Erik ten Hag has got off to a strong start in pre-season but is demanding much more from his Manchester United stars.
The Dutchman has wasted no time in getting his message across as he looks to embed his philosophy with the Red Devils. Mass changes are required but the early signs are promising during the club's pre-season tour. Nevertheless Ten Hag has found more areas for his squad to focus on.
In recent sessions the former Ajax boss has placed an emphasis on conditioning and ball work, reports Sky Sports. The United players will need to be in peak physical condition if they are to enact the instructions of their manager on the pitch. Unlike the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer regime the team will also be more possession-based, rather than operating on the counter attack.
United's players are being drilled in training as they gear up for their season opener against Brighton and Hove Albion - a team who beat them 4-0 back in May. Ten Hag has been demanding thus far, often barking orders to his players and citing areas where they need to improve.
His two assistants - Steve McClaren and Mitchell van der Gaag - have followed his lead and the results have been pleasing thus far. In their opening pre-season outing they saw off domestic rivals Liverpool and followed that up with a win over Melbourne Victory - scoring eight in the process and conceding just once.
Ten Hag has been keen to play down their pre-season successes, insisting they are simply something to build on. He said after the Liverpool win: "We are satisfied today because I think there was a team with great spirit. We know we are just starting and when things begin to click like the press... we know we made some mistakes in pressing and conceded some chances but also we created a lot and I think our team played bravely, they were proactive and we had to work really hard to get out of some mistakes. Of course, we are happy with the first game."
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Against Melbourne the Red Devils were forced to come from behind, but Ten Hag was pleased with the reaction: "When we went down in the first minute, the team reacted really good and especially over the right side we created a lot of really good chances before half-time. We then got our reward with the turnaround."
The Dutchman will also be joined imminently by Argentine centre-half Lisandro Martinez, who he worked with previously at Ajax. United have been in the market for a new central defender throughout the summer and look to have finally got hold of one after several knock backs.
