Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24

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ETH hasn’t got a one of game in him. You’re looking at this very blinkered. He hasn’t changed his approach all season so the final will just be like every other game where we are second best throughout. All the games you quote are when the opposition should have and could have been out of sight. The Arsenal game was almost a smash and grab that we didn’t deserve one bit. To suggest we gave Liverpool a game in any of those games tells me you don’t watch United.
Last years FA cup final was a training match for City and we hardly laid a glove on them. We score with the most pathetic handball going. Let’s not rewrite what happened to lean towards ETH been a competent manager at this level.
I think you are biased; games were a lot closer than the media makes believe and we definitely deserved to beat Pool.

I watched every game btw.
 
I agree. The entire spine of the team needs to be reworked first and foremost, I'm sick of having players that we constantly have to compensate for tactically if they are in the lineup.

Think this is a huge problem.

Rather than players complimenting each others strengths, Utd have a team where you're constantly trying to compensate for short comings all over the pitch.
 
Yes based on what McT does in a game. As I said he keeps the ball better these days and creates by his movement.

But not on Ten Hags comments, that's just your own interpretation and I'm not saying I necessarily disagree with that interpretation either mate. But we don't know if that's what Erik meant though. In the context of football and especially a midfielder. When you say someone is a cretive player that usually means that they are a good passer, create chances for others etc. I think it's fair to say most people wouldn't describe McTominay as that type of player.


What is wrong with complementing a player who is doing well?

Do you mean you or Erik?

There's nothing wrong in praising a player doing well, if they actually are doing well and the praise tracks with reality. I'd find it equally odd if Ten Hag was praising Maguire for his pace or Wan Bissaka for being great on the ball. Considering a lot of Ten Hags comments recently don't exactly line up with reality I think he may just be bullshitting to justify his decision to bring McTominay on for Mainoo. He's gone into full reputation preservation mode.
 
This summer will be busy for us.
IIRC that we will have these players leave as free transfer:
  • Varane
  • Brandon Williams
  • Anthony Martial
  • Sancho
  • Greenwood

Why would these three be leaving on free transfers?
 
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People seem to forget the amount of players we've got rid off.

Lots for free as well, that's how bad it is - VDB for example 40 million? We'll be lucky to get 2 million.

Teden Mengi 2023? I'm sure he went in 2023

Some people want a mass clearout and a new squad every summer.
 
Look Willy, there are massive issues at the club:

- There is this midget CB who is not totally suited to play CB in this league. On top of that he is always injured. We need a starter.
- Behind him there is a clown of a goal keeper. We call him Black Barthez on the whatsapp group Lolz. He needs to go.
- We need a LB. The one the club bought a couple of seasons ago went missing and hasn't been seen since. Call off the search, he was useless anyway.
- Then there are these two old mids...the only use those legs have at this stage is we chop them off, deep fry them and serve them at the EOS awards night.
- Then I have a test for you to prove yourself to me. Get 20m for a Brazilian fidget spinner and you'll be forever called a hero. Ashworth, who? If you are getting my drift, Willy....eh...eh...eh.
- A 60m failed project from Chelsea. Let's bin him and the style of play with which I thought I could succeed. New season, new ideas.
- Back-ups are costly these days, Willy. 75m Euros is peanuts in this market for a back-up Striker. We need a starter and this time do things that other clubs can only dream of. Fly Willy, Fly...eh..eh..eh.

Rest, in the next meeting when you bring me solutions to these. In the meantime, I am arranging a call with my agency to help you help me. And yeah, last but not the least, can we get moving on that sweet contract extension. Don't forget to add the clause that give me control of the whole club this time. Good boy, Willy.

Probably sounded better in your head.
 
By joining us ETH has missed the opportunity to manage Bayern. Let’s be honest if he was still at Ajax, Bayern would want him, Liverpool would be interested, Chelsea would show interest. He could have probably got the Barca job.
 
Could Martinez, if fit, replace Casemiro? Just a genuine thought. Played there 15 times for Ajax, scored a couple of goals too.

Understand we’re light at CB as it is, but still.
I’ve wanted us to try Martinez at DM but due to having lack of quality at CB we can’t afford to. He’s certainly an option we have though if we buy another quality CB this summer. Martinez is good on the ball and good at passing so would probably excel in DM.
 
