Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24

[Sara125]

Regarding Ten Hag, he is a progressive manager that brings standard, discipline and pedigree. He has already outdone his predecessors debut seasons and I have little doubt hel continue on his trajectory. Anyone drawing punts this early on the season is just being daft, especially considering how we were the same or worse a season earlier.

Are you forgetting that Mourinho won the Carling Cup (or whatever it was called then) and Europa league in his debut season with us…

edit: also…standard and discipline? Are you serious?? especially the latter- one of our most talented players literally can’t be bothered to train while pocketing 350k a week

 

[KjaAnd]

We pressed high. They played out of it and took advantage of both fullbacks having acres of space, predictably as we played a diamond. The mind boggling part was not responding to this.

Not effectively no. It was half arsed by the forwards and either that’s by instruction or because EtH can’t get his message across.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

Those wanting him sacked are utterly beneath contempt. Those who are debating it even. Mind-boggling to even mention it.

I don't think ETH should be sacked and I've made it clear many times that I believe the structure (or lack thereof) is the main thing that needs to be fixed.

But my god, this language is extremely overboard. What is the deal with the cultlike behavior of this fanbase? This is the only club where belief in a manager has a religious and moral aspect to it.

The manager is an employee of the club. Nothing more, nothing less. We are supporters of the club.

 

[TheGame]

EtH has had the budget to build his own squad. Yet, we play like a bottom half team. Look at the cost of Brighton’s starting 11 today.

Plus it’s quite something what Welbeck and Lallana are part of that team and we can’t get a working system from the money we’ve spent. I would have rather Garnacho or Pellestri started on the right.

 

[mu4c_20le]

A lot of those players should not have cost anywhere near what they did, that is down to bad negotiators. That is why he spent so much. Do you think the likes of Brighton would have paid what we did the Rasmus or Antony? We and Chelsea are a soft touch. I think all the issues we have is the volcano has finally exploded and not listening or seeing warning signs about some players has come to a head.

Hojlund was highly rated and they wouldn't have afforded him. Antony? I don't think they would've looked at him at all, they signed Adingra for 10m who already looks better. With his attitude, I doubt they would consider him from his Sao Paolo days either.

 

[El Zoido]

EtH has had the budget to build his own squad. Yet, we play like a bottom half team. Look at the cost of Brighton’s starting 11 today.

It’s true, but it’d be the same situation under any other manager. It’s happened under the last five, at some point the penny has to drop.

 

[Tony247]

Biggest issue seems to me is ETH was given full control over transfers. Fix the recruitment process and we should be fine with lot of managers, not just ETH.

 

[el3mel]

A lot of those players should not have cost anywhere near what they did, that is down to bad negotiators. That is why he spent so much. Do you think the likes of Brighton would have paid what we did the Rasmus or Antony? We and Chelsea are a soft touch.

We paid so much for these players because they were the manager's targets and he insisted on getting them.

If the club hadn't paid that much for Antony or Mount and moved on, the comments would have been "Freaking Glazers refusing to back the managers and spending money on his targets and instead giving him low cost players, Feck off Murtough".

The board backs the manager and pays crazy money for shit players because the manager asked for them by name, they get criticized, they don't, they get criticized. What are they supposed to do ?

We lack a clear strategy at the market but these signings are on the manager. He's the one who asked for them.

 

[bosnian_red]

Not effectively no. It was half arsed by the forwards and either that’s by instruction or because EtH can’t get his message across.

Nah our pressing has been pretty good this season. It's not half arsed. You press to a point and you cut options. They are very good at playing out obviously. We gave them an easy out ball though which they abused.

Blaming work rate today is nonsense. It wasn't a problem. We were tactically undone and were chasing shadows.

 

[Member 58925]

Are you forgetting that Mourinho won the Carling Cup (or whatever it was called then) and Europa league in his debut season with us…

And ultimately failed because his attempts to instill cohesion and discipline were resisted by the players. Same as Ole and now ETH.

 

[Spiersey]

I think the players want him gone. The performance from 3-1 had zero heart or effort from the players. Usually United would score to make it 3-1 and they’d be energised and pressing. Instead, the players half sat off, half pressed and just looked like they wanted to concede more. It did not strike me as players playing for the manager at all.

 

[Acquire Me]

I think the players want him gone. The performance from 3-1 had zero heart or effort from the players. Usually United would score to make it 3-1 and they’d be energised and pressing. Instead, the players half sat off, half pressed and just looked like they wanted to concede more. It did not strike me as players playing for the manager at all.

Bullshit

 

[Sara125]

And ultimately failed because his attempts to instill cohesion and discipline were resisted by the players. Same as Ole and now ETH.

Yeah I know I don’t disagree but that poster made it seem as though ETH was above all that

 

[Drizzle]

I don't think ETH should be sacked and I've made it clear many times that I believe the structure (or lack thereof) is the main thing that needs to be fixed.

