After Manchester United beat Fulham 1-0 at home in the opening match of the Premier League in the new season, head coach Ten Hag attended the press conference and gave an in-depth exposition on the game and the situation of the team, with special emphasis on the outstanding performance and future planning of the new aid Zirkze.
Zirkzee's stunning debut
Teng Hag was full of praise for Zirkze's debut, thinking that as a striker, he could score the winning goal in the first game, which undoubtedly brought great encouragement to the team. He mentioned a similar experience with Hojlen last season, but Zirkzee's goal was more direct and efficient, which certainly boosted the confidence of players and fans. Teng Hag also pointed out that Zirkze is not only a striker, but also has outstanding series connection and cooperation ability, which is a valuable asset for Manchester United's offensive system.
Considerations behind signing
Regarding why Zirkze was signed, Ten Hag said that he took a fancy to the characteristics that Manchester United lacked in players, especially the ability to connect in series and cooperate on the offensive end. Teng Hag stressed that Zirkze must keep entering the restricted area and looking for shooting opportunities, and he has proved this with practical actions. Ten Hag believes that as Zirkze gradually integrates into the team, he will contribute more to Manchester United in the future.
Strategy to integrate into the team
In order to help Zirkze integrate into the team as soon as possible, Ten Hag made a personalized training plan according to the actual situation of the players. He mentioned that Zirkze had been injured in Bologna and experienced the baptism of the European Cup, so he needed some recovery time physically. Ten Hag said that the team arranged a special physical training plan for Zirkze and gradually integrated it into the team's daily training.
The current situation of Sancho and Garnacho
Ten Hag also talked about Sancho and Garnacho's situation. He said that due to the need of lineup depth, the team must make the choice of survival of the fittest. However, Sancho was not in the best condition recently because of ear infection, so he was placed on the bench in the competition. Ten Hag stressed that as the season deepens and the players' form returns, the team will make the necessary rotations to remain competitive. At the same time, he also expressed concern about Garnacho's physical condition, believing that young players need sufficient rest to keep their best condition after a long season.
Challenges and opportunities on the offensive end
Ten Hag admitted that the team still needs to fill some vacancies on the offensive end, especially to improve its ability to enter the penalty area and create scoring opportunities. He pointed out that the team has created many opportunities in friendly matches and preseason matches, but it needs to grasp these opportunities more calmly and decisively in the future. Ten Hag believes that with the advancement of the season and the deepening of tacit understanding between players, Manchester United's offensive firepower will gradually show up.
Casemiro's key role
Finally, ten Hag spoke highly of casemiro's performance. He believes that Casemiro is not only an excellent defensive player, but also has excellent passing and playmaking skills. Ten Hag said that Casemiro showed an extremely high level of interception, confrontation and passing during the game, which is exactly what Manchester United expected. He believes Casemiro will continue to play a key role in future competitions to help Manchester United achieve more victories.
