‘This can’t happen in the future’ – Ten Hag fumes at ‘unacceptable’ Man Utd loss to Cadiz

Joe Williams
Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag looks unhappy

Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag was angry at his side’s “unacceptable” performance in a 4-2 friendly defeat to La Liga minnows Cadiz on Wednesday night.

A number of second-string players had a chance to impress the Dutchman with a number of their team-mates away on international duty at the World Cup.

However, none of them could take their opportunity with the defence conceding two poor goals inside the first 15 minutes with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Martin Dubravka, Victor Lindelof and Brandon Williams looking particularly rusty.

And Ten Hag picked out the first 15 minutes as their worst period of the game with the Man Utd boss insisting that “this can’t happen in the future”.

“It’s quite clear we were not awake, we were asleep in the first 15 minutes,” Ten Hag told MUTV after the match.

“They were a threat in transition. In the second goal we were not awake, a bad rest defence – especially in the midfield, we got ran off. It’s not possible, unacceptable.

“The first goal as well, a set play, bad organisation and discipline, you concede a goal. After that, we came in the game, but couldn’t make the equaliser before half-time.

“The first 15 minutes cannot happen and it should not happen. That is not our standard. We will speak tomorrow. Draw a line and move on because this can’t happen in the future.”

Ten Hag made wholesale changes at the interval with ten youngsters coming on at the interval to replace the more experienced starting XI.

It paid off initially with Kobbie Mainoo grabbing an equaliser to make it 2-2, after Antony Martial had scored from the spot in the first half, but Cadiz scored two more goals before the end of the match.

And Ten Hag was pleased to see the Man Utd youngsters inject some energy into the Red Devils’ display even if they ended up losing the game.

“We are unhappy with this game. Of course, you always have some positives even when you lose, but today there are more negatives,” Ten Hag added.

“They gave energy. They run, they fight. Maybe not always in the right organisation, they make mistakes but they are not used to playing at this level.

“So it was a good lesson that when you make small mistakes they can have big consequences. That’s what happened and you lose the game.”

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