Following Manchester United's Community Shield penalty shootout defeat against Manchester City, United manager Jens Ten Hagar attended a press conference to give a comprehensive and insightful summary of the match and answer questions from the media on player performance, squad selection and future outlook.
Overall feeling: Temhag began by expressing his disappointment at not being able to win the title, but he also saw the positives in the game, believing that the team as a whole performed well and just regretted that they were not able to turn their dominance into a victory. He emphasized that this pain is part of growth and needs to be felt by the whole team and turned into motivation to move forward.
Penalty taker Sancho: Ten Hag expressed his firm support for the decision to let Sancho take penalties. He believes Sancho is an excellent penalty taker and will continue to trust him in the future. Ten Hagar does not regret the choice and encourages Sancho to learn from his failures and move on.
Player Selection and Rotation: Ten Hagar spoke highly of the performances of substitutes such as Ganacho, saying that they have shown excellent ability and potential in limited time. He explained the reasons for the rotation policy, emphasizing the importance of maintaining players' stamina and form. At the same time, he also recognized the contributions of players like Diallo and Rashford in pre-season, factors that influenced his squad selection.
Defensive Line Performance: Ten Hagar expressed his satisfaction with the team's defensive arrangement, and despite the fact that the defense was improvised, the players showed good adaptability and team spirit. He especially mentioned the excellent performance of Lisandro at the wingback position, which proved the team's ability to flexibly adjust the lineup. Ten Hagar also pointed out that the team created many chances in the game and was in the attacking advantage most of the time.
Rashford's form: Ten Hagar has full confidence in Rashford, believing that although his form dipped last season, he is only a goal away from finding his form and contributing consistently, thanks to his vast experience and excellent ability. He encourages Rashford to keep a positive mindset and believes he will play a key role in the coming games.
Casemiro's role: Temhag praised Casemiro's performance as an integral part of the team. He emphasized Casemiro's excellent form in pre-season and his contribution to the team's overall synergy. Tenhag also dismissed rumors of Casemiro's possible departure, saying that the team is very happy with him and looks forward to him continuing to play for United.
Versatile Players' Role: Responding to a question on whether Martinez and Pellistri will continue to play as wing-backs, Ten Hag said that the team needs versatile players in case of emergencies. He recognized the ability of both players to play in different positions and emphasized their ability to step up when the team needs them. Ten Hag sees this flexibility as a major strength of the team.
