He’s still learning and he had a s…show for Ajax against spurs too, losing a 2-0 lead, however perspective in his first 50 games he’s won 35 and has a 70% win rate plus in cup competitions this year P21 W18 D2 L1, he still might produce a masterclass and win in Sevilla. It’s not impossible !
Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24
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He’s still learning and he had a s…show for Ajax against spurs too, losing a 2-0 lead, however perspective in his first 50 games he’s won 35 and has a 70% win rate plus in cup competitions this year P21 W18 D2 L1, he still might produce a masterclass and win in Sevilla. It’s not impossible !
Not a chance he does, and Antony was lucky not to get a red.
ETH got it horribly wrong and a great learning point for him to not rely on the second stringers if he can help it. The difference in quality between our first and second team is shocking. Elanga has no right to be playing in a premier league club let alone at United.
Also we can’t seem to pass the ball under pressure without giving it away. We’ve somewhat overcome this weakness by quick counter attacking plays which can only bring you so far towards winning a title. Composure is what sees games out and we don’t have it in this squad apart from a couple of players.
Also we can’t seem to pass the ball under pressure without giving it away. We’ve somewhat overcome this weakness by quick counter attacking plays which can only bring you so far towards winning a title. Composure is what sees games out and we don’t have it in this squad apart from a couple of players.
I don't know but I am sure a smart cookie like you will easily find out. In case you misunderstood, I wasn't trying to bash Bruno with the inherent danger of losing a player due to hot-headedness. But as others have pointed out - we are lacking somebody who'll bring control to hairy situations. And as Bruno is so easily "activated", he as a captain won't provide that cool, that control, that feeling of being in control of a game. His playstyle is a different matter.
To be perfectly honest, that is my feeling as well. I mean I like having a few players in the team who bring some bite with them. But you have to have someone who is able to be cold-blooded in certain situations and Bruno doesn't seem to be that player. I am happy if somebody else is taking this vacant job, surely doesn't need to be Bruno.
It's concerning just how many of our players are underperforming, either in this game or in a string of games. Malacia had a very bad game and has looked pretty poor recently, Sancho is still very, very frustrating, and then you have players coming back from injuries or suspensions (Eriksen, Casemiro) who looked off it. Then you factor in the lack of impact or disappointing impact from Elanga and Weghorst. It just suddenly feels disjointed, especially with the new injuries we've accumulated recently.
Why not Fred?
And what exactly was the plan in the second half after the subs? Did we try to keep the 2-0, or the plan was to score more goals? Unfortunately, I couldn't see any plan, our players looked lost.
And what exactly was the plan in the second half after the subs? Did we try to keep the 2-0, or the plan was to score more goals? Unfortunately, I couldn't see any plan, our players looked lost.
Jury's still out for me. Better already than the managers since SAF which doesn't mean much. Hope he's the one though as really like him, how could anyone not.
He was.
You were responding to an article that said:
“Erik ten Hag says he took off Bruno Fernandes and Antony because he was warned by the referee that they were both getting close to red cards”.
Then tried to say that’s not what you referred to by saying we are “paying the price of him”Forgive me for picking up on that.
Easily “activated”? He shows that he gives a shit and is the closest thing to Rooney in terms of covering every blade of grass so I’d say that’s more beneficial than detrimental to the role of captain.
Starting to think this fanbase just wants terrible players like Weghorst who are just delighted to be here whilst slagging off the only potentially world class talents that we have.
I'm more concerned how this accumulation of injuries affects the league than this cup now.
There's no evidence he doesn't do that, the squad we have is just a huge drop off in quality from the first team.
My apologies- I did not mean to imply that you were suggesting this. However, some of the criticism (which of course I agree he's not above) is coming close. I just feel that certain posters have forgotten just how bad we were last year. He's done a great job so far imo, but it's diffcult for him to go all the way in all the competitions with such a thin squad (in terms of quality). In that respect, he's a victim of his own success.