Lots has changed in less than 2 years. ten Hag was announced as United manager just over 2 years ago This is now largely ten Hag's squad

The summer he took control of the club officially, we sold/released 9 first team level players:
  • Grant
  • Matić
  • Garner
  • Pogba
  • Mata
  • Andreas
  • Lingard
  • Chong
  • Cavani
Ronaldo then followed them out the door pretty quickly and then more players were sold/released the following summer.
  • De Gea
  • Henderson
  • Bailly
  • Jones
  • Tuanzebe
  • Telles
  • Fred
  • Elanga

We have moved on a lot of deadwood and high earners over the past few transfer windows. He's lucky that Maguire and McTominay didn't move on, as they've actually saved him in multiple games. Particularly McTominay who has scored multiple important goals.

There problem is that the players that were worth keeping two years ago, have become deadwood under this manager. As have most of his signings.
 
By joining us ETH has missed the opportunity to manage Bayern. Let’s be honest if he was still at Ajax, Bayern would want him, Liverpool would be interested, Chelsea would show interest. He could have probably got the Barca job.

Maybe we should be paying him compensation for ruining his career and making him lose those opportunities?

Or maybe he came to a big club from a farmers league, brought in the players he wanted and failed, proving he is not good enough at the top level.

Maybe we have to look back at his Ajax tenure and ask whether it was him, or a generational group of Ajax players that managed to get the the CL semis in 2019?
 
I’ve wanted us to try Martinez at DM but due to having lack of quality at CB we can’t afford to. He’s certainly an option we have though if we buy another quality CB this summer. Martinez is good on the ball and good at passing so would probably excel in DM.
Despite not really knowing the role, he's not mobile enough for a DM and, if fit, he's our best CB so why move him? He comes into midfield anyway from CB so you get his passing ability from that kind of area without needing to reposition him.

Our forum loves these ideas, Lindelof at DM ("he played there once!"), Lukaku at RW, Antony at LB etc. We just need a DM.
 
Despite not really knowing the role, he's not mobile enough for a DM and, if fit, he's our best CB so why move him? He comes into midfield anyway from CB so you get his passing ability from that kind of area without needing to reposition him.

Our forum loves these ideas, Lindelof at DM ("he played there once!"), Lukaku at RW, Antony at LB etc. We just need a DM.
You don’t know if it would work without trying. He’s more comfortable on the ball than Casemiro. Casemiro just has tackling over Martinez. I agree he’s our best CB so don’t need to move him. Was just a thought for the short term not the long term.
 
We've signed 16 players in total, including ones we paid money for, free transfers and loans.

6/16 is not most.

Ah right, because the two loaned reserve keepers, and Reguilon, and Weghorst, were certainly useful squad editions that improved us on the pitch.

The majority of his signings have been so shite in terms of squad building that Sabitzer, Evans and Bayindir are 3 of his top 6.
 
Think this is a huge problem.

Rather than players complimenting each others strengths, Utd have a team where you're constantly trying to compensate for short comings all over the pitch.

Yep. Started all of the way back with spending 80m on a CB that lacks the pace to defend high up the pitch. Has been going on at multiple positions since.
 
Ah right, because the two loaned reserve keepers, and Reguilon, and Weghorst, were certainly useful squad editions that improved us on the pitch.

The majority of his signings have been so shite in terms of squad building that Sabitzer, Evans and Bayindir are 3 of his top 6.
You included Amrabat and Eriksen so I thought it was important to state that it wasn’t the majority.
 
We have new ownership now though which I think is going to be focused more on the long term. ETH is also quite good at deflecting the blame and talking extensively about nuances of the game which I expect to convince them to give him a chance.

Yeah I fear they may buy into his deflecting blame tactics too but hopefully I am proved wrong
 
By joining us ETH has missed the opportunity to manage Bayern. Let’s be honest if he was still at Ajax, Bayern would want him, Liverpool would be interested, Chelsea would show interest. He could have probably got the Barca job.
If Rangnick can manage us then go onto Bayern, so can ten Hag.
 
You included Amrabat and Eriksen so I thought it was important to state that it wasn’t the majority.

