First part sounds a lot like us after the World Cup last season; Kudus / Amad parallels; tactic issues -- us conceding the same cutbacks virtually every game for 80% of this season etc...
Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24
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Not really he wasn’t. Rashford was (insane to claim anyone other than him was our POTY last year), then probably Bruno and Casemiro, and then maybe you can have a talk about Martinez.
He only featured in 27 of 38 games last year too, and had at least 4-5 complete stinkers so to say he was our best, most consistent and most important player is well over the top.
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Another day of complete silence from INEOS and/or the club on the managerial situation, they way they seem to be dragging their feet over this while our rivals are all going about their business makes me feel that this whole scenario will ruin our summer transfer window as we miss out on all our main targets and end-up scrapping around for loan signings or 34 year old free agents on deadline day.
A fine distinction lost on some.
So we're a cup team now?
feck me the standards have fallen.
Wilcox has been hired as a technical director, as far as I know.
He won't be calling any shots on ETH.
(That said, it's very pertinent to ask who actually will - but that's another debate.)
Who is Jacobs?
Classic case of our players becoming better in the eyes of fans the longer they're unavailable
please understand the conversation before commenting.
Agreed, but there is a massive hole in the argument of ETH's supporters -- our ridiculously poor attack this season even though we were fully stocked in the front line and Bruno. And we can add Mainoo as a glorious surprise that exceeded even the wildest expectations for the boy.
Last season, when heads were held high, we only scored 58 goals in the PL. This season, a sad season but one marred with injuries, we only scored 57 goals in the PL. There really is something amiss with ten Hag's tactics with respect to scoring output. We can't blame injuries in any way for the 22/23 season and the injury argument can largely explain the collapse of our defending but cannot explain why we've been so poor in attack.
Poor in attack over both seasons, that is.
Sometimes it’s even judged on 1 game seemingly.
Alright, Gary.
Really tired of the ghosts of United's past having a say about the future of the current manager.
Not necessarily. I'd rather the club get it right than get it quickly. If it takes an extra few days to get it right, nothing is lost and lot of gained.
I agree with you. Ten Hag has massive issues that he needs to resolve, its not even goal scoring, its chance creation. We need to be able to consistently create chances during a game.
It is annoying watching us from the Jose days, it feels every manager that has come in, its been the same issue, boring boring football. I remember end of Jose and it was like can we get a goal? Ole, I remember times where we were so so poor prior to Bruno.
Its been an issue where we struggle against low blocks because they counter us and we struggle against mid blocks because we lose the ball too easily and we get transitioned on.
Probably not but the rumour is he will be the one deciding on the style of play.
https://onefootball.com/en/news/rat...-up-with-a-style-of-play-for-man-utd-39555579
Im reading this as two parties arguing the case for and against objectively.
As in Blanc/Brailsford making the arguments for/against doesnt necessarily mean they agree with that view. That is how devil’s advocate works to be fair.
Alternative options are hardly inspiring and any manager who delivers two trophies in their first 2 seasons deserves to get a third.
I mentioned before about how changing managers could have a negative impact on the young players who have become an integral part of the first team under ETH. Whether this was by design or his hand was forced is up for debate but the outcome is the same regardless. As a United fan, it excites me to see the beginnings of another team built on youth. A third chapter following in the traditions of this great club.
I mentioned before about how changing managers could have a negative impact on the young players who have become an integral part of the first team under ETH. Whether this was by design or his hand was forced is up for debate but the outcome is the same regardless. As a United fan, it excites me to see the beginnings of another team built on youth. A third chapter following in the traditions of this great club.
You think Mike Phelan having a chat on Talksport has a say on what decision INEOS make regarding ten Hag's future?
A very unpopular opinion but I agree. For now, if he just transforms us into a team that can keep possession against even top level teams, and not possession just for the sake of it like we had under van Gaal, but pinning teams into their half whilst creating a lot of chances, I'd be very happy. That's the first step we need to take right now, and have needed to for over a decade.
Pochettino wouldn't be my first choice but he has a good track record of getting his teams to play like this and that's all I want from any manager right now. I'd even reluctantly accept ten Hag staying if INEOS agree to keep him under the condition that implements that style of play, but everything we've seen since he's been here makes me think he just can't do it.
No, but just adds to the toxicity/divisiveness around the Club that they claim to love.
Its pretty hilarious from him seeing as Ten Hag has achieved more in his two years than Ole did in his reign. He also claims to not know why the team struggled under Ole near the end. Pretty sure if you asked him if Ole deserved more time he'd say yes...
