TEN HAG URGED TO START RASHFORD AND GARNACHO
"We have to think about Alejandro Garnacho, who is best from the left as well and has so much end product," said Erik ten Hag ahead of Manchester United's European match this week.
His comment highlighted the ongoing dilemma he faces on the left wing, with Garnacho and Marcus Rashford seemingly in competition for the same position.
Ten Hag's remarks came in response to a question about Rashford, shedding light on the internal competition between Rashford and Garnacho for the left flank. Although Garnacho has shown his versatility by playing on both wings, statistics over the past 10 months suggest that he is surprisingly more effective on the right side. In the current 2023/24 season, Garnacho averages a goal every 258 minutes on the right, compared to a goal every 456 minutes on the left, challenging Ten Hag’s perception of him as primarily a left winger.
As United prepare to face Tottenham, it might be time for Ten Hag to rethink his earlier stance and deploy Garnacho on the right. Amad has been the regular starter on the right wing this season, while Rashford and Garnacho have rotated on the left. Despite a promising pre-season, Amad's recent performances have been underwhelming. Against Crystal Palace, he was the least effective among the attacking unit, leading to his substitution for Garnacho during the Europa League fixture against FC Twente.
While Amad hasn't made glaring mistakes, his recent outings have lacked the impact needed to justify keeping either Rashford or Garnacho out of the lineup. His performance against Twente showed promise, but he failed to produce an assist or goal, ultimately leaving his starting spot for the weekend's match in doubt. Given United's need for a stronger attacking presence against Spurs, the decision to start Rashford on the left and Garnacho on the right seems like common sense.
Adding to the mix is the question of who should lead the line. While Joshua Zirkzee has shown flashes of brilliance, particularly in linking up play, United’s struggle to find the back of the net highlights the need for a more natural goal scorer. Rasmus Hojlund, who has made two substitute appearances so far, appears to be the logical choice. Despite Ten Hag hinting that Hojlund may not yet be at peak fitness, starting him against Spurs could be the key to unlocking United’s attacking potential. Hojlund, though not yet prolific, poses more of a goal threat than Zirkzee and could solve United's scoring issues.
Ten Hag is under increasing pressure as United prepare for a critical run of fixtures, including games against Tottenham, Porto away, and Aston Villa away before the October international break. International breaks often bring managerial shake-ups, and Ten Hag knows he must make the right choices to alleviate the mounting pressure. The combination of Rashford on the left, Garnacho on the right, and Hojlund up front seems to be United's best chance of securing a much-needed win.
The stakes couldn't be higher this weekend, with both United and Tottenham desperate for three points. In such a high-pressure scenario, Ten Hag needs to field his strongest attacking lineup to turn the tide in United’s favor. Rashford and Garnacho have the pace, skill, and end product to deliver from the wings, while Hojlund's presence up front can offer the goal threat United sorely need.