Things are getting tough for goalkeeper Andre Onana at Old Trafford, who was chosen by Man United to replace David de Gea this summer. The two basic mistakes that led to Man United's regrettable 3-3 draw with Galatasaray were not the first time the goalkeeper had made mistakes.
Onana's successful penalty block that helped Man United beat Copenhagen was considered a moment of Atonement. However, now, the Cameroonian goalkeeper has returned to a familiar image.
Erik ten Hag defended Onana after the match, commenting on a team that would always " both win and lose together", but those were just empty words. If there is a reason why Man United have been poor at Champions League this season, it is because they are not playing "all together" as a team.
Galatasaray's first goal was a perfect example of how chaotic Ten Hag's army is at the moment. Man United put too many people into the attack, with Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay along with Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Rasmus Hojlund breaking into the Galatasaray penalty area.
When he could not deploy the ball as planned, Fernandes had to run from the start of the pitch to the end of the pitch before foul Mauro Icardi on the edge of Man United's penalty area. It was from that free kick that Hakim Ziyech sent Onana into the net.
Fernandes had earlier returned and shouted his dissatisfaction at McTominay, who had failed to run back and left the defence vulnerable. If Man United had been more disciplined, counter-attacks could have been extinguished and similar fouls could not have occurred continuously.
This is a familiar image of the "Red Devils" this season. Man United put too many players forward and then the opponent took advantage of the large space behind to score. That is why they have conceded 14 goals in 5 matches in the Champions League this season.
Notably, Man United have scored 9 goals in 3 away matches in the Champions League this season. They are the team that scored the most away goals in the group stage, but have not won any match because they have conceded 11 goals.
Hojlund is also leading the scoring list, with 5 goals with Erling Haaland and Alvaro Morata. It is worth mentioning that the striker's goals have come in Man United's losses. So while Onana deserves criticism, the real culprit lies in Ten Hag for letting mistakes keep happening.
The former Ajax boss has changed personnel at Old Trafford with a series of expensive signings, but problems remain. The reason is that the players are not good enough or Ten Hag is not capable of coaching enough. It seems that this strategist is forgetting the task of guiding his students to defend.
Fernandes, Man United captain, admitted that the team's approach was ineffective. "I don't want to be too negative, but what we did in the Champions League was not enough. We have to control our games all the time. This is not the first time we have encountered this situation."
Onana has been leading the Premier League Golden Gloves this season, having kept five clean sheets with Crystal Palace's Sam Johnstone and Newcastle's Nick Pope. But this only covers up Ten Hag's tactical problems.
Instead of a new problem, Man United's inability to defend consistently is an issue that has plagued Ten Hag's tenure. Obviously, opponents are studying carefully and making the most of Man United's weakness.
Copenhagen drew 0-0 with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. This result helped them control their fortunes in Group A. Coach Jacob Neestrup proposed a tactical plan to prevent an attack with impressive explosive power of the "Gray Tigers". Ten Hag could not do that at Man United against any top opponent. That is another reason why responsibility cannot be imposed only on Onana.
Onana had another bad game, but most of the United goalkeepers were under heavy pressure due to the lack of defense.
