You know things have gotten bad when even Nicklas Bendnter is feeling sorry for you.
And after Manchester United‘s 4-0 thumping by Crystal Palace on Monday night, the former Arsenal striker could not shake the nagging sense of sympathy for two of the players most negatively effected by Erik ten Hag’s kamikaze tactics.
Rio Ferdinand, the legendary United centre-back, spoke recently about the travails of the Red Devils midfielders, shining a light on a highly-flawed system which not only casts Casemiro‘s strengths into shadow but also does a pretty good job of highlighting his weaknesses.
Namely, his lack of mobility at the age of 31.
Christian Eriksen, another of Man United’s 30-something veterans, would no doubt agree with the results of Ferdinand’s autopsy of a calamitous tactical approach that looks destined to result in Ten Hag’s sacking.
Christian Eriksen looks finished at Manchester United
Eriksen, as he has done throughout his entire second season at Old Trafford, spent Monday night chasing shadows. A vibrant, fizzing Crystal Palace side popping the ball around United’s one-paced midfield with all the ease of a hungry hyena pack running rings around a wounded wildebeast.
“You could see that the Crystal Palace players just went and teased them,” Bendtner says on his Stolpe ind podcast, ruminating on a miserable night for his one-time Denmark team-mate.
“When have you ever seen Crystal Palace players go around teasing Manchester United players because they couldn’t get a hold of them? (Michael) Olise and (Ebere) Eze just did what they wanted. It was a disgrace to see.
“Roy Keane would have had received a red card. I can reveal that right away!”
That’s if Keane got close enough to plant his studs on Eze’s Achilles, that is. Arguably the main issue with Ten Hag’s system is that it leaves the opposition with such colossal spaces to dart into.
Even a more youthful midfield would struggle to keep up, 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo possessing far more energy than Casemiro or Eriksen but unable to put it to any real use.
Nightmare night for Casemiro, Eriksen and Mainoo
“To defend Eriksen – even though it was a terrible effort – it is him and Mainoo (in the centre). An older player who has never been known for tackling and heading. And then you have Mainoo, who is 1.70 tall and 18 years old,” adds Bendtner, the one-time Arsenal, Birmingham City and Juventus striker.
“You can’t expect the two of them in a new partnership with Jonny Evans and Casemiro to be able to play together and be able to do something.”
Both Eriksen and Casemiro are expected to leave Man United this summer, neither player included in that list of only ten players who The Mirror believe are guaranteed to survive a brutal Ineos cull at Old Trafford.
Saudi Arabia appears to be calling for Case, while Eriksen is being urged to consider going full circle and bringing his vast know-how to an Ajax side crying out for leaders.
“This Ajax needs a stronger framework,” Christian Poulsen, another former Denmark team-mate, tells Ajax Life. “Christian is a great leader. Not necessarily with words – there are plenty of players who talk more – but in behaviour.
“Chris can still play football well and he is also a leader with the ball. I know he still has a good feeling for Ajax, but ultimately he determines his own future.
“It will take a few years before Ajax plays football again as they did under (Erik) Ten Hag. There is always talent at Ajax but, as a club, you need a strong frame. Not only on the field, but in the entire club structure.”