Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24

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I'm pretty sure when one team is under a lot of pressure the go to tactic is slowing the tempo down. Why we didn't try that for 40 minutes is beyond me.
 
I understand if Ineos gives Ten Hag a chance. I just really hope they move on. He's not it.
 
I'm happy with the result (so far) but it's the same story every game, it's just nowhere near good enough.

Got jumped on last week for criticizing the performance, was told to be happy about the result.

I'm sorry but I expect better football and better performances. Otherwise we are going nowhere.
 
Probably an unpopular opinion but I think Ten Hags problem isn't Ten Hag himself, it's the club hamstringing itself ever since Louis van Gaal to believe (mistakenly) that playing quickly forward is the only way we are allowed to play football anymore, even though Alex Ferguson's best sides could and absolutely did play to keep the ball whenever they got 1 or 2-nil up. There's a distinct lack of control about our games and it absolutely stems from this obsession with pressing and transitions.

Who told you the club gave him this directive? He's the manager, why would you pass the blame to other people who we don't even know based on a theory that is from thin air. Ten Haag is the one choosing this, not Malcolm Glazer.
 
We’re winning, so his fan club will be delighted. Nothing else matters apparently. Being battered by relegation candidates for 30 minutes means nothing. It’s all part of the process & anyone complaining is just expecting too much.
 
I understand if Ineos gives Ten Hag a chance. I just really hope they move on. He's not it.
For me, the problem is that I don't see what players he signs that gets these tactics to magically work. They're unbelievably poor.
 
I'm amazed there's a section of our fans who can watch this and think this is an acceptable level for Man United to be at.
Doesn't matter. Those guys are weirdos. I'm confident Ineos and the new leadership team will have higher standards, which is all that matters
 
I'm pretty sure when one team is under a lot of pressure the go to tactic is slowing the tempo down. Why we didn't try that for 40 minutes is beyond me.
It has to be tactical. There’s no way players actively want to end up in a 2v2 defensive scenario in the 42nd min of a game where Maguire has to take a yellow to stop a goalscoring chance.
 
His system is fecking shite. Any team on the planet gets a free invitation to run through the middle of the pitch.

Just get rid, we're going nowhere.
It is so obvious, yet still posters on here blaming the players or anyone apart from ETH. The way he sets us up invites the opposition onto us. We have no way of controlling the game and he doesnt pick the players who could help us do that. Mainoo seems to be drifting around in no mans land.
 
If Darwin Nunez was a tactic, it would be us under Ten Hag this season. Just utter chaos football.
 
For me, the problem is that I don't see what players he signs that gets these tactics to magically work. They're unbelievably poor.

Yep, you could have a world XI and it still would look ropey. Nothing is cohesive especially out of possession, and in possession we allow Casemiro and Bruno to just treat the ball like a bomb.
 
Probably an unpopular opinion but I think Ten Hags problem isn't Ten Hag himself, it's the club hamstringing itself ever since Louis van Gaal to believe (mistakenly) that playing quickly forward is the only way we are allowed to play football anymore, even though Alex Ferguson's best sides could and absolutely did play to keep the ball whenever they got 1 or 2-nil up. There's a distinct lack of control about our games and it absolutely stems from this obsession with pressing and transitions.
I dunno, man. I feel like we went for him in the hopes that he'd evolve our style of play to a more progressive one that could dominate teams, and that's why the majority of us were excited at his appointment. I can't see us hiring him and then wanting him to change the style that made us want him in the first place.

I think it's just that he's out of his depth here. He may have stood a chance had we got the majority of our signings under him spot on, but, unfortunately for us and him, that's not the case.
 
Probably an unpopular opinion but I think Ten Hags problem isn't Ten Hag himself, it's the club hamstringing itself ever since Louis van Gaal to believe (mistakenly) that playing quickly forward is the only way we are allowed to play football anymore, even though Alex Ferguson's best sides could and absolutely did play to keep the ball whenever they got 1 or 2-nil up. There's a distinct lack of control about our games and it absolutely stems from this obsession with pressing and transitions.
Do you think there’s someone with a “United way” meter that stands in training and prevents ten Hag from playing any other style of football? He wants us to play like this.
 
Got jumped on last week for criticizing the performance, was told to be happy about the result.

I'm sorry but I expect better football and better performances. Otherwise we are going nowhere.

