Europa League: Ten Hag Blames United's Lack Of Finish

Nuigalway Admin

You need 2 min read

·

Post on Oct 25, 2024

53 visitor like this post

Share

Europa League: Ten Hag Blames United's Lack of Finish for Draw Against Sociedad

Manchester United were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw against Real Sociedad in their opening Europa League group stage match at Old Trafford on Thursday night. Despite dominating possession and creating a plethora of chances, the Red Devils failed to find the back of the net, leaving manager Erik ten Hag to bemoan his team's lack of clinical finishing.

"We created a lot of chances, especially in the first half," Ten Hag stated in his post-match press conference. "We had some great opportunities, but we weren't able to finish them. That's something we need to work on, and we need to be more ruthless in front of goal."

Missed Opportunities and Frustration

Indeed, United's profligacy in front of goal was a major talking point of the game. Marcus Rashford, Antony, and Bruno Fernandes all missed gilt-edged chances, with the latter even hitting the woodwork in the second half. The lack of a cutting edge proved costly as Sociedad, while defensively sound, rarely threatened David de Gea's goal.

Positives Amidst the Frustration

Despite the disappointment of not securing three points, Ten Hag remained optimistic, highlighting the positives that emerged from the match. "I think the performance was good overall," he said. "We dominated the game, we had a lot of possession, and we created a lot of chances. It's just that final touch, that final pass, that final decision, that we need to improve."

Looking Ahead: Learning and Improvement

Ten Hag emphasized the importance of learning from the experience and using it as a stepping stone for improvement. "It's a new competition, and we need to adjust to it," he said. "We need to be more clinical in front of goal, but overall, I'm happy with the performance. We need to learn from this game and move on."

Key Takeaways

• Finishing woes: Manchester United's lack of clinical finishing proved costly in their draw against Real Sociedad.
• Dominant performance: Despite the draw, United dominated possession and created numerous chances.
• Need for improvement: Ten Hag emphasized the need to improve their finishing and decision-making in the final third.
• Optimism for the future: The manager remains optimistic about the team's potential and sees the draw as a learning experience.

The draw against Sociedad serves as a reminder that even with a dominant performance, the lack of a clinical edge can be detrimental. It is a lesson that Ten Hag and his team will need to learn from, and they will be hoping for improved finishing in the coming weeks as they navigate both the Europa League and the Premier League.