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| Erik ten Hag |
What he saw during Manchester United's opening game of pre-season against Rosenborg in Norway left Erik ten Hag far from impressed.
After their loss in the opening pre-season game, Erik ten Hag reprimanded his Manchester United players for not meeting the expected standards.
Ten Hag expressed dissatisfaction with his players' performance level after United lost to Norwegian team Rosenborg, having conceded in added-time.
According to Ten Hag, the outcome is crucial. Despite being in pre-season, Manchester United demands a winning mentality and discourages losing games. While victory may not be feasible at times, avoiding defeat should still remain a priority; unfortunately for us, we were unable to do so and ended up losing in the final moments of the match.
Although performance is of utmost importance, it should be noted that the standard was not met in this instance.
Although we may address and rectify our past shortcomings, I am not the individual to do so. It is apparent that this does not align with top-tier football standards.
At the highest level of football, our standards are significantly elevated and it is essential for an individual to ensure their fitness. Although I understand that you may not currently be at your peak condition required for a match, these games will aid in getting us there.
Despite playing against opponents with superior fitness levels, we are Manchester United and our players should be delivering a higher level of performance.
The first game witnessed the presence of CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox in the stands while coaching pair Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake made their debut.
Ten Hag's team selection was a mix of experienced and youthful players. His choices were somewhat restricted due to certain individuals being absent because of their participation in Euro 2024, while others had been undergoing rehabilitation or individual training sessions back home in Manchester.
The group of established players consisting of Jonny Evans, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Mason Mount,,Casemiro and Marcus Rashford formed the core and were supported by young talents who had the chance to showcase their abilities in the absence of more experienced players.
Radek Vitek, who was selected to start in goal over Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir absent from the squad, showcased a series of remarkable saves. However, it wasn't until the end that he succumbed to conceding a goal.
When Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee were unavailable, the 18-year-old striker Ethan Wheatley took charge of United's offense. Despite having limited opportunities, he managed to challenge Rosenborg keeper Sander Tangvik with a shot shortly before halftime.
Rosenborg's midway season performance in Eliteserien indicates their superior match fitness and sharpness, as they controlled possession and generated a greater number of chances to score goals.
The 21,450 spectators at Lerkendal Stadium erupted with cheers when Rashford's name was announced. However, despite being positioned on the left of United's offensive line-up, Rashford had a lackluster performance during the first half as Rosenborg played aggressively and committed some noticeable fouls - including Tomas Nemcik's ugly lunge on Casemiro which resulted in his booking midway through the period.
Ten Hag expressed dissatisfaction with his players' performance level after United lost to Norwegian team Rosenborg, having conceded in added-time.
According to Ten Hag, the outcome is crucial. Despite being in pre-season, Manchester United demands a winning mentality and discourages losing games. While victory may not be feasible at times, avoiding defeat should still remain a priority; unfortunately for us, we were unable to do so and ended up losing in the final moments of the match.
Although performance is of utmost importance, it should be noted that the standard was not met in this instance.
Although we may address and rectify our past shortcomings, I am not the individual to do so. It is apparent that this does not align with top-tier football standards.
At the highest level of football, our standards are significantly elevated and it is essential for an individual to ensure their fitness. Although I understand that you may not currently be at your peak condition required for a match, these games will aid in getting us there.
Despite playing against opponents with superior fitness levels, we are Manchester United and our players should be delivering a higher level of performance.
The first game witnessed the presence of CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox in the stands while coaching pair Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake made their debut.
Ten Hag's team selection was a mix of experienced and youthful players. His choices were somewhat restricted due to certain individuals being absent because of their participation in Euro 2024, while others had been undergoing rehabilitation or individual training sessions back home in Manchester.
The group of established players consisting of Jonny Evans, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Mason Mount,,Casemiro and Marcus Rashford formed the core and were supported by young talents who had the chance to showcase their abilities in the absence of more experienced players.
Radek Vitek, who was selected to start in goal over Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir absent from the squad, showcased a series of remarkable saves. However, it wasn't until the end that he succumbed to conceding a goal.
When Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee were unavailable, the 18-year-old striker Ethan Wheatley took charge of United's offense. Despite having limited opportunities, he managed to challenge Rosenborg keeper Sander Tangvik with a shot shortly before halftime.
Rosenborg's midway season performance in Eliteserien indicates their superior match fitness and sharpness, as they controlled possession and generated a greater number of chances to score goals.
The 21,450 spectators at Lerkendal Stadium erupted with cheers when Rashford's name was announced. However, despite being positioned on the left of United's offensive line-up, Rashford had a lackluster performance during the first half as Rosenborg played aggressively and committed some noticeable fouls - including Tomas Nemcik's ugly lunge on Casemiro which resulted in his booking midway through the period.