Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24

[sparx99]

But we only really create all these chances against poor opposition, the last two games were against bottom two teams (one of which has historically bad defensive record and are already relegated), in games against teams that are actually good we struggle to create anything. We did not have a shot (even off target) against Liverpool in the first half and scored two wonder goals, we got 2 goals at Bournemouth from basically our only two chances, we scored 3 goals at Chelsea from an xG of 1.5, scored at Brentford from our only decent chance, scored at City from our first shot, scored 3 against West Ham from an xG of less than 1.

We racked up quite a few goalscoring opportunities against Sheffield, Burnley and Everton but have struggled to create much against solid teams who have usually been able to control games to a large degree (though in some of these games we still pulled out a draw against the run of play, or even a win).

Those xG figures are fairly standard though. Arsenal scored 3 against Spurs from 2.37 and Spurs got 2 from 1.08. Newcastle scored 5 from 2.93 xG against Sheffield. When we lost 7-0 to Liverpool the xG for Liverpool was only 2.91.

 

[sparx99]

I think for a first season, it was decent. In hindsight, there were several red flags, that some were willing to overlook at the time.

I do think people forget how low we were after the Rangnick period. I was fully expecting us to finish outside the top 6.

 

[Teja]

I do wonder if we have already got zidane lined up ready to come in over the summer. It’s all gone quiet on the search for a new coach

Don't think so given all the chatter about game models and such. I'm certain that we'll go with someone that's a variant of Pep / Arteta. Tuchel, Potter fit well because they are both positional play adherents.

They build on what Ten Hag has achieved so far at United.

 

[Chairman Steve]

I think I'm one of those guilty of overlooking the red flags.

If you go back and look at the games after the League cup final, we really were shit for most of the rest of the season. We grinded out the wins to make top 4 but it was pretty grim to watch. And the 7-0 result really was a sign of the shambolic lows we'd end up going through this season.

I’m kinda in the same boat too. I gave the benefit of the doubt because 80% of the season we were playing two games a week, mainly due to the Winter WC and finishing 2nd in the EL group, meaning two additional games which could have been avoided. I think we’d have been fecked if we had an FA Cup replay game at any point, because there was literally nowhere to slot it in the calendar.

ETH got rightfully criticised for the Brentford game last season and then he adapted his game which yielded much better results and he was rightfully praised.

But this season, all the way from game one with Wolves at home, it looked worrying and the elements from that game are still persisting even now. He has not changed approach even after getting humiliated in the CL and by the likes of Bournemouth and Brighton at OT.

He’s just weirdly stuck with it, which makes me think he has given up as he knows he’s leaving.

 

[DRJosh]

I’d welcome Mourinho back in a heart beat. He’ll win a trophy or 2 before stinking up the place and leaving on acrimonious terms. It’s toxic but oh so worth it.

 

[jderbyshire]

I do wonder if we have already got zidane lined up ready to come in over the summer. It’s all gone quiet on the search for a new coach

According to an Italian waiter in Cheshire, that's exactly what's happening!

 

[Von Mistelroum]

This post-match interview really highlights the difference between EtH and SAF.

Ten Hag is the equivalent of Rashford as a player. All excuses and no accountability.

 

[Camy89]

I’d welcome Mourinho back in a heart beat. He’ll win a trophy or 2 before stinking up the place and leaving on acrimonious terms. It’s toxic but oh so worth it.

He’s like my local Indian takeaway restaurant. Great food, great taste, bliss until the next day when I inevitably expel peanut sauce mixed with explosive methane with a tang of meatiness about it.

But you just have to keep going back…you know the consequences, but oh so worth it.

 

[VP89]

He’s like my local Indian takeaway restaurant. Great food, great taste, bliss until the next day when I inevitably expel peanut sauce mixed with explosive methane with a tang of meatiness about it.

But you just have to keep going back…you know the consequences, but oh so worth it.

What shameless Indian restaurant sells curry with peanut sauce? You sure its not Thai?

 

[Berbaclass]

 

[Robbie Boy]

I think I'm one of those guilty of overlooking the red flags.

If you go back and look at the games after the League cup final, we really were shit for most of the rest of the season. We grinded out the wins to make top 4 but it was pretty grim to watch. And the 7-0 result really was a sign of the shambolic lows we'd end up going through this season.

I was too.

But, I feel that's more about being fair to a manager in his first season who inherited a mess. I guess the 3rd place and two Cup Finals made things appear better than they really were. If that were his 2nd or 3rd sesson, those red flags would have been much harder to ignore.