But my god, this language is extremely overboard. What is the deal with the cultlike behavior of this fanbase? This is the only club where belief in a manager has a religious and moral aspect to it.

The manager is an employee of the club. Nothing more, nothing less. We are supporters of the club.

Nonsense. Criticise ETH all you like. I'm unhappy with some of his recent decisions. I'm one of the biggest moaners about players and manager. Everyone is there to be judged.

But to have a short run of bad form and bad luck, and log on to the Cafe to see the inevitable Sack ETH debates is just so inevitable and so so draining. And unnecessary.

 

[Member 58925]

Biggest issue seems to me is ETH was given full control over transfers. Fix the recruitment process and we should be fine with lot of managers, not just ETH.

Recruitment hinges on what the new players are being brought in to. This group of players that was here before ETH can suck the life out of anyone.

 

[Jeffthered]

What is frustrating is when asked about the fact that we have conceded 10 goals in four matches he comes out with '...we just have to be more resilient..'

Really? What does that actually mean ETH?

This is OGS, Mourinho type responses. It's always the players. Maybe the question should be:

What do you need to do differently Erik?

 

[sparx99]

Not sure I agree that he’s a terrible coach. Everybody here was doing cartwheels when we got him.

Now he’s here and we need to get behind him. We could’ve sacked him at full time today, announced De Zerbi as his replacement and nothing would change. Our issues go beyond who’s sat in the dugout.

I do think we’ve made a habit of sacking managers and allowing the players off the hook.

Almost regardless of results I’d like to see us stick with Ten Hag and if he says we have sell Bruno or Rashford or whoever then do it.

The whole team needs to be told from the top that Ten Hag is safe but no player is if this keeps up.

 

[ROFLUTION]

Keep for 2 years, see where it goes

 

[LochGormanAbú]

In February we were the most in form team in Europe. But nooo. EtH must go

What do you win for that? silly comment

 

[dwd]

As though it’s a serious question to ask in mid-September???

I don’t want him sacked but your request is hilarious.

 

[Winrar]

I’m probably reading too much into this, but the booing when hojlund got substituted feels like turning point, and for the worse.

 

[Black Adder]

We don't look like a team at all.

Apart from that little purple patch in first season everything else was/is really hard to watch.

 

[Rightnr]

This. We were good vs Arsenal and Erik spoke about that game for two weeks how we looked good, should have won etc...
And then he does this.

Lets be honest now; last year he also had some baffling decisions which were costly (against Liverpool, Arsenal, Palace, Sevilla). Lots of mistakes for United manager.

He said before the game this new formation has been used in training before the Arsenal game and wans't used there because Scottish Maguire got injured last minute.

Now, whether you believe that or not is another question but it doesn't sound like it was a kneejerk decision. Given he left Sancho out of that squad, it would mame some sense what he's saying is true.

 

[mu4c_20le]

Nonsense. Criticise ETH all you like. I'm unhappy with some of his recent decisions. I'm one of the biggest moaners about players and manager. Everyone is there to be judged.

But to have a short run of bad form and bad luck, and log on to the Cafe to see the inevitable Sack ETH debates is just so inevitable and so so draining. And unnecessary.

Mate if this drains you, dont look at the league table, or our GD.

 

[fergiewherearethou]

Nah our pressing has been pretty good this season. It's not half arsed. You press to a point and you cut options. They are very good at playing out obviously. We gave them an easy out ball though which they abused.

Blaming work rate today is nonsense. It wasn't a problem. We were tactically undone and were chasing shadows.

How often did we get the ball in their third? Or by the center of the pitch? There were times even at 0-1 when they were passing the ball and basically waiting for our players to come at them. And I'm not saying it's a work rate issue, it's more of a tactical/individual quality of our players problem.

 

[AneRu]

Plus Brighton have attacking full backs and wingers. A diamond was never going to work against them.

I love ETH but what the hell was that? Guess he didn't have confidence in Case holding the midfield and wanted to flood it but the smart money would have been on Rangnick's box with McTominay babysitting Casemiro and Bruno + Eriksen as the two AMs, at the very least we wouldn't have conceded the centre.

But that he had to do all this to avoid starting a youth player is very, very disturbing. At least if Pellistiri had flopped on the RW we still would have had the shape to better protect our defense than the shit he served up today.

 

[Member 58925]

Yeah I know I don’t disagree but that poster made it seem as though ETH was above all that

Every manager makes mistakes, but there are elementary things that are going wrong that make any tactical discussion moot. All three of Brighton’s goals could have been scored by a League 2 team.

 

[Rightnr]

He of course wants to bring standard and discipline, but how does he get it out of this group of players that is collectively incapable of playing with the mentality he requires? Right now it feels like no manager in the world can do that

Treating Rashford like the other players might be a start.

