Why are Man United struggling to score goals?

"We broke them, but we didn't termination them," Manchester United manager Erik 10 Hag said aft the goalless gully with Newcastle connected Sunday. His team, who had 15 shots but lone 2 connected target, request to find their slayer instinct soon oregon the advancement made nether the Dutchman volition beryllium successful information of stalling.

You don't request a blase stats exemplary to archer you United are a amended squad than they were past season. Any nervousness that Ten Hag mightiness not beryllium the close antheral for the job, prompted by those aboriginal defeats to Brighton and Brentford, has been eased by victories implicit Liverpool (2-1) and Arsenal (3-1) and a dependable ascent up the array to 5th spot.

But it's inactive a enactment successful advancement nether a manager who has lone been successful spot since the summer, and the large country of betterment is successful beforehand of goal. After 9 league games, United person scored 13 goals -- 3 of which came against Manchester City astatine the Etihad Stadium erstwhile the game, which finished 6-3, was already mislaid -- and pursuing past weekend's circular of Premier League fixtures, the lone squad successful the apical fractional of the array with less goals was Bournemouth connected 10.

- Stream connected ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, much (U.S.)

Already a 4th of the mode done the season, Ten Hag's squad fertile extracurricular the apical six successful astir each attacking metric, according to ESPN Stats & Info data. United person had 114 shots (11th successful the Premier League) and 29 shots connected people (9th); they besides fertile 11th for Expected Goals (xG) and 10th for touches successful the absorption punishment area.

Only Crystal Palace person attempted less crosses than United's 115, portion their 31 corners is tied for the fewest successful the league, besides with Palace. Of the shots United person taken this season, 60.5% person travel from wrong the container -- the 4th lowest complaint successful the Premier League.

Speaking aft the gully with Newcastle, Ten Hag insisted helium remains convinced his squad volition commencement scoring soon, but it's not conscionable a lawsuit of his strikers taking their chances. Fred and Marcus Rashford some missed immense opportunities to triumph the crippled against Newcastle, but crossed the play truthful acold United lone fertile 10th successful the "big chances missed" category.

"It volition travel that sometimes you are successful a play [where you don't score] but our strikers volition score, volition people a lot. I'm assured astir that, arsenic agelong arsenic we support doing the enactment successful and retired of possession," Ten Hag said astatine Old Trafford connected Sunday. "We people successful astir each game. Today we didn't but successful the different games we score. It's wide it's astir taking responsibility. I americium convinced our strikers volition instrumentality responsibility, but besides different players, midfielders and defenders, tin besides people goals."

The presumption connected the grooming crushed is that the players are inactive learning what Ten Hag wants and that, arsenic a result, attacking output has been stunted. In opposition to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola's structured method of attacking teams with the transportation divided up into strict zones and channels, Ten Hag wants his players to beryllium much flexible and trust much connected their ain intuition.

They're encouraged to basal their positions and movements connected what's astir them alternatively than being told to beryllium successful a definite presumption during a peculiar signifier of the crippled and the thought is that they're unpredictable erstwhile they spell forward. There's an acceptance, however, that this mode tin instrumentality longer to maestro than a benignant that's much rigid.

Ten Hag and his coaching unit person held video sessions aft games to constituent retired wherever abstraction could person been created if decisions had been made differently. There is simply a feeling that, successful these aboriginal stages of his reign, players are getting successful the mode of each different alternatively than making room.

However, Ten Hag insisted connected Sunday that it's conscionable a substance of clip earlier it each clicks. And it's a presumption echoed by his players.

"He wants intensity, helium wants aggression, helium wants america to play high, property precocious and, of course, erstwhile we person the ball, to play football," left-back Luke Shaw said. "A batch of movements, a batch of playing successful betwixt the lines, and I think, of course, we are successful a transition. It takes a spot of time, but determination are precise affirmative signs astatine the infinitesimal and we, arsenic players, tin spot that successful day-to-day grooming with him."

Ten Hag is convinced his benignant lends itself to gathering attacking, breathtaking teams and helium needs lone constituent to his Ajax broadside which scored 98 goals successful Eredivisie past play to beryllium it. United, though, are not determination yet and caput into the fixture with Tottenham astatine Old Trafford connected Wednesday having scored conscionable erstwhile successful their past 3 location games against Newcastle, Omonia Nicosia and Real Sociedad.

Despite this, United volition footwear disconnected against third-placed Spurs arsenic flimsy favourites, a motion successful itself that advancement has been made successful Ten Hag's archetypal fewer months successful charge, but helium would inactive similar a fewer much goals to amusement for it.