I‘m very pleased but I‘m not going to go overboard. Overachieving now could mean underachieving the next moment, for whatever reasons.
For now I‘m happy and look forward to watching games.
Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24
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For now I‘m happy and look forward to watching games.
How many of our players are actually sitting out the international break? DDG, AWB, Varane, Sancho, Rashford, Eriksen, Martial...anyone else who would probably be a regular in the squad? The final part of the season could be really special and I hope we have the full squad ready to go.
This feels like the most exciting season we've had in probably a decade and it's all thanks to this guy for making United actually serious again...and in just 8 months, with not even half of the rebuild complete.
This feels like the most exciting season we've had in probably a decade and it's all thanks to this guy for making United actually serious again...and in just 8 months, with not even half of the rebuild complete.
ETH is the real deal. My intel from an Ajax fan suggested this before he joined us and ETH handling of Ronaldo, Maguire and Shaw ahead of the Scousers game confirmed to me he’s the real deal.
Is Rashford not with England?
Pulled out. Got a knock.
I'd like to have a job explaining all these things to him and loading him up with some Atkinsonism's developing into solid Ten Haggies.
Must have missed that. Cheers.
I have reached the point where barring the recent unspeakable freak result I always feel we are in the game. Even when Fulham were better than us and holding a lead, or West Ham or Southampton when we were down to 10, just felt that we were never truly down and out. A far cry from previous season. The team is far from performing to the standard ETH wants but we are definitely heading in the right direction.
Thanks. But no thanks.
If this man was a cult leader I'd surely join
I'd leave it, the guy has been beating the same drum for weeks now.
Oh right... so not allowed to comment on the performance.
Did you think it was a good performance did you?
I am also a Ten Hag lover..
It was performance that I was expecting given a) our opponents b) our injuries/suspension and c) the sheer number of games that we have been playing. This was a well organised, competitive, premier league team, just outside the European places, played far fewer games than us, with a chance to reach an FA Cup semi final at Wembley. Did you expect us to just roll them over? For me the first half went much the same as I expected - I expected them to come out strong, and I expected that we would have to work our way into the game. Forget the red cards for a minute - the Sancho shot was going in to make it 1-1, we would then have had the momentum for the last 15-20 minutes of the game...when we tend to be at our strongest. That to me would have been a professional performance, and acceptable given all the factors that I've just listed.
Your criticism makes no acknowledgement of the wider context, it sounds as though you expect us to be waltzing through games. And given that you were a strong defender of Ole - who, let's remind ourselves, was leading us to our worst run of league form for 40 odd years when he was 8 months into the job like ETH - it comes off as at best hypocritical, and at worst like you almost want to perpetuate this idea that things aren't going well because you are still butthurt over Ole. And you're not alone in that - there's quite a few of you in the same boat. It's genuinely baffling.
What do you expect when we are basically playing a game every 3.5 days against teams who get a weeks rest every week? Fulham we're aiming to make a semi final, have been good in the league and have played far less football than we have.
We have played 46 games this year and as another poster pointed out in a different thread, Arsenal will play 49 all season, add on top missing our two starting midfielders and striker (two of which are long term absences) I'm not sure how you expect us to just annihilate everyone.
Oh really, so you know what I think now do you? I thought Ole did well and thats all, he had to get the sack because it was clear to anyone including me that Ole was never going to win us big titles, never going to get the standards we need.
ETH is a top top coach, I rate him as highly as any other manager in the league and I have said it before, would not change him for Pep or Klopp even.
But that does not mean I cannot criticise a performance because when we are playing well, I say good things and get giddy.
Yes, we have played loads of games but we also made changes, AWB, Maguire, Scotty, Sabitzer, Sancho were all players that are fresh, they haven't been playing every 3 days, they have been rotated alot.
Arsenal played 120 minutes and then 3 days later put in a dominant performance against Palace, when last week after an away game to Sporting, absolutely finished Fulham in 45 mins.
We rotated our players too, DDG, Bruno, Rashford, Licha, WW are the only ones really who play every game. The rest of the team is rotated.
