In a recent press conference, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag addressed the criticism surrounding his team’s defensive performance and their tendency to allow opponents too many shots on goal.
United’s last few games have seen their opponents rack up at least 20 shots against them, resulting in a staggering total of 198 shots in just 10 games. Despite this alarming statistic, ten Hag remains unfazed, pointing to the expected goals (xG) figure to justify the high shot count. He noted that many of the shots were of low quality, resulting in a lower xG for the opponents.
In their recent match against Everton, United actually ended up with a higher xG despite allowing a significant number of shots. Ten Hag highlighted the team’s defensive efforts, especially praising the back four and goalkeeper for their performance.
When asked about the concerns surrounding the quantity of shots United are allowing, ten Hag emphasized the importance of the quality of chances opponents are creating. He pointed out that Everton managed an xG of just 1.26 from their 23 shots against United, further illustrating his point.
Ten Hag also highlighted the team’s organization, focus, and discipline in defending set-pieces and overall play. He believes that these factors play a crucial role in limiting the impact of the high number of shots their opponents have been able to take.
Overall, ten Hag remains confident in his team’s defensive capabilities and insists that the quantity of shots they are allowing will not be a major issue as long as they continue to focus on the quality of chances being created by their opponents.
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