The problem is so many can’t seem to grasp the concept of “if that’s a good performance where are we actually headed”. People like you and I want to see the signs that we are moving towards being a top team in how we operate and approach games, not just that we win and get 3 points. fecking Ole went 30 games unbeaten away from OT, results don’t tell the full story of a teams level at all.
 
Hanging in there against a good team away from home last week… I’ll give the benefit of the doubt

Hanging in there against a relegation candidate away from home the following week… That’s a problem.
 
For me, the problem is that I don't see what players he signs that gets these tactics to magically work. They're unbelievably poor.
He has shown 0 intention to control games. Or the ability to coach control. It's a poor reflection on him.
 
Do you think there’s someone with a “United way” meter that stands in training and prevents ten Hag from playing any other style of football? He wants us to play like this.
There's a certain amount of pressure from ex players, ex coaches and pundits, as well as senior figures at the club. And many of them absolutely do harp on and on about the "united way". I'm not using this as an excuse for Ten Hag or man Utd: our football is shit. But it doesn't help our endless catalogues of managers when they aren't allowed to come in and say "I'd like to keep the ball first and foremost" as they won't be allowed to do that.
 
Do you think there’s someone with a “United way” meter that stands in training and prevents ten Hag from playing any other style of football? He wants us to play like this.

Most frustrating (and biggest sign of incompetence from him) part is that you’d think after watching the same hit or miss ropey approach fail for 18 months he’d look to adjust how we play, but nope every weekend win or lose it’s the same shit with Bruno launching endless balls into row Z and Casemiro having a chat with Maguire near our box while 5 players play some suicidal man marking press high up the pitch and are bypassed with one decent ball.
 
You're bringing an article about LVG to this. That was 2016 under Woodward. It's almost ten years ago. You think Addidas likes this performance??
? Nobody likes us performing the way they are. Why are you being so obtuse. Do you not understand the point I'm making? I can't make it any simpler.
 
That is the point I'm making. They are playing the way he has been instructed to play them. Remember Adidas complaining about our style of football?

https://www.skysports.com/football/...-executive-criticises-manchester-united-style
Most managers are total control freaks and yet this team never has any control of the game. The thing is you don't need to dominate possession to have control, it's just that the game sort of happens to this team rather than them regularly playing the game on their terms.
 
There's a certain amount of pressure from ex players, ex coaches and pundits, as well as senior figures at the club. And many of them absolutely do harp on and on about the "united way". I'm not using this as an excuse for Ten Hag or man Utd: our football is shit. But it doesn't help our endless catalogues of managers when they aren't allowed to come in and say "I'd like to keep the ball first and foremost" as they won't be allowed to do that.
Yeah, I do get what you mean, I just think the impact is minuscule. Or it should be. If ten Hag allows himself to be influenced by silly external factors like this, he shouldn’t be in this role.
 
Most frustrating (and biggest sign of incompetence from him) part is that you’d think after watching the same hit or miss ropey approach fail for 18 months he’d look to adjust how we play, but nope every weekend win or lose it’s the same shit with Bruno launching endless balls into row Z and Casemiro having a chat with Maguire near our box while 5 players play some suicidal man marking press high up the pitch and are bypassed with one decent ball.
As you say, the midfield setup is one of the biggest criticisms you can throw at Erik. Some of us thought that when we had Mainoo and Casemiro both available at the same time, we'd abandon our crazy setup of one midfielder next to, basically, two 10s when pressing, in favour of a more compact one, but nope. He still sets us up this way despite it being an obvious hindrance.
 
Much like I said against Wolves that even if we failed to win, that would have been a good performance that indicated some progress being made, this one is opposite - we may end up winning but these first 60 minutes are unacceptable.
 
As you say, the midfield setup is one of the biggest criticisms you can throw at Erik. Some of us thought that when we had Mainoo and Casemiro both available at the same time, we'd abandon our crazy setup of one midfielder next to, basically, two 10s when pressing, in favour of a more compact one, but nope. He still sets us up this way despite it being an obvious hindrance.

It’s damning that he’s made exactly 0 adjustments to how he sets the team up/the formation the entire year. You’d think we were walking the league with how consistent the lineup/set up is every match day. Which means he’s either pleased with how the performances have been (yikes), or doesn’t have any other ideas in how to improve us (even worse)
 
He is far from above criticism but today has been as good proof as any game that the shirt weighs heavy on a lot of our players.

Some shameful behaviour from supposedly senior professionals.
 
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