 

[Robbie Boy]

I do think people forget how low we were after the Rangnick period. I was fully expecting us to finish outside the top 6.

I didn't have us down for a top four finish. I would have been happy enough for a really clear, identifiable progressive style of play being implemented, and really clear signs that we are progressing. Our playstyle was inconsistent as were our performances. However, that 3rd place and Cup win ended up doing some heavy lifting, meaning some of the red flags could be ignored.

 

[Oranges038]

I’d welcome Mourinho back in a heart beat. He’ll win a trophy or 2 before stinking up the place and leaving on acrimonious terms. It’s toxic but oh so worth it.

No he wouldn't. He's done as a coach in club football at the top level. Should never have been hired in the first place. Going back a second time would be so much worse than keeping ETH on for another 2 years.

 

[Stig]

Ten Hag will be here next season

That's a bold statement. I hope that you're not correct.

 

[Sarni]

Keep on dreaming, Ajax. He's ours.

 

[Sarni]

You think Real might get in the mix knowing that he beat them on the way to that historic semi-final run? Any real football person will acknowledge that semi-final run with Ajax was a better achievement than Carlo's 4 CL titles with Milan & Madrid. Kind of like how Jose said 2nd with us was a better achievement than all his titles.

I think Real will keep Ancelotti for another year but I'm sure they'll have ETH near top of their list come following Summer.

 

[Sarni]

The signs were there even last season. As early as January. Look at some of the results and performances after Christmas:

Palace 1-1 United
Arsenal 3-2 United (the scoreline flattered us)
United 2-2 Leeds
Liverpool 7-0 United
United 0-0 Southampton
United 3-1 Fulham (They outplayed us for large spells and we could only take control when they had 2 red cards and Marco Silva sent off)
Newcastle 2-0 United (Could have been 4-0)
United 2-2 Sevilla (blew a 2-0 home lead)
Sevilla 3-0 United
Spurs 2-2 United (blew a 2 goal lead vs Ryan Mason)
Brighton 1-0 United
West Ham 1-0 United
United 2-1 Fulham (outplayed by Fulham in the 1st half)
City 2-1 United (FA Cup final)

And then add in the 20+ shitshows this season and you get 14-15 months of bad form.

We were actually good in Palace and Leeds games, should have won both of them. Southampton we had Casemiro sent off early in the game. Spurs away we were again quite good and should have led by more than 2 but foolishly let it slip.

 

[Dazzmondo]

If Ajax would pay us the compensation for ETH's remaining contract we'd be most grateful. Every little helps for our budget

 

[BorisManUtd]

We've only played well half a dozen times this season. Rarely for an entire game.

United 3-2 Forest - Unlucky to be 2-1 down at HT.
United 3-0 Palace (League Cup)
United 2-1 Chelsea
United 3-2 Villa - 2nd half
Wolves 3-4 United - 1st half
United 4-3 Liverpool (FA Cup) - Opening 30 mins and ET

A lot of those games were all over the place. Chaotic. Even though we were better than Chelsea at home overall, they still had multiple good chances themselves.

We always give the opposition a chance. Everton had chances in both games vs us, yet couldn't convert any of them.

Yeah well said, completely agree.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

This post-match interview really highlights the difference between EtH and SAF.

Ten Hag is the equivalent of Rashford as a player. All excuses and no accountability.

Wow, love him, what a man SAF is, and what a contrast from the sad post match ETH quotes.

 

[daveskimufc]

May have more chance if it was someone else, but he got us there technically, he should be allowed to see it out

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

The first half against Wolves I genuinely thought we had a chance of a storming end to the season.

Probably the best we've played all season. 2nd half was the usual chaotic end to end mess though.

 

[RatPack]

The first half against Wolves I genuinely thought we had a chance of a storming end to the season.

Probably the best we've played all season. 2nd half was the usual chaotic end to end mess though.

Yes and that first half was maybe the only time we fielded close to the best line up we can even though not all was 100%

 

[Big Ben Foster]

Nice of Ajax to reward their top salesman for his efforts over the last two years

 

[Roboc7]

I have a feeling he keeps his job going into next season. He can't have just turned into a bad manager in 1 season. Also he has only 1 year left so I imagine in the long term its not that big of a risk to keep him on for another year. If he was let go I wouldn't be upset though, maybe disappointed as I truly thought/think he's the right manager. At the same time, I don't think its too far fetched that with the right signings and a slighlty better injury record that he has us easily in the top 4 next season. Either way the squad won't be challenging next season regardless of who is in a charge.