I think Ten Hag has the most backing in the bank in all the United Family tree.
In ranking order from worst to best backing.
1. Glazers.
2. Board/Senior Management.
3. Players.
4. Ten Hag.
Incredibly, as difficult as it may be, we might sort all our problems within a year.
Glazers leave in the summer.
Board/Senior Management reshuffle with new owners.
3-4 new players. With Elite quality.
What people need to know is, we have a average team.
As sad as it seems, the team is still counter attack, over the top pass to Rashford but this is not on Ten Hag but on the players who seems uncoachable to new levels.
So we give Ten Hag the pass till next season but the United problems remain the same as before but we have solved some problems through recruitment in the summer.
He needs to bring 2 elite midfielders. Elite elite in the FDJ sphere.
Then a genuine goal scorer, as bare minimum.
This will transform the team immensely.
But where we are is indicative of the players rather than Ten Hag.
We are 3 points ahead of Newcastle, but 19 points behind Arsenal that is a good measure of where the team is.
He needs to overhaul the Midfield completely, we start controlling games then consistent wins will follow, then big games we battle it out we see where we will finish in the league.
Ten Hag has done considerably well, his biggest challenge now is next season where he has to perform better than this season especially in the league. More so in controlling football games and not being overrun in the midfield.
Ten Hag Report Score form.
90% score in Cup Games.
75% score in the league.
If he takes the league score to around 90% then I'm sure we will be in a title race for once since 2013.
In ranking order from worst to best backing.
1. Glazers.
2. Board/Senior Management.
3. Players.
4. Ten Hag.
Incredibly, as difficult as it may be, we might sort all our problems within a year.
Glazers leave in the summer.
Board/Senior Management reshuffle with new owners.
3-4 new players. With Elite quality.
What people need to know is, we have a average team.
As sad as it seems, the team is still counter attack, over the top pass to Rashford but this is not on Ten Hag but on the players who seems uncoachable to new levels.
So we give Ten Hag the pass till next season but the United problems remain the same as before but we have solved some problems through recruitment in the summer.
He needs to bring 2 elite midfielders. Elite elite in the FDJ sphere.
Then a genuine goal scorer, as bare minimum.
This will transform the team immensely.
But where we are is indicative of the players rather than Ten Hag.
We are 3 points ahead of Newcastle, but 19 points behind Arsenal that is a good measure of where the team is.
He needs to overhaul the Midfield completely, we start controlling games then consistent wins will follow, then big games we battle it out we see where we will finish in the league.
Ten Hag has done considerably well, his biggest challenge now is next season where he has to perform better than this season especially in the league. More so in controlling football games and not being overrun in the midfield.
Ten Hag Report Score form.
90% score in Cup Games.
75% score in the league.
If he takes the league score to around 90% then I'm sure we will be in a title race for once since 2013.
Arteta has also been there over 3 years and built his own team. Do you know how many of ETH's signings started against Fulham? 3. Two of those were January loans. Your criticism seems misplaced, lacking context and fairly hypocritical, given the amount of rope you threw Ole.
Arteta doesn’t have to field players like Maguire, Awb and McTominay. He’s also been in charge for 4 years. They’ve also played much lesser football than us being out of other cups earlier.
We will take a few years of great work to fix. We aren’t as close as people thought a month or ago just as ETH has shown that we arent as far as many thought we were during last season.
Can you read? Like actually can you?
I dont know why you keep bringing Ole into this when its got nothing to do with him, I dont get fans like you. If a fan supports x manager = they dont want them sacked.
I have never once said sack ETH or he is doing a crap job, unless you can find where I have said that. I have never once questioned Ten Hag, so stop making your narratives based on your agenda against fans who supported Ole.
This has NOTHING to do with Ole, its got more to do with the players on the pitch who need to do better.
You can call it fatigue all you like but I am not buying that for the whole squad, certain players yes but, there are certain players at this club, regardless of how fresh they are will always put out such performances.