A big majority of them either haven't contributed, will not contribute going forward, or did not contribute relative to what was paid for them.

Or even worse, if you change the question to something like, 'with hindsight would we make this signing again?', even Onana, Hojlund and Martinez arguably dont tick that box. We could certainly have done better with the money on those 3 spent elsewhere.
 
A big majority of them either haven't contributed, will not contribute going forward, or did not contribute relative to what was paid for them.

Or even worse, if you change the question to something like, 'with hindsight would we make this signing again?', even Onana, Hojlund and Martinez arguably dont tick that box. We could certainly have done better with the money on those 3 spent elsewhere.
Ask that question end of last season though and many would be more positive repsonses.
Ask it again end of next season and you might well have people getting slated for doubting Martinez, Hojlund, Mount etc.
Football is a fickle old game and there's always hindsight when things don't go perfectly but really his only 'bad' signing has been Antony (although he was good in his limited way first season, the price is just awful) with Mount being a bit of an unknown.
 
If Rangnick can manage us then go onto Bayern, so can ten Hag.
Has that been confirmed? What I meant was ETH stock would have decreased. I personally still think he’s a good manager but they’ll be owners and fans out there that look at his last job and will hold this against him.
 
A big majority of them either haven't contributed, will not contribute going forward, or did not contribute relative to what was paid for them.

Or even worse, if you change the question to something like, 'with hindsight would we make this signing again?', even Onana, Hojlund and Martinez arguably dont tick that box. We could certainly have done better with the money on those 3 spent elsewhere.
The ones you mentioned did. Weghorst, 31 games. Reguilon, 12 games in his half-season. Sabitzer and Evans also played quite a fair bit, 18 games in 6 months for Sabitzer and 25 games for Evans.

I would say they have all added to the squad.
 
How does that compare with this?

I was going off the reports.
I just can't fathom why people would want him for the final beyond being polite. Under what metric do you they view ETH as having what it takes to beat City in the final? The stats this season just highlight how fecking lucky we are to be 6th and about to finish 9th maybe. Players look totally lost in ever department but people still want him to take us to Wembley - I'm amazed at how low peoples standards and expectations have fallen in support of a manager who is so clearly out of his depth it's laughable.
I think it’s a combination of lack of maturity to admit being wrong and the inability to see things in shades of gray rather black and white.

‘Once you’ve established your position, it takes some self confidence and a certain level of maturity to admit you were wrong.

I was really optimistic about Ten Hag last season and absolutely excited for his 2nd season in charge. That changed after several months of really crap football.

‘There’s no point in Man United even existing as a club unless we are challenging for trophies every season. We’re too big with an incredible history. When you’ve made a mistake, you fix it and move on. I think it’s ridiculous that we don’t have more of a Real mentality that it’s basically ingrained into the culture that you come to Man United to win. If you are fine with winning a cup now and then or playing in Europa, you should be at Everton or Spurs or West Ham.

Yes, agree, he should go, and I prefer before the FA Cup final.
 
Lots has changed in less than 2 years. ten Hag was announced as United manager just over 2 years ago This is now largely ten Hag's squad

The summer he took control of the club officially, we sold/released 9 first team level players:
  • Grant
  • Matić
  • Garner
  • Pogba
  • Mata
  • Andreas
  • Lingard
  • Chong
  • Cavani
Ronaldo then followed them out the door pretty quickly and then more players were sold/released the following summer.
  • De Gea
  • Henderson
  • Bailly
  • Jones
  • Tuanzebe
  • Telles
  • Fred
  • Elanga

We have moved on a lot of deadwood and high earners over the past few transfer windows. He's lucky that Maguire and McTominay didn't move on, as they've actually saved him in multiple games. Particularly McTominay who has scored multiple important goals.

Only DDG and Fred were really nailed on first team starters for the most part, the rest were either on the bench, injured or out on loan.
 
By joining us ETH has missed the opportunity to manage Bayern. Let’s be honest if he was still at Ajax, Bayern would want him, Liverpool would be interested, Chelsea would show interest. He could have probably got the Barca job.

That would have depended entirely on how Ajax would have dealt with the decimation of their squad. If ETH had stayed and Ajax had failed as spectacularly as this season anyway, his star would have diminished quite quickly.
 
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