It’s a pretty big risk because the most likely outcome is he gets sacked early next season and then it’s is an even tougher search looking for a replacement or having to bring in an interim.

There will be very little patience or leeway for him next season and it is a much riskier option than bringing in someone who starts with more time and patience. A lot of people who are saying give him one more year would turn on him very quickly if we start next season badly and INEOS would look pretty stupid if they ended up sacking him in October/November instead of this summer.

 

[soapythecat]

Can we not do a double deal and throw Antony into the mix. Surely we still owe them money on deal. Heck, throw Martinez in the mix and we are having a good window and clear out a large chunk of the ETH reign.

 

[Jev]

Not much in the British press on his future today, is there? Surely, surely, we must be getting close.

 

[Sarni]

Can we not do a double deal and throw Antony into the mix. Surely we still owe them money on deal. Heck, throw Martinez in the mix and we are having a good window and clear out a large chunk of the ETH reign.

Martinez is untouchable.

 

[pocco]

Keep on dreaming, Ajax. He's ours.

If he wins that FA Cup then we'll struggle to keep hold of him. With 1 year left on his deal then we'll be in a weak position to keep him when the big boys start circling.

 

[croadyman]

Sorry had family over.
Came from someone close to the family who’s best mate is fairly senior in a certain dept in INEOS (legal side) neither are United fans and quite amusingly he always just mentions it in flippant passing like it’s useless nothing info. Same guy who told me about the takeover.

Just says “alright mate, not going well for your lot is it , anyway , mangers off bla blah tells me it’s all agreed between them”.

His info was a little bit off about the takeover , said it would happen in October and of course it dragged on but he was telling me this as early as March /April last year.

So I would definitely say with certainty their intention is to move on from ETH and they absolutely will. Just needs to be about timing and having someone lined up. I’d say looks like Tuchel based on rumblings out there.

Hopefully your info comes up trumps then will give you all the necessary credit

 

[croadyman]

Good post

Things went downhill fast after the League Cup win and it's just got worse this season

It's frustrating because there was a period from September - January where it was title winning form. With that win over Barcelona in there, it looked so promising. But this idea it's only been bad this season is wrong, it's been ongoing throughout 2023 and now well into 2024.

Yeah much as I'm firmly on the Erik out train I will admit there was a good period between end of World Cup and March where it looked promising

 

[TsuWave]

Keep on dreaming, Ajax. He's ours.

If he wins that FA Cup then we'll struggle to keep hold of him. With 1 year left on his deal then we'll be in a weak position to keep him when the big boys start circling.

You guys nearly had me man. I was close to coughing up blood

 

[BorisManUtd]

This post-match interview really highlights the difference between EtH and SAF.

Ten Hag is the equivalent of Rashford as a player. All excuses and no accountability.

Think Fergie apologized afterwards or something like that. But still love that. And if ten Hag reacted in similar way after Coventry, I'd even possibly backed him and wanted him to stay. Not saying slagging players off but just showing that some results are unacceptable.

 

[FujiVice]

This post-match interview really highlights the difference between EtH and SAF.

Ten Hag is the equivalent of Rashford as a player. All excuses and no accountability.

One of Fergie's biggest regrets in football. Basically shattered his team after a cup win. This is 100% not what Fergie is about.

 

[MadDogg]

I’d welcome Mourinho back in a heart beat. He’ll win a trophy or 2 before stinking up the place and leaving on acrimonious terms. It’s toxic but oh so worth it.

No thanks. We have young players that we want to develop, and he's not the man to do that at all. He'll just throw them under the bus and demand we buy experienced (aka. past their best) players for him to use.

 

[croadyman]

No wonder clubs banter us and want Erik to stay when you see such a swing in votes

 

[Berbaclass]

 

[CM]

I’d welcome Mourinho back in a heart beat. He’ll win a trophy or 2 before stinking up the place and leaving on acrimonious terms. It’s toxic but oh so worth it.

Let's leave this fantasy to the Chelsea fans

 

[Freak]

Good. feck them all out .

 

[hobbers]

Seems like a very heavily briefed article, right up to Mason's £45m price tag.

Hope it is Ineos briefing about us having nothing to spend, whether or not its true. This notion of every summer being 3x £50-90m signings has to stop.