Erik ten Hag admits the biggest improvement he needs to make, Man Utd fans completely agree

Erik ten Hag has admitted the biggest improvement he needs to make at Manchester United after a difficult second season with the club.

The United boss has found major difficulties this term after a positive debut campaign at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag’s side still have a chance at success this term with an upcoming FA Cup final against Manchester City, but their Premier League and Champions League campaigns have been utterly disappointing.

One of the largest issues has been the openness of United’s team when they do not have the ball. Opposition have easily been able to run/pass through the midfield at Old Trafford.

Whilst Ten Hag has previously suggested that the number of attacks United concede is not a problem, he has now admitted that he and the team must improve their work out of possession.

He told reporters: “That is especially [what we have to work on], out-of-possession stuff. Out of possession we have to be better organised and we have to be better disciplined, we have to play with a higher intensity.

“Then we have to keep doing that stuff in possession because I think we [have] made huge progress in this season, in possession and with attacking transitions.

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“We have scored so many goals and you can see the difference between the first half of the season and the second half of the season. We have really developed our attacking way of play.”

Despite the injury troubles across the season, with United currently having just one fit centre-back in Harry Maguire, Ten Hag has suggested that it’s not the only aspect that has impacted the defensive performance.

The Dutchman also believes that the offensive players in the team need to offer several different things to help the team defensively.

“Most important has been the back four, we haven’t been sustainable. Every time we have had to make a risk and there have been so many different partnerships, so many times we have made switches there,” he added.

“So many changes there in the backline swapping full-backs and there we have our problems. But also there, our attacking players have to contribute more. More disciplined, put more pressure on the ball and making better runs.”