Erik ten Hag did not hesitate to rip into his Manchester United players, describing their appalling performance in a 4-0 defeat against Brentford as \u2018rubbish\u2019, despite the inclusion of the club’s top striker last season Cristiano Ronaldo.<\/p>\n
The Dutchman found himself having to apologise to the club\u2019s fans just two games into his tenure following a loss that leaves United bottom of the table after another catastrophic display, which leaves him looking absolutely silly as the first Red Devils manager to lose his first two matches in a century.<\/p>\n
United conceded four goals in the first 35 minutes of a Premier League game for the first time, and when asked to explain the first half capitulation, the former Ajax boss said: \u2018It\u2019s quite clear it\u2019s rubbish it\u2019s poor and we need higher standards than that and it\u2019s clear.<\/p>\n
The loss left United bottom of the top flight for the first time in more than three decades and Ten Hag questioning the hunger of his players.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor one, Brentford were more hungry, and two, we conceded goals with individual mistakes,\u201d said the Dutchman.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can have a good plan, but then you put the plan in the bin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s nothing to do with tactics. The first two goals are about dealing with the ball and decisions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they follow my instructions but they make bad decisions. This is football, it\u2019s a game of mistakes and we got punished.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the results are like this I can imagine (how the fans) are feeling. It\u2019s no good that we show that clearly, and we have to change that. We need more hunger on the pitch as a team and individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018I can bring up several things but that looks like excuses. And that is not there in the top we have to deliver and we didn\u2019t do.<\/p>\n
\u2018We have to change that\u2019s quite clear we have to start better both games we have to stick to the plan and from the first start we have to switch on and that\u2019s what we didn\u2019t do<\/p>\n
\u2018You start the game and you make individual mistakes but you make sure one mistake can happen but a second, third mistake is not acceptable. Players must know that.<\/p>\n
\u2018Pressure is always there I know that I have to analyse and find solutions, that\u2019s my job.\u2019<\/p>\n
Ten Hag stressed in a subsequent interview that it was the players who needed to assume responsibility for the defeat while claiming he was surprised by the severity of the loss. He did however admit that he would assume responsibility also for the cataclysmic defeat.<\/p>\n
He said: \u2018Difficult for me and a surprise. The team has to take the responsibility and I feel sorry for the fans, we let them down.\u2019<\/p>\n
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