Erik ten Hag believes Kobbie Mainoo will be ready to ease Manchester United’s midfield issues when he regains fitness. Ten Hag felt the post-match graphic was misleading but was keen to highlight the emergence of the 18-year-old Mainoo as a wildcard option. Mainoo sustained an ankle injury in the opening minutes of the pre-season friendly defeat to Real Madrid last month and is due to be available again in September.
Erik ten Hag said: “First, I didn’t see it that way. I thought he was surrounded by Luke Shaw, he was surrounded also in cases by Lisandro Martinez, by Mason Mount. But definitely, it is a new midfield. We can, we have to step up there, we have to improve. So I agree in that fact. We have to improve it. In possession, we were absolutely no good and had to do with rules and principles, we didn’t match rules and principles in our possession game, then we don’t get a good game. Also players make so many unforced errors, it was very below our standards in what I use for my players, in what my players are capable of. But it can happen, it’s the form of today. But I have seen already in pre-season they can do much better, I have seen last year of course, they can do much better, I am sure they will improve quickly. Of course, also last year [McTominay] played that (defensive) role, so he is capable of doing it. But, I know he is not in this moment there, but Kobbie Mainoo, we have seen him against Arsenal, he is ready to take that role. Not at this moment available, but I think he will in two months he will be available, for winter is coming up he will absolutely have his games.”
Ten Hag also stressed new signing Mason Mount had to adapt quickly to playing in a deeper role and likened his situation to that of Christian Eriksen last year. Eriksen joined United as a renowned playmaker but settled into a central midfield role and quickly excelled. When it was suggested Mount may require time,
Erik Ten Hag replied: “Ah but Christian Eriksen last season came in and had the same. First time in his life he played in a deeper role, that was the ambition for Christian but also the ambition for Mason. So he wants to be multi-functional. That’s the way I see football. But as I say, it will not come overnight, it is a process we have to go through. But I am sure he has game intelligence, technical abilities, also good vision on the ball, he knows how to deal with the ball, he has the dynamics, don’t forget that, he has the mentality, so all the ingredients are there to do it. He can [adapt], already we have seen it in pre-season. What I said definitely, we have to work on many facts of our game, but also midfield, cooperation, how we set it. I am sure we will get it. But it’s not coming overnight. If it was easier, everyone could do it.”
United’s midfield was overrun in the fortuitous 1-0 win over Wolves and a post-match graphic of the players’ average positions showed how isolated defensive midfielder Casemiro was, with the other members of the front six pushed higher up.
Casemiro is United’s only specialist defensive midfielder and Ten Hag started last season with Scott McTominay holding the fort until United were steamrollered by Manchester City in a 6-3 thrashing in October.
