Erik ten Hag assumed responsibility for Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat against AFC Bournemouth but did not hold back in criticizing his struggling players.
The Dutch manager has witnessed the club’s poorest start to the season in decades, and this outcome represents a new nadir. Goals from Dominic Solanke, Philip Billing, and Marcos Senesi secured Bournemouth’s historic victory at Old Trafford, extending their impressive recent form at the expense of United.
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Despite a momentary reprieve earlier in the week with a win over Chelsea, Ten Hag finds himself under renewed pressure as fans expressed their discontent by booing the players as they left the field.
In the aftermath of the match, Ten Hag was forthright in his assessment, acknowledging that Manchester United is simply “not good enough” to maintain consistency, especially after succumbing to Andoni Iraola’s ascendant team.
When he was asked for his feelings on the result, Ten Hag sai: “Of course, annoyed, disappointed, definitely. I expected something different, I hoped before the game you can build on from the performance and result from Chelsea, so it’s very disappointing, the way we started the game.
“Then I think a long time we did everything to get back in the game, we get one shot, almost a penalty, then in the build-up we make a mistake and we are not good enough in the rest of defence and that is disappointing.
“You’re following facts, we put a lot of effort in to turn in the game, but then the brilliance, the movement in the box were not there to get the equaliser. After the 2-0, we broke down so we have to do things better.
“The way we started is no good, that is poor. It’s first five minutes of the game and especially against an opponent like today, very good transition team, you give them perfect circumstances, it shouldn’t happen.
“But we did everything to turn in the game, we had a lot of attacks, we didn’t come to a point to turn the game although we had opportunities.
“I think we have to always be ready for the game and so I have to take the responsibility for that, I have to prepare the team so they are ready for the game. From my point of view, I’m very disappointed the way we started and we have to be better.
“I think, as a squad, we are not good enough to be consistent and we have to work as a squad to improve that. We are really inconsistent, we have the abilities to do it, but you have to do it every game and every third day.”