The guy is overhyped and clearly believes it himself. Bench him for a couple of games and see what that does to his hunger.

 

[TheGame]

He said before the game this new formation has been used in training before the Arsenal game and wans't used there because Scottish Maguire got injured last minute.

Now, whether you believe that or not is another question but it doesn't sound like it was a kneejerk decision. Given he left Sancho out of that squad, it would mame some sense what he's saying is true.

But the fact is that system was never going to work against Brighton who play with attacking full backs and wingers. Very strange decision.

 

[Drizzle]

He obviously wont be sacked, we know how the club operates. Wait until the seasons gone and the dressing room is lost. The question is if i would sack him right now, and the answer is yes. But maybe we need more embarrassing (away) losses to our rivals. Bayern could do the first of a couple. Our fanbase and club wants more suffering when it is obvious ETH is a lost case. Stubborn and quite honeslty out of his depth in every department. He had some external issues, but plenty have been his own wrongdoing as well. At the end of the day, he is not tactically special or the progressive coach we got promised, in contrary. His man management is atrocious as well. Counting the days until he is gone.

I don't know what to say to this. How is he a 'lost case' when he got us our first trophy in years and 3rd? Without an actual striker and with all the other frankly unprecedented bullshit he's had to deal with it. And we're 5 games into season 2?

A lost case! Staggering, intergalactic levels of hyperbole.

 

[Member 58925]

What is frustrating is when asked about the fact that we have conceded 10 goals in four matches he comes out with '...we just have to be more resilient..'

Really? What does that actually mean ETH?

This is OGS, Mourinho type responses. It's always the players. Maybe the question should be:

What do you need to do differently Erik?

There’s nothing he can do and he’ll end up paying for it with his job like the two managers that came before him. Do you think he instructs the players to jog and not give any effort to win the ball?

 

[clarkydaz]

I’m probably reading too much into this, but the booing when hojlund got substituted feels like turning point, and for the worse.

yes i agree, shocked it was that ferocious to be honest

 

[JuriM]

Can we get a 5 game stint without any off the pitch drama coming up and just focusing purely on football? He has almost impossible to have had it so far:

Ronaldo, Greenwood*, Antony, Sancho.. Who is next?

 

[TheGame]

I love ETH but what the hell was that? Guess he didn't have confidence in Case holding the midfield and wanted to flood it but the smart money would have been on Rangnick's box with McTominay babysitting Casemiro and Bruno + Eriksen as the two AMs, at the very least we wouldn't have conceded the centre.

But that he had to do all this to avoid starting a youth player is very, very disturbing. At least if Pellistiri had flopped on the RW we still would have had the shape to better protect our defense than the shit he served up today.

He should have then just played McTominay with Casemiro and dropped Erikson for either Garnacho or Pellestri on the right wing. We look more dangerous when we play out wide so no idea why we restricted ourselves.

 

[Drizzle]

Mate if this drains you, dont look at the league table, or our GD.

Oddly enough, I've managed to avoid it so far today.

 

[Care_de_Bobo]

I do think we’ve made a habit of sacking managers and allowing the players off the hook.

Almost regardless of results I’d like to see us stick with Ten Hag and if he says we have sell Bruno or Rashford or whoever then do it.

The whole team needs to be told from the top that Ten Hag is safe but no player is if this keeps up.

I'd say if anything we've kept managers on for too long in the past because of Glazer penny pinching and not wanting to pay them off. They've made the same mistakes with players.

I'm not saying this is the case with Ten Hag, but he seriously needs to sort out our away form and even get us performing consistently for 90 minutes at home. The lack of progress is worrying, but we should wait until all our injured players are back first before judging him.

 

[RuudTom83]

Spurs Away (2023 version) Arsenal Away and Brighton...when the team is full or injuries and in bad form...Eek!

Luckily after Bayern the opposition looks more beatable on paper.

 

[Member 58925]

But the fact is that system was never going to work against Brighton who play with attacking full backs and wingers. Very strange decision.

Why did it work up until their goal? Because the players were actually trying hard for the first 20 minutes and then fell apart mentally.

 

[fergiewherearethou]

I think the players want him gone. The performance from 3-1 had zero heart or effort from the players. Usually United would score to make it 3-1 and they’d be energised and pressing. Instead, the players half sat off, half pressed and just looked like they wanted to concede more. It did not strike me as players playing for the manager at all.

It's one thing to want something and it's another to be actually able to do something. We scored from a brilliant long range effort and that's everything that we could do.

 

[The Hilton]

De Zerbi has done great things at many clubs not just Brighton.

That's definitely an exaggeration, but even if it were accurate, none of his previous clubs are anywhere near the level of United. The pressure he'd be under here, the egos of the players he'd be coming in to manage, and how unsuited they are to play his football, combined with the lack of support or structure above him, would be orders of magnitude beyond anything he's experienced before. It would most likely be a disaster.