Have you read this forum? It's absolutely full to the brim of people who think we're the right managerial appointment away from a return to the glory days.
Both Arsenal and Liverpool underwent wholesale changes around the same time as they hired their managers.
It's also funny that you've brought them up.
What was on Arteta's CV before Arsenal hired him that distinguished him from that bloke from the Norwegian league? And how did his first couple of seasons go? Do you think that'd have kept him in a job here?
Liverpool are widely considered an elite side, and yet after winning the league, have found themselves relying on last minute goals from their goalkeeper to overtake Brendan Rodgers' (now-relegated) Leicester City in the final few games to qualify for the Champions League (a season in which he also finished behind that bloke from the Norwegian league), and last season didn't even qualify for the Champions League at all.
I didn't say we should. In fact, I've referenced the likelihood of the current manager being sacked twice in that post.
The fact is that people have essentially been beating their chests, shouting "we're Manchester United!" in response to any suggestion that we perhaps need to be a little bit more realistic with our short-term expectations. As I said, it's RAWK levels of delusion.
If anything, it's a disservice to RAWK, because at least those bastards were relentlessly and sickeningly positive more often than not.
Absolutely right. I would like to add, this mentality that we have to see elite results NOW and EVERY YEAR, by our fans is preposterous.
Half the forum wants to sack ETH, I find it perplexing. What do they expect a new manager to do? They will claim they want a style of play but I guarantee you that if there is a style of play without results to match (e.g. Finishing 6th), the fans will flip. In the same way people complained after Copenhagen and gala games despite us playing really well for large parts but coming unstuck due to GK errors and a ridiculous red. There was no free pass then. Fans just want that new manager hit and to abandon long term strategies whenever the going gets tough and it'll take you nowhere.
The squad is bang average. Meaning that even if you instill a style of play the output on the field will be inconsistent at best. It means a few injuries to key players and you're stuck with bringing in Evans, reguilon, and martial. It means a couple of key players out of form like rashford and you can no longer score goals.
Since ten hag came in, our striker options have been martial, Ronaldo (the worst version), weghourst, and a 20 year old from a diff league. At no point did we have more than 2 options at a time. In what world can any manager get more out of these lot??
Sure, blame his signings, but the football structure is not there to guide signings. His arrival coincided with a complete overhaul of the scouting dept and negotiation team. There was a vacuum there and it's led to the signings we've acquired. Half his signings are loans (the bad kind) and freebies. Most of the money spent was done so in a reactionary way that lead to us overpaying loads for players like Antony. We did this by opening new credit lines! That's not on him.
So now as we transition into a ownership model he needs to be given the benefit of the doubt for the remaining year. Even if this year turns out to be a total disaster. We must follow through with it. We can't be so ridiculously delusional to think a very good season last year was bound to be followed by a good season this year, especially when accounting for everything happening off field. I mean even Liverpool rarely string two good years together.
TL
R Our fans are delusional and despite the evidence in front of our faces demand results NOW despite claiming otherwise.
