Rio Ferdinand, a Manchester United icon, has strongly criticized Erik ten Hag’s handling of Casemiro’s position on the pitch.
Ten Hag has been deploying Casemiro, formerly of Real Madrid, as a central defender despite his discomfort in that role. This decision was questioned again when Arsenal scored their winning goal at Old Trafford. With Casemiro’s lack of pace resulting in him playing Kai Havertz onside before the goal.
Manchester United’s defensive line is currently plagued by injuries, with Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, and Victor Lindelof all-sidelined. Despite the shortage of options, Ferdinand believes Ten Hag needs to devise new strategy to move Casemiro back into midfield.
Speaking on his Vibe with FIVE podcast, Ferdinand questioned Ten Hag’s decision: “When is he going to take Casemiro out of the backline? Why can’t Ambrabat play there or Scott McTominay? Was Scott [McTominay] injured?”
Ferdinand expressed his concern for Casemiro’s situation, suggesting that the Brazilian should not be forced to play in an unfamiliar position: “I just don’t think it’s fair. If you see a few mistakes from somebody who is playing there, who has never played there before, and you see those mistakes early, you should go: ‘Do you know what? I’m not going to do this to you’.”
He further proposed alternative solutions, such as deploying Aaron Wan-Bissaka as a central defender and using Amrabat at right-back. However, Ferdinand criticized the team’s coaching, expressing frustration at the perceived lack of organization and direction.
Ten Hag defended his decision to play Casemiro in defence, citing a lack of options due to injuries. He explained that Willy Kambwala, a young academy defender, was not fit to start against Arsenal.
Regarding the potential replacement of Casemiro with Scott McTominay. Ten Hag expressed doubts about McTominay’s suitability for the role, citing past performances. He emphasized McTominay’s effectiveness in an advanced position on the pitch.
The debate surrounding Casemiro’s position and Manchester United’s defensive woes continues as the team navigates through a challenging period of injuries and tactical decisions.
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