So the football guy with pedigree at clubs wants to keep Ten Hag. The cyclist guy with a track record of changing too much too quickly at Nice wants to get rid.
Checks out.
He was a key part in SAF spell, people are quick to forget that.
That's disconcerting if true given that I think Ole himself said it was because he tried to shift style and evolve our play in the third season, push further up the pitch with Varane, Sancho and Ronaldo.
Well, yes.
And if they do, fine.
I'm willing to give them (whoever they are - but they hopefully aren't per now a group of decision makers featuring Joel Glazer in a prominent role) the benefit of the doubt.
I personally doubt very much that ETH will ever be a success at Manchester United, and see no very good reason to keep him on in a "head coach" role.
But I'm an idiot who would love to be proven dead wrong.
Bottom line: I want a new structure at United, and I want that structure to decide who our next - not manager - but head coach should be.
If that structure (and it should not include Joel Glazer in any capacity) decides that it's best to keep ETH as head coach (not in any shape or form as some kind of "manager"), then fine.
I'll give it a chance.
As I've said before, though - I won't be very patient.
Unbelievable that he actually dares to not be deluded and set unrealistic expectations. What a cnut.
We need a manager who will categorically say that we will definitely win the PL and the CL next season.
I'd expect this to be sorted out by Monday at least. A business week of reviewing the season once the dust has settled seems about right, even if they had their minds made up previously.
It obviously hasn't stopped them talking to prospective candidates if they do decide to make the change, it didn't impact our ability to win the cup if they do decide to stick so no major losses either way.
Give everyone some clarity next week, and begin the building work from there. I'd prefer he goes, but if they choose to keep him then you'd imagine it's with clearly defined pass/fail targets for next season and with the full footballing structure being put in place after the summer a bit of time for them to breathe and get their feet under the table.
It obviously hasn't stopped them talking to prospective candidates if they do decide to make the change, it didn't impact our ability to win the cup if they do decide to stick so no major losses either way.
Give everyone some clarity next week, and begin the building work from there. I'd prefer he goes, but if they choose to keep him then you'd imagine it's with clearly defined pass/fail targets for next season and with the full footballing structure being put in place after the summer a bit of time for them to breathe and get their feet under the table.
Look...give him a nice exit amount of money, thank him for helping win the FA Cup and getting us into Europa League and let him exit for another job
If they want to give him another year I'll back the manager. However, my gut feeling is that we will be having this conversation again in November with another season pissed away on sentamentality. Eth could have easily been fired several times this season for some of the shit he served up, and I can't see him changing or doing anything amazing for the upcoming season.
Because there's definitely nothing between winning PL and CL and saying if we get the right players and have few injuries we will "try" to aim for top 4 finish.
I'm concerned the longer it drags the less organised we'll be in the summer window, having clarity on who the manager will be will let us to plan for our priorities in the window according to his style.
Let's just say that Phelan did a good job under SAF (well, apart from that balloon incident).
We thank him for that.
And...that is all.
(My take: if you want advice on how United should get back on track, Phelan has pretty much nothing to offer. Like Meulensteen and several others. I understand that they feel entitled to speak out, but really - just shut the feck up.)
ETA
To be brutal:
They were part of an extremely successful era in the history of Manchester United. But so were a lot of people (players, coaches, cafeteria staff).
I think we can conclude by now, though, that it was one obvious, major, and exceptional factor involved in our success under Fergie.
And that factor was...not Mike Phelan.
We used to ask what the feck he actually did.
SAF had a use for him. That's the answer.
And it's kinda a compliment - sure. But then, kinda not.
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Why do you passionately despise Martinez?
But seriously, 27 games he played in and that included complete defensive atrocities like City, Liverpool, Brentford and Newcastle (plus Brighton and Villa defeats where we were also torn apart at the back and he was poor from what I recall), so that leaves about 20-21 games in which he could have been great. That makes me realize not only we are arguing a full season of Martinez is worth 15+ points, we are actually arguing half a season of Martinez is worth that and full season could get us close to City and Arsenal.
Tbf it was a Talksport interview with Simon Jordan and Jim White so he was being asked a bunch of questions. The majority of his answers showed why he probably should not have been back at United under Ole...
The biggest reason for Phelan to think this is that he doesn't have a cushy job at United while ETH is manager.
This I’m actually fine with. He’s being very honest in that his goal is to be a 5th - 6th placed team they can push for 4th if they get near perfect injury record and get their signings spot on. That will probably where he would want us to establish us long term, with a cup run here and there, so at least we know what we are looking at here in terms of realistic expectations.
Most of our fanbase would be completely fine with it, and it’s up to our new owners to determine whether it’s acceptable for them as well.
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