What on earth? I absolutely intend on keeping him. Otherwise, as you say, what's the point? As for his signings - I love how people just write them all off. Some hits, some misses. Martinez and Hojlund in particular I would class as successful, Mount will eventually turn out to be a good signing, imo and Onana is continuing to improve.
As for my reasons for keeping ETH here you go:
1. He showed in his first season he can get the players to perform to a high level, even if there was some inconsistency - but that was to be expected.
2. His second season has been devastated by injuries. People dismiss this, but it's a reality. 30 something defensive combinations in 40 something games is going to mess with your form, not to mention injuries to Mount, Mainoo, Martial and others for substantial periods of time. No left back for more or less the whole season. No Martinez, one of our best players last year, for the whole season.
3. His development of the youth and building of a connection between the youth team and the senior squad has been brilliant.
4. Who else is out there that is a realistic option who would likely be an upgrade? I hear names mentioned, none of whom inspire confidence that they could do a better job than ETH. Let's hear those suggestions.
5. Any new appointment would be a reset on the clock for rebuilding the club.
ETH has had an up and down season, and it's been mostly grim, but I think we should let him work through the process and that he has shown enough in moments to be trusted to see out his plan. Should next year be a repeat of this one, when he has a fully fit squad to chose from and the support of a competent board, then a change would be a fair decision.
Sorry but more ETH excuses....
1 - Yes apart from a few horror story results, but for the last 3rd of last season we were poor and scraped by, and it does not give a free pass for a season, it s unbelievable that he has made it this long
2 - People dismiss the injuries... no they don't but injuries do not mean you play recklessly they mean you have to adapt, the point YOU dismiss about injuries is that we have a manager who is to blind, stubborn or inept to realise he has to adapt his tactics for the players he has available, and as for the defensive combinations about half of those are by choice not injuries alone, half a fact is no fact at all!
3 - How has his development of the youth been brilliant? he has played Garnacho who was purchased for half a million from Atletico by Ole, he was always getting into the first team as soon as, and Mainoo who literally everyone who has watched him at youth level could have nailed on 1st team
4 - Literally any manager could have been less inept this season, I agree I am not frothing at the mouth, but would take Tuchel in a heart beat over ETH for another season, hell I would take big Sam at this point, at least he understands how to coach defence and counter attacks
5 - and? so what? the same argument as not firing a manager because we fired a few recently, it doesn't mean ETH gets a free pass, you do not build a house on dodgy foundations, I would argue that given how poor and ill considered his signings have been in general, not getting rid of ETH at this stage would be detrimental to any rebuild, in addition ETH wants a very specific player and style, and shows little adaptability, do we want to focus on building a team that can play one tune?
This season up and down? the only ups I can think of are the 1st Chelsea match and extra time against Liverpool, everything else has been down, I mean seriously ETH could be brilliant next season or he could be worse than this, can we afford the risk? old baldy has cost us £100m this season in prize money, that fecks your rebuild right there, and I come back to the ineptitude, no manager should have made and repeated the mistakes he has week after week, that is unforgivable IMO