I don't agree that he's been 'awful'. Obviously I (like the post to which I responded) was not being literal.
Too often now.
Arsenal at the Emirates the players put up a brave fight despite being outclassed and almost knicked a result inspite of him doing nothing at all to try and help them while they were on the end of an onslaught. Then the humiliating 7-0 defeat at Anfield as well.
He lacks any sort of game management skillset.
The squad let him down, he doesn't have much choice with them, but still. That was a painful second half. All too familiar.
I still think we will somehow make it to the CL for next season but let's say for arguments sake we don't and we blow it. When the club is sold do the new owners stick with him if we come 5th and drop out of Europe next week?
I'd like to think the would give him the benefit of the doubt but I wouldn't be shocked if they didn't.
It is so so vital we get back in the CL. I'd say now we have a cup in the bag it's more important than the FA cup. A lot more actually.
I'd like to think the would give him the benefit of the doubt but I wouldn't be shocked if they didn't.
It is so so vital we get back in the CL. I'd say now we have a cup in the bag it's more important than the FA cup. A lot more actually.
We've just been poor since the Carabao cup final bar 1-2 games.
Hopefully we finish the season strong.
Hopefully we finish the season strong.
It would be a terrible ending to the season.
Who would you replace him with if the owners wanted him gone though? Nagelsmann is probably a lateral move. No clear upgrade.
The last 2 months of the season are absolutely paramount to the future. We can't finish the season poorly.
Sorry. At what point that Bruno was close to second yellow?
It really would and if it is to be Qataris I can't see them being too pleased if we aren't in the CL especially since we've spent most of the season in the top 4.
Still think we can make it though but it typical Utd fashion we will make a meal of it.
I love how people are complaining about his in game management in cup competitions when we’ve already won one and are still in the other two 
classic.
classic.Actually this thread just reminded me of Antony's kick out at the Sevilla player which was a whole lot of nothing but in this day and age you never know what innocuous act constitutes a red card. Maybe there was a legit reason for subbing him.
Squad management and balancing the three competitions is looking nightmarish at the moment.
Squad management and balancing the three competitions is looking nightmarish at the moment.
Squad management, away form, tendency to collapse, baffling subs.
The questions are building and it’s his job to answer them.
The questions are building and it’s his job to answer them.
I understand your point. The connection I made was rather loose, not too strictly about the actual words of the tweet. I agree, I prefer players who are giving a shit over players who are not. But a level above even that are players who are giving a shit and are able to control themselves better than Bruno does. Sometimes you benefit from a player who is pushing you forwards (which Bruno has done for us, even though I don't think he did very often. What many consider as this is him mindlessly chasing the ball on his own making him appear very busy even though is often just has been a waste of energy) and sometimes you benefit if your leader keeps calm and reassures his teammates. Today might have been a game of the 2nd category. This is what I mean with paying a price. Don't want to underpay for his unquestionable contributions.
The 2 halves were night and day. Their manager changed things round yet we couldnt play with the same tempo. As for the subs, weghorst never works and Elanga simply not good enough. Why sub Bruno when he cant play next week anyway. We are probably going to lose this now.
Too many games with baffling subs. The huge credit he's earned with the good work he's done has taken a bit of a nosedive for me.
Probably for that very reason. We only have one game before then. If Eriksen has any part to play next week then he needs minutes in his legs.
Things weren't great before it. Result wise it was but in terms of controlling games? We never really had that this season consistently
What about the Elanga sub ?
We were progressing. Definitely wasn't consistent in controlling the games for the 90 minutes but there were signs of improvement and it's kinda acceptable we won't be the full article in his first season. The team collapsed since that Liverpool debacle and looks like we mentally and physically checked out since that day. So far it's not hard for me to say he failed to deal with the consequences of such big defeat.
Sancho wasn't playing well and Elanga plays left wing?
Martial was only ever going to be able to play 60mins or so.