Agreed. I bet you 2 years ago Arsenal fans would be saying the same about Xhaka though.
Why is it hard for people to understand that you can criticise a performance without it meaning you want the manager gone or questioning the manager?
I back Ten Hag and always have, having players like Maguire, AWB, McTominay not being able to pass the ball has nothing to do with fatigue, its got to do with quality.
All 3 of those players are fresh, 2 of them were our worst performing players. The amount of times I get nervous when Maguire, McTominay, AWB get the ball and I think, there is a mistake on its way, it filters down to the rest of the team.
Oh, the game that they lost against Sporting you mean - the same night that we knocked Betis out?
We look gassed and need the break.
I adore the man, the difference between this time last year and now is incredible. Even more excited about where he could take us. ETH is the man.
I adore the man, the difference between this time last year and now is incredible. Even more excited about where he could take us. ETH is the man.
I think the poster's point about you lacking context in your argument is correct.
There were 3 key contributions to the performance:
1) Fatigue: It's clear the likes of Rashford, Bruno, Licha, De Gea, Shaw etc have lost a step. The most logical explanation is fatigue as they have been our main go to players during this crazy run of games. So them not performing amazingly makes sense.
2) Squad: Maguire and Mct are both a clear drop in quality from Casemiro and Varane. We have seen numerous times this season, even during great runs of form, that when these players come in the quality and fluidity drops. Add in Sabitzer who is also a downgrade on Case and Eriksen, as well as AWB who really is not suited to this style, then Sancho who has shown over the past 2 years he is not the type of player to take a game by the scruff of the neck, its easy to see why these players when combined with the above point resulted in a lacklustre display.
3) Opposition: Then add in the fact that Fulham are having a great season, and even when we had a stronger team against them earlier in the season we struggled to beat them, then its easy to see why the team struggled.
A fully rested and full strength United team at home vs this Fulham I would expect to be dominant and win, albeit I would expect Fulham to put up a fight. A united team with the above factors I was not surprised by the performance they put in. Every season under Fergie there were periods where the team had to grind through games whether due to injuries or fatigue etc. This is such a period in my view Ten Hag is managing it excellently.
Would you have been criticising the manner in which he was WINNING games 8 months into the job, if he had us 3rd in the league, had won one trophy and we were in the QF and SFs of the other two? I mean, your posting history is there I guess if you don't want to answer.
You're creating a-bit of a strawman here mate: I have never said you have said he is doing a 'crap job', but I find you criticisms disproportionate and you won't listen to any reasoning.
And it is what it is: You vehemently defended Ole for years and people will remember that. I'm pretty confident if I looked, I could find posts where we won matches playing like we did on Sunday, where you would have defended Ole/the performance. So yes, it looks hypocritical, that's just how it is mate, you have own what you write. You seem to have a fair amount of critique in this thread, and I see you wrote that 3-years wouldn't be acceptable for ETH to implement a playstyle. Well yeah, 3-years should never be acceptable, but for some reason, you felt that it was fine with the last manager.
You can dismiss fatigue all you like, but again, we have played a monumental amount of games and fatigue is very clearly setting in. As I posted yesterday; the overwhelming majority on here thought we would finish outside the top 4; so the fact the season has gone so well is a testament to the work that ETH has done. Again, he started with 3 of his signings against Fulham, was missing 2 of our 3 key midfielders, one of our two first choice CB's, players are shattered and we still won. We have made it to the FA Cup semi-final, and all you could think to do was to come in here with your critique. Well done, you.
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Be prepared for the next post guys, which will probably start with - I rate and like ETH but.
Isnt it strange that apparently 3 years is not acceptible for United, yet he's happy to compare ETH's situation with Arteta's who got more than 3 years to work with.
Seems you can just set the bar whatever height you like, based on your personal preference...
Feel like he is a very quick short term manager but that’s both good with benefits but problems long term.
Ultimately i don’t care and it’s great not to worry about the future too much and just think about the present for a whilst.
Can see Barcelona creaming for him after 3 years time. Will probably pay someone behind someone’s back too.
