Ten Hag has been dug out, time after time, not by high level tactics, but by moments from his most talented, or at least, most effective, players.
Many have argued that Fernandes, Rashford and McTominay have no part to play in his system.
'These are the wrong players'.
Yet all three have been getting the crucial goals over the last two seasons to keep him in his job, alongside Casemiro, a player history now rewrites has forced upon him, but has scored twelve goals or something between suspension and injury.
I don't buy the 'Rashford doesn't try' arguement for a second, if anything, he's clearly a player who has absolutely no control of his emotions. I don't buy the 'Fernandes does too much' argument either, he's fecking brilliant.
I do think both players need to be working smarter and more consistently.
I don't think we should be relying on McTominay or Casemiro, but I can't point to any success anywhere other than moments from individual talents.
If the only good things the manager has achieved is these moments from the players who shouldn't be here, then where is it going to come from?