Erik ten Hag concluded his first season in English football last season with a trophy and a top-four finish; Manchester United won the Carabao Cup following a victory over Newcastle United.

Therefore, there was much to like about United’s new age, but during the Dutchman’s second term at Old Trafford, everything kind of fizzled out.

United has had several fantastic performances, most notably their 4-3 FA Cup victory over Liverpool. They then defeated their rivals in the league on Sunday afternoon with a patched-up backline—their 26th different lineup of the year.

In spite of this, they are 11 points behind Villa in fifth place and Spurs in fourth in the Premier League. It would now require a miracle to achieve Champions League football for the upcoming season.

It is quite improbable.Mainoo-Dalot-Casemiro Ten Hag’s employment might not be saved even if United were to win the FA Cup. For this reason, in the summer, the club’s new management, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, may look elsewhere.

Supervisors vying to succeed Ten Hag Recently, Graham Potter, the former manager of Chelsea, has been linked to the position; Ratcliffe is apparently quite fond of what the English coach can provide.

A more appealing name, though, is Thiago Motta, who is about to help Bologna qualify for the Champions League for the first time ever. That information comes from Italian media, sourced through Sport Witness, indicating that in addition to being on Juventus’ radar this summer, United also ‘wants’ him to play in English football.Bologna-Motta-Thiago Links to these well-known clubs are not shocking. With the Serie A team, the 41-year-old has only lost six games this season.

Thiago Motta’s formation, 2-7-2 With Motta, there’s no denying the distinct identity he wants his squad to play with. One prominent commentator who has voiced criticism of Ten Hag’s time in Manchester is Gary Neville.Erik-ten-hag-man United States Premier League He recently claimed, “Manchester United’s style of play is mad,” in a podcast. At schoolboy level, you wouldn’t notice some of the things that you see in the real world. Their defensive structure suddenly empties the entire midfield after being in good form and functioning normally. Individual players push themselves without the support of their teammates.” Well, with Motta’s renowned 2-7-2 system garnering praise, that probably wouldn’t be an issue any longer if he joined United. Although it isn’t the official word, it accurately describes the framework that Bologna and the PSG U19s have used under the Italian’s leadership. “My idea is to play offensively,” the former midfielder said when discussing his approach with Gazetta Dello Sport. a small squad that rules the match. Without the ball, there’s a lot of movement and intense pressure. “One of the midfield seven is the custodian. In my opinion, the goalie is the first attacker, and the attacker is the first defender. The attackers apply pressure to the ball first, and the custodian initiates play with his feet.” When in possession, the custodian, in this case Andre Onana, who is usually deft with his feet, would surge into the midfield and defensive lines. It’s crucial to remember that the horizontal system is typically taken into consideration while reading out a formation. This time, it’s vertical, like in the image below (thanks to Tifo Football).formation of 272 Motta Although this may sound a little complicated, Bologna has been employing this style of play to their advantage, moving up to fourth place in Serie A, four points behind Juventus. Scot Jacek Kulig called him “one of the most interesting young coaches in Europe” and Italian football analyst James Horncastle called him a “special” personality for this reason. He would also undoubtedly figure out a method to improve United’s awful defensive performance. As has been the case all season long, the Red Devils managed 0 xG in the first half of their match against Liverpool, while their opponents managed 1.59 xG. The Bees’ 31 shots in their thrilling 1-1 draw with Brentford were a record for them in a top-tier match. Interestingly, they were just two touches away from matching Man City’s Premier League record of 87 touches in the United box. Additionally, their expected goals against (xGA) tally of 61.23 places them third in the division. In comparison, Arsenal has the lowest total in the league with just 24.80. Goals against: The Premier League’s top six Team and league standings xGA #1 Arsenal 24.80 Liverpool, #2 37.13 #3 City of Manchester 31.15 Spurs #4 53.57 #5 Aston Villa 52.80 #6 Manchester United 61.23 Information from Understat. How then might Motta resolve this? The numbers, of course, tell you everything. His Bologna team is third in the competition in terms of goals conceded (25), while they rank fourth in Serie A for anticipated goals against (31.72). That’s not at all horrible. If it happens, this nomination might come as a surprise, but it would be a shrewd and practical solution to their issues. With Bologna, the youthful strategist is accomplishing goals they never would have imagined.