A few days before the win against Arsenal, Ten Hag removed the captaincy from Harry Maguire, awarding it to Bruno Fernandes.

Everyone understands how to provide cover for each others movements to remain a similar structure and shape. Instead of a slower build-up based on patiently waiting on the right moment to enter the final third, Erik ten Hag’s Ajax is a bit more direct.

Raphael Varane and Marcus Rashford testified that they haven't felt fitter following the intense sessions. Let us now take a closer look at how Ajax attack their opponent by looking further at some of the attacking principles Erik ten Hag has applied at Ajax. Erik ten Hag kept Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench during Manchester United’s 6-3 defeat out of ‘respect’. By remaining fairly compact in the center it will concede space in wide areas and invite the opposition team to play out wide and down the flanks. When Ajax is in possession, the two wingers, Dusan Tadic and Antony will stay wider, almost hugging the touchline.

On the right, Steven Berghuis will make somehow similar movements as Gravenberch – moving into channels. However, rather than the wingers staying wide and the double pivot split, they will stay much more compact and narrow. However, in the 4-3-3 formation, Erik ten Hag favors to defend in a 4-1-4-1 structure, or a compact and narrow 4-3-3 shape that’s very similar to the defensive shape of Klopp’s Liverpool.Ajax was resultantly knocked out by Getafe after a 3–2 aggregate loss in the Round of 32 of the 2019–20 Europa League. By using positional superiority to get players between the lines or behind the opponent’s defensive line, they aim to force one of the defenders to move wide – creating space in the center for runs into channels from the attacking midfielder, or the box to box midfielder. If they moves inside into the half space to free up the passing lane to the wide player (Dusan Tadic or Antony), either Gravenberch or Berghuis must move towards the center to draw attention away from play, or make progressive runs .

Last season, United beat City and Liverpool at home (2-1 each) but were trounced 6-3 and 7-0 away at two of their greatest rivals.Once the ball enters the area around the penalty box it’s not uncommon to see the players taking an immediate shot on goal. By trying to overload on the right half space, Berghuis is able to play progressive passes into the penalty box to set up either Haller or Antony for a goal scoring opportunity, or get into goalscoring positions himself by attacking movements into space. When progressing forward with the ball, Gravenberch will tend to move into central areas whilst the front four stretches play by covering each channel on the pitch. By using lay offs and cut backs, Ajax wish to draw opposite markers out of their position which they eventually can attack in. On 21 December 2017, he was appointed as the head coach of Ajax after the club dismissed Marcel Keizer.

Pep Guardiola was enthused by his side’s display in which Erling Haaland and Phil Foden each scored hat-tricks, taking them up to second in the table, a point behind Arsenal. Manchester United 2–0 Newcastle United: Erik ten Hag's side win Carabao Cup for first trophy since 2017". Ajax would eventually be knocked out by Benfica in the round of 16, whilst cruising towards their third Eredivisie title in four years, after a 5–0 home victory over Heerenveen on 11 May 2022.We are in the process and I knew before that big teams like City, when you are not good you get hammered and we were not good. Then you have situations where Ajax forms a 3-1 defense with a back three of Lisandro Martinez, Jürrien Timber / Perr Schuurs and Danny Blind with Alvarez in front. Ten Hag represented a risk given his experience at the Eredivisie giants was conditioned by a steely set-up behind the scenes, the absence of a global glare and domestic competition nowhere near the level of that in the Premier League, while European campaigns were coloured by opportunity rather than enormous expectation. In 2019, he led the team to the semi-finals of the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1997, by winning against defending champions Real Madrid 4–1 in the Santiago Bernabéu at the round of 16 stage, [10] and also beating Juventus away 1–2 having drawn the first leg 1–1 at home in the quarter-finals. At the time of writing, Ajax is topping the Eredivisie four points ahead of PSV with five matches yet to be played.