What is wrong with Ten Hag? Only Luton Town would play crybaby Antony

Jacque Talbot

• 30 Oct 2023 10:30 GMT
• 4 min read

It's never fair to single out one player for an entire collapse of a club, but Antony is mightily symbolic of all Erik ten Hag has got wrong at Manchester United.

In the summer of 2022, Ten Hag notified the club's hierarchy that he wanted an overhaul. He wanted to move on the players who refused to challenge for second balls or simply gave up when the going got tough and bring in a new crop of names who had the right 'personality.'

Late in the game against Manchester City - a predictable 3-0 win for the Premier League champions away to their biggest rival - Antony was left on the bench. As the goals went in from the Citizens, cameras panned to the dugout where the Brazilian watched on. He looked embittered, like this display from his side was a personal affront to him.

READ MORE: Ten Hag slammed as Man Utd do something ‘no other top team’ does

Antony was eventually subbed on, and his biggest highlight was kicking the far superior Jeremy Doku. The Man City player rightfully went up to Antony to complain, only for the former Ajax man to thrown an embarrassing tantrum. He threw his arms about, unhappy Doku had used his finger to gesture, before being held back. That was the crux of what we got from the £81 million pound in one of Man Utd's crucial games - a tantrum that would put a toddler to shame.

If this is the personality that Ten Hag was thinking of, Man Utd is in big trouble - it's essentially swapping apathy for petulance. Antony is Ten Hag's biggest mistake at Man Utd so far. And whenever his fee is brought up, we are told that Man Utd knew that they overpaid for him, and this was a result of the club not being shrewd negotiators and forking out the initial asking price.

READ MORE: Ten Hag urged to make BOLD Man Utd decision by Roy Keane

The problem is Man Utd only overpaid for Antony because Ten Hag demanded that they did so. He would have harped on about the whizz-kid from Brazil being one of the fundamental cogs to fulfil his blueprint. From what we have seen so far, Antony is not good enough for his level. He is not even worth £20m, let alone the £81m that Man Utd paid for him. Ajax would have been shell-shocked when that offer came in.

It's not unfair to say that no Premier League team would lead with Antony in their starting XI other than maybe Luton Town and Sheffield United. It's money spent that under a normal club, who don't hand their entire transfer dealings to their new, incoming coach, would have been better used elsewhere.

How many goals has Antony scored for Man Utd?

Antony netted four Premier League goals last season, and three of those came during a row of three matches back in September of last year. In fact, he has only scored one Premier League goal since October 9, 2022. Again, you just can't help but look at the price tag Ten Hag deemed worthy enough for his side to meet and shake your head.

Jarrod Bowen's contract had been winding down at West Ham and he only signed fresh terms this month, Pedro Neto has been on fire for Wolves on the right-wing this season, even Newcastle's Jacob Murphy has provided a much higher volume of goals and assists than Antony, and is arguably a better player.

Antony's addition alone should be a reason why Ten Hag must be stripped of his power when it comes to the transfer market - the likes of Mason Mount, Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund, and Andre Onana is another matter entirely. (