Mount started the Red Devils’ Premier League opener against Wolves on Monday, a game that ended 1-0 to the home side at Old Trafford but saw them struggle to reach their best form.
Mount was in a midfield three alongside Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, but the center midfield spot is deeper than Mount has previously played for Chelsea or England.
Ten Hag believes that the Englishman will need time to adjust to the slightly different demands of the post, but he is confident that the 24-year-old will succeed.
‘I think he can [play deeper],’ Ten Hag stated. ‘We’ve already seen that in pre-season, but as I’ve said, we clearly need to work on many aspects of our game, including midfield cohesion and how we set it up.
‘I’m confident we’ll get it [right], but it won’t happen overnight, and if it were easy, everyone could do it.’
Ten Hag claims that there was indications that it could be done just last season when Christian Eriksen was signed during the summer and instructed to play deeper than he was used to, behind Fernandes.
‘Christian Eriksen came in last season and had the same,’ Ten Hag remarked. ‘For the first time in his life, he played a deeper part, and that was Christian’s ambition, followed by Mason’s ambition.
‘As a result, he wishes to be more multipurpose. That is how I view football, but as I already stated, it will not happen suddenly. We have a process to go through, but he’s incredibly game-intelligent.
‘He possesses technical abilities as well as strong ball vision. He knows how to handle the ball. Don’t forget about his charisma. He has the mindset. So all of the elements are present.’
