Since club legend Sir Alex Ferguson left, Manchester United has struggled to find a replacement that can keep the team at the same level. Managers such as Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have tried to tackle the challenge of bringing the team back to greatness but have failed to do so. This problem has been passed from coach to coach and is now in the hands of the new boss Erik Ten Hag. With his coaching background and expertise, he will finally be able to solve the problem of Manchester.

Erik was brought in during the spring of 2022 and fully took over in the summer. He coached at Ajax in the Netherlands for 5 years and has dominated the Eredivisie as well as taking the team on a deep run in the UEFA Champions Leagues during the 2017-2018 season. This success prompted United to sign Ten Hag in order for him to carry over his success to a club that hasn’t had much since 2017.

Coaching is not the only issue United needs to tackle, the players are a large part of the problem as well. Not only did Manchester bring Ten Hag in, but they also decided to add some new players to the squad. Some of these players, such as Antony and Lisandro Martinez, have been coached by Erik in his time at Ajax and have already proven themselves to him. Casemiro, Tyrell Malacia, and Christian Erikson were also brought in over the summer in order to revamp the group.

Former coach Ralf Rangnick shared his thoughts on the situation in Manchester by stating, “It’s not cosmetic, it’s open heart surgery.”

This group of signings has helped fill holes in the team such as the center-back position. Former captain Harry Maguire has been the main weakness in United’s defense and he has lost his spot in the starting squad to newly signed Martinez. Tyrell Malacia has also caused a drastic change in the way the Red Devils play defensively. What was once fragile is now robust.

Erik’s impact has already been felt in the few games he has been in charge of Manchester. After tough losses to Brighton and Brentford, the team achieved a crucial win against rival Liverpool. They have been a team United struggled to beat in the past as they had lost a combined 9-0 in the games against the Liverpool lost season. This huge turnaround can be attributed to the new tactics Erik Ten Hag has brought in.

Throughout his reign in the Dutch league, he maintained an average of 62% possession which is something that United has struggled with in past years. He strives for a more controlled game filled with combinations from the midfield and building from the back. This style of play allows the team to not just rely on long balls and attackers to make plays but rather allows for more of the team to be involved and the opposing defense to be more vulnerable. This hasn’t been the only major change from Ten Hag; he has also caused a mentality shift at the club.

Over the past few years, fans have noticed players becoming lazier, but that has come to a stop ever since the Ten Hag took over. After Brentford dominated them in a 4-0 loss, coach Ten Hag decided to have practice on what was supposed to be a day off for the players. The players ran eight and a half miles as punishment for the embarrassing loss. Ever since this practice, the team has looked more focused and has been playing better overall.

The change of tactics, mentality, and players have all worked so far for Erik Ten Hag and has proven that he can live up to the expectations of being a manager for one of the more historic clubs in the world. Manchester United will become one of the best teams in Europe under Ten Hag, and they will return to the greatness the fans desire.