Man United's midfield arrival has spent the first four games with his new club at left-back and Ten Hag's reasoning rings a familiar tone.
Erik ten Hag has faced increasing scrutiny over the last week for his decision to play Sofyan Amrabat out of position at left-back and it is a mistake he has made before.
Amrabat signed for United on deadline day, arriving on a season-long loan from Fiorentina that can be made permanent for €20million plus add-ons. The Moroccan international has been noted for his versatility but caught the eye of Europe's top clubs in defensive midfield.
Due in part to a pile-up on injury issues, all four of his appearances - three of which have been from the start - have come at left-back. United have been incredibly unfortunate in that area, with Sergio Reguilon, the last-minute loan to cover for already sidelined duo Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, picking up a hamstring injury at Burnley.
Despite impressing in the role during last week's 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace, Amrabat has struggled out of position in the two following games where teams actually attacked. Against Galatasaray in particular, he was caught stranded as a move down his side led to Muhammed Aktürkoğlu's goal.
"We had to be able to make choices from a tactical perspective," Ten Hag told MUTV after the win over Palace, a game in which the stand-in left-back was rarely tested. "Amrabat is a midfielder, but he's previously played as a full-back a while ago. At Fiorentina, he was really settled, for Morocco, he was the big man at the World Cup.
"He was one of the best players at the World Cup in the position as a holding midfielder, but he can play there [left-back] and he's a warrior, he'll fight for the badge. He's someone who will play where his manager needs him."
In mentioning Amrabat's past experience at left-back, Ten Hag is referring to a brief period in which he covered the area at FC Utrecht. But that spell ended in 2017 and was in the Eredivisie, a league which lacks the intensity of Premier League or Champions League football.
In the opening weeks of last season, Ten Hag shoe-horned another summer signing into an unfamiliar role, this time deploying Christian Eriksen as a false nine for the opening two weeks of the season. The Danish international also struggled to affect the game and was easily marshalled by top-flight defences.
"Because we didn't have the typical number nine, I knew [Eriksen] played a long time as a striker a long time ago in Ajax, dropping in," the Reds boss insisted after last season's opening weekend defeat at home to Brighton. "I wanted to keep Jadon and Marcus on the wings, coming inside they were really good in pre-season there.
"When I think, finally, Christian Eriksen is the best in the midfield and actually that was also the idea that he drops and gets in between the lines and to make the game."
Amrabat and Eriksen have suffered similar fates in their respective United careers, having been forced to undertake a long-forgotten role and struggling as a result. Ten Hag has seemingly failed to anticipate the difference in quality and intensity between the Eredivisie and Premier League, making life hard for his new signings.
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