Former Manchester United first team coach Rene Meulensteen believes Raphael Varane and Casemiro no longer possess the physical capabilities to thrive in the Premier League.
The Red Devils have endured a difficult start to the season, losing six of their 11 games across all competitions to ramp up the pressure on Erik ten Hag.
Several players have looked short of the form that saw United win the Carabao Cup and finish third in the Premier League last term.
Meulensteen, who coached under Sir Alex Ferguson between 2007 and 2013, has picked out Varane and Casemiro as two players that are struggling badly, and he is not convinced either will be able to turn things around due to the physical demands of England's top flight.
'United have certain shortcomings. [Varane] cannot handle the pace,’ Meulensteen told ESPN.
‘The Premier League is dynamic. Everything goes at 100 kilometres per hour. That is the big problem in midfield. They have no energy and that is how the defence gets into trouble.
‘He [Ten Hag] wants to put a lot of pressure on, with a lot of intensity. Just like at Ajax. But he doesn’t have the players for that. The players don’t have the mentality to constantly put pressure on.
‘Casemiro, for example, can’t handle it at all. Ten Hag has a certain conviction about how he wants to play. But he has to find ways to get there.’
Varane missed United's dramatic 2-1 comeback win against Brentford on Saturday through injury and has encountered several fitness setbacks since arriving from Real Madrid in 2021.
Casemiro impressed in his maiden campaign at Old Trafford last season, but has been off the pace in 2023-24.
He was hauled off in the second half on the weekend, with Ten Hag later explaining he made the change as he 'wanted more football' from his team.
The move worked, with Scott McTominay coming off the bench to score twice in stoppage time, rescuing victory from the jaws of defeat.
Casemiro may now be at risk of losing his place in the starting XI after the international break, and is another Ten Hag signing that has failed to shine consistently alongside the likes of Antony, Andre Onana and Mason Mount.
Much of the blame for United falling behind their rivals in recent years has been placed on the owners, the Glazer family.
However, Meulensteen feels Ten Hag now has the squad he wants after two summers of big spending, and has called for his fellow Dutchman to take responsibility for his side's troubles.
‘He has brought in all the players and cannot say that he has not been supported. He has indicated that he is happy with this,’ Meulensteen continued.
‘He gets a lot of credit from the fans. I understand that. But these are not players who were brought in by the Glazers and are now on the field. The responsibility of the players who are now on the field is really up to Erik.'
yomabceors
0
he needs drug test
sazinpru
1
Raphael Varane cannot play 5 straight matches in a row… useless player
tedacdilms
1
"He is another Ten Hag signing that has failed to shine consistently" you're a fool for saying that.. Casemiro has been displaying his class and he's even United top scorer at the moment. Don't just write articles without doing a thorough review please be professional and your spellings at times are way off it, you're always having typographical errors
kikabekm
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Spot On...
Aquesi
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The real truth is with how ETH handles the team Casemiro might lack intensity buh the team is not actually well balanced since the midfield has 2CAM in front of 1CDM….which leaves all the pressure on him in the middle when they loose the ball prematurely Checkout the last goal of Gala at UCL recently… He would have been in the position to intercept that returning ball from amrabat poor pass/clearance or whatever it was ETH simply has to balance the midfield… he’s got the squad just have to make the right decisions
Kkrexuke
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nonsense. Casemiro is out top scorer at this point. His good work is undone by a makeshift defence and a wobbly onana.
Tomas25
1
Sorry Mr Rene Meulensteen where do you work now?
[image]
how if CASEMIRO always included in EPL BEST XI Which fuel did he drink , before he talk or just because of red card
Ziubilstuy
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Lol the same Casemiro that keep scoring for us during set pieces. He's the only player scoring from set pieces in United. He's doing more than a DMF. Let him be on the bench and you'll see how much we are going to complain again. Well he'll get more rest now that we have Amrabat.
Dinilpru
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"First team coach" was about to challenge my English 😂😂
Potdilmrs
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united need to get rid of old players like erickson,casemiro,and varane ..epl need young players with intensity
Jazifizo
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Absolutely correct - and you may want to add Eriksen to that. Mount is missing ‘his real home’ and onana can’t handle the pressure. That’s FIVE not-currently-good-enough players already. Let’s not even go to Martial, rashford, Sancho, Antony, Pellistri, VDBEEK and weak lindelof! We have an aged Evans and uncertain Maguire! Wow!
reaabmosz
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😂😂 Varane the best defender we got. Casemiro the best CDM in the world. ETH is not combining our squad properly.
Jaucilmnp
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true,
Nko
Thiop
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Bring Tobido in January and leave this old players behind
Ghanamann
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Useless the pace have won you guys tiny UCL
Ghanamann
0
Useless team the pace have won you guys tiny UL
TanIsRed
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What about our so called star Rashford & Maguire..??
Youtd4eva
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Correction Jurrien Timber
Youtd4eva
1
Youtd4eva
3
Kokcprstu
1
varane is a bad signing
Shockdee1
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Someone finally said it, Casemiro has been the causes of our midfield woe since the start of the season and Eric Ten Hag seemed to ignored it, I just hope he gives Arabat in the middle and we will see how things can quickly turn around
Pranay41910
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true,
puccenopru
1
Sorry Mr Rene Meulensteen where do you work now?
[image]
He’s a Manchester United supporter and fan too he only said what he saw as a problem at least he came out to say some people are just watching and not even saying anything…Casemiro is being shown shege this season I remember Scholes complaining about Varane too
puccenopru
1
he ain't wrong but we do have amrabat, mainoo. but due injuries, we are in rough patch now.
Amrabat is good but lacks pace too I’ll go with only Maino or McTominay selling Fred was a bad deal
KtanUnited
1
he ain't wrong but we do have amrabat, mainoo. but due injuries, we are in rough patch now.
Gilbert1212
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in my point of view is that Man U without Casemiro and Varane would have been worse
sure
Sisamost
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What did get out of what you read?
FootballRealist
1
That shows you when you let the board get players for you and not what the manager wanted…and typically last minute buys
bepbdntuy
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they need better teammates
MITOCHONDRIA
4
in my point of view is that Man U without Casemiro and Varane would have been worse
vuzctuyz
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so sad but very true
Ruadelrsu
2
That is very very True. Casemiro lacks the Energy and Verane lacks the Pace. Scott does not have the talent and experience of Casemiro but he possesses the Energy and Determination required in the EPL
Jeremykyan1
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they don't need to worry about the pace of the Premier League, they've got the younger teammates to deal with the pacey players. younger teammates like Lisandro Martínez, Luke Shaw, Wan Bissaka, Malacia, along with the other young players 29 and under to deal with the speed demons. it's just their experience that helps this team.
Iffy106
1
Sorry Mr Rene Meulensteen where do you work now?
AFer18463985
1
haha that's why they got UCL and you don't ni