Johnnie Victoria
Erik Ten Hag vs Mauricio Pochettino - Manchester United’s manager options compared
Manchester United have reportedly whittled down their shortlist to Erik Ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino. Both are respectable managers, but who is the better option of the two?
Ralf Rangnick will be leaving his position as interim manager of Manchester United at the end of the season, leaving United with the task of naming a new permanent manager.
They have searched for months, looked all across Europe, and have finally brought their shortlist down to two names: Mauricio Pochettino and Erik Ten Haag.
Both currently hold manager positions; Pochettino with PSG, Ten Hag with Ajax. But United feel they can pry one away from their current team. But who would be the better option to take on the task that the Red Devils present?
To find out, we’ve taken a look at how each manager has done this season with their respective team.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ajax
Life in the Eredivisie has been sweet for Ajax. After starting the season with a loss to PSV in the Johan Cruijff Shield (more on that in a bit), they went on a seven-game unbeaten streak to kick-off their title defence. From those seven games, they won six of them.
Interestingly, though, Ajax have had a consistent season with their record. Each of their three losses have ended a seven-game unbeaten streak.
Ajax’s home and away record has a very nice balance. At home, they have won 11 games, drawn one and lost two. Away from home, they have 10 wins, two draws and one loss.That balance shows a team who are capable of getting a result no matter where they are playing.
Erik Ten Hag has been leading his Ajax team to an outstanding domestic season. Through 27 games, only Manchester City had an equal record and points as Ajax. That’s elite company.
Ajax have taken 66 points from their 27 games this season. That’s 2.44 points per game, and it sees them at the top of their league, but only with a two-point lead over PSV.
Ten Hag has set up a team that scores just as well as Bayern Munich, with the German side beating Ajax’s total of 80 goals scored by just one. Ajax average 2.96 goals per game.
Ajax have conceded less goals than any team in Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues, with only 13 goals getting past them, at a rate of 0.48 per game. That’s a ridiculous goal difference of +67. No team comes close to that.
In all competitions, Ajax have had mixed results. As mentioned, they started the season with a loss in the Johan Cruijff shield, which is the Eredivisie version of the Community Shield played between the winner of the league and winner of the KNVB Cup from the season before.
Keeping with the KNVB Cup, they are currently still in the competition and will be playing, no prizes for guessing correctly - PSV in the final on the 17th of April.
Should Ten Hag get the United job, he can only leave the Dutch side with a domestic double, though, as their Champions League campaign came to an end in the Round of 16 with a disappointing 3-2 aggregate loss to Benfica.
They had gone perfect through their group stage, acting like it was an extension of the Eredivisie. Six games, six wins, 20 goals scored, five conceded. They were once again in elite company with Bayern and Liverpool as the only teams to win all six of their group games.
PSG
PSG’s season hasn’t been quite as fruitful as they probably would have liked. While Mauricio Pochettino does have his men at the top of their league, that is the only bit of silverware they will be winning this season.
PSG also started their season off with a loss in their Community Shield equivalent, the Trophee des Champions. They then followed that up with eight straight wins in the league before their first loss.
Unlike Ajax, PSG haven’t had any consistency throughout the season. Their other three losses this season have come in recent weeks, with their record for the last five games being two wins and three losses.
They had a 15-game unbeaten streak between the first and second loss, with their five draws coming within that time.
Through 29 games, they sit atop Ligue 1 with 65 points, averaging 2.24 points per game. They are one point worse off than Ajax but with two more games played.
A positive for Pochettino’s PSG is that they are unbeaten at home this season. 14 games played at Le Parc de Princes, 13 wins and one draw, an absolute fortress at home.
However, it does mean that they have been a little shakier away from home. Seven wins, four draws and four losses shows a side that is susceptible to crumbling under the pressure of the away atmosphere.
As for goals, PSG have a very solid 59 goals scored, which averages to 2.03 goals per game. As for goals conceded, they’ve let in 27 goals at a rate of 0.93 per game. Their goal difference of +32 is eighth best from all the teams in the ‘Big Five’.
Though, they aren’t top of their own league for goals scored or goal difference. That honour goes to Rennes, who have scored 63 goals and have a +35 goal difference.
With the squad that Pochettino had at his disposal, many tipped the French side to finally capture the Champions League, the one trophy that has evaded them all these years.
But it was not meant to be. First, they finished second in their group to Manchester City in the group stage. Slightly disappointing, but still enough to see them through to the next round.
In the Round of 16, they met Real Madrid. In the first leg at home, they kept up their unbeaten at home record by beating them 1-0. But in the second leg, despite going up 1-0, they embarrassingly lost 3-1 to lose the tie 3-2 on aggregate.
PSG have lost in all competitions this season, losing in the Round of 6 of the French Cup as well. It's been a bleak season for a team with some tremendous talent, but at least they still have the league
