learn from it for the future.”
The good news for Ten Hag is striker Rasmus Hojlund is knocking on the door to make his debut following his switch to Old Trafford from Atalanta for an initial £64m.
SunSport had revealed this week that Hojlund was battling to be on the bench against Forest and Ten Hag said he will definitely be available for the trip to Arsenal next Sunday.
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