Ultimately i don’t care and it’s great not to worry about the future too much and just think about the present for a whilst.
Can see Barcelona creaming for him after 3 years time. Will probably pay someone behind someone’s back too.
I have never said I didn't defend Ole but at the end of it If you "looked" you will find loads of posts from me saying he had to go, he was not good enough to win us the league and the proof was in the pudding. But ofcourse you will only find posts that suit your narratvie.
I said our performances have been quite poor since the league cup final. You look like you remember everything I post on here so why dont you show me where I have not defended Ten Hag, or where I have said he isn't good enough for the job? please show me because you know so much about my posting history... I guess you will ignore this point.
I understand where and why we have such performances, which is why I dont say Ten Hag is to blame or Ten hag this and that, I said the team performances have been poor. You think otherwise, thats fine, its all about opinion.
If we talk about Ten Hag as just him, I can see alot of progress being made, more than anyone would have thought. No one thought we would be where we are but there is one thing that alot said would be a successful season, top 4 and a way of playing, which was my target, get to end of the season and we have a style of play.
I have also come to the conclusion, we will not see Ten Hag's style of play this season because he needs another pre season to implement this as at the moment we can't. That still does not mean we concede so much possession in games.
Yes, because I rate Ten Hag alot higher than Arteta as manager.
I'd disagree with this. We have had so many matches this season where we were able to dominate the match and push them back to their own half the whole match. Only after the injury of Eriksen we started to fail to keep the intensity and doing that the whole match. It's rather an issue of our squad depth and fatigue I think.
wildly overachieving after 230 million spend is mad
Except Barcelona, Arsenal, Liverpool (at home), City (at home) and the rest of the top 6 didn't put 4/5 past us. Maybe, just maybe the team is suffering from injuries to key players and fatigue. Yet our manager is still winning us games since that Liverpool capitulation.
Again mate, stop conflating the issue here, there is no narrative. They were your posts, things that you wrote and believed in. I'm not talking about the end of tenure obviously, as any sane person knew his time was up. I'm talking about his tenure holistically and the amount of rope you threw him, that you don't seem to want to give to ETH. People were made to 'own what they wrote' during the Ole era, so yeah, fair is fair mate.
What point am I ignoring mate? You may need to re-read the post you responded to. I clearly said that you have a-lot of critique in here; but as the critique is in the ETH thread, then yes, I would assume that you are criticising the manager? Otherwise, you should use other threads, so people don't misinterpret what you're actually trying to say (though I'm still not clear what that is myself, tbh).
Each to their own, but can you verify that's what your expectations were? Personally, I had us down to finish 6th, due to the shit-show that Ole/Ralf left behind. ETH has done absolute wonders with the squad at is disposal. The majority of our starting 11 are players he inherited, and a-lot of them don't fit with with how he wants us to play. Given the sheer amount of games we have played, with a squad lacking in depth quality wise, to be 3rd, have won a cup and be in a semi-final and a quarterfinal come March - with a 70% win rate - is actually astonishing.
Yes, obviously he still needs more time and players of his own to have us playing his style, that's just basic logic. Also obviously with that, we will start to control games better. But I still don't think coming in here with negativity after we had just made a semi-final while suffering from fatigue and missing several key players, is actually constructive whatsoever.
I have no comment on the Ole stuff but everything you say about eth in this post is completely fair.
Tbf, that post is fine.
Anyway, you telling me to re read your posts when you cannot be bothered to read mine. I cant actually be asked going round in circles.
When you say I gave Ole rope that I am not willing to give ETH, show me a post where I have said he is doing a bad job or needs to be sacked. You wont be able to.
Also, on the narrative bit, Its clear you can only see the negative posts about the team but wont see any of the positive posts about Ten Hag because if you actually read, there is plenty of that. I have rated him, I still think he is the best manager for us, but ofcourse you ignore that because you only want to see the criticism so you can come back and say... Oh you criticised the team so you want Ten Hag out.
It isn't if you ignore the context leading up to this season and the necessity for that spend.
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