Feck sake
This is why we don't deserve nice things. Our fans have zero patience.
Arteta was given time to mould a squad in his image. Ten Hag is still hindered by shit owners, a Burnley striker and injuries/suspensions.
We can sack our lovely bald manager but then what? Get in that weirdo Nagelsmann? We will still encounter the same issues until the Glazers feck off and we can actually sign strength in depth.
Probably one of those fans that still thinks Poch would do a better job...Feck sake
This is why we don't deserve nice things. Our fans have zero patience.
Arteta was given time to mould a squad in his image. Ten Hag is still hindered by shit owners, a Burnley striker and injuries/suspensions.
We can sack our lovely bald manager but then what? Get in that weirdo Nagelsmann? We will still encounter the same issues until the Glazers feck off and we can actually sign strength in depth.
I think that’s a bit unfair, he inherited the worst squad in recent history, he’s improved most things around the club but has made mistakes, he’s been too open in big away games and his only really good away result was the Barcelona draw, he’s not actually won any big away games yet but he needs to change that very soon with games against Sevilla, Spurs and Brighton.
He’s also wanted to be very involved in recruiting which is fine however he also needs a best in class Director of Football who at the end of the season asks the following questions ?
You told the club to spend £80m on Antony 7 goals and 1 assist those are not the stars we expect for £80m and £200k per week?
Weghorst was all that was available, so no fault of ETH, that’s on the Glaziers however you recommended him we could have maybe got Danny Well beck whose stats would be much better?
Tyrell Malacia is simply not good enough and you want to sell AWB who is Homegrown and twice the player Mallacia is?
All managers, however good need someone to answer to, ETH is still a work in progress, he failed in a CL SF 4 years ago against spurs after being 2-0 up so he has form for crazy mistakes like the three subs tonight. Im still right behind him as I think working with the Glaziers is already a handicap for any top coach, however if Qatar take over, they will be telling ETH what players he’s working with not the other way round!
There's quite a few posts if you go back over the last few pages that subtly hint towards it.
I think @kouroux is one of those fans who moans about every single manager after a bad performance or string of poor results.
We can't keep sacking managers. Ten Hag will be snapped up by Barca/Chelsea/etc if we get rid of him and then go on to be a great whilst we watch over the fence, crying because we've got Roy Keane in for the passion & memories.
You say that, but if he had his way we'd have signed Brian Brobbey!
This club needs to stop relying on managers to sign players and put a proper system into place for recruitment of players.
That's still probably up in the air though with this ownership debacle.
"Subtly hints" isn't an answer to the question you were asked.
With regards to ETH, I've yet to be fully convinced by him. I try not to say too much these days as I don't want to piss on everyone's chips, but I've had niggling doubts about certain things all season.
Obviously there's squad management, or lack of. We've gone full strength against some really poor sides. Often when he does change it up, he still doesn't get the balance right. Like tonight. Fergie was a master of it, he knew how many players we could carry, who were out of form or inexperienced, and made it work. ETH doesn't seem to have a handle on that at all. Tonight he enabled an already shockingly complacent team by making subs that reflected their apparent attitude towards the game.
But in general, my other gripes are that I don't think our football is actually that good at all. It's an amalgamation of LVGs slow, laboured passing, mixed with Ole's counter attacking game, with a bit of his own flavour. I remember him being lauded for playing Weghorst at no.10 and I absolutely hated it. It was and is anti football to me. Something Jose was killed for, even though he played a much better Fellaini there. I just find him pragmatic, and whilst we generally get results, I think we're boring to watch and we can't control a game of football to save our lives.
I've seen very little of this pressing game that posters on here claimed we would get. Often we have some sort of mid to low block, where we spring counters from. And I see even less of the Pep comparisons, as his football is possession based but far more progressive and adventurous. I've spent most of this season trying to figure out exactly what we are but I still don't really know. Sometimes we are one thing, but then you don't see it again for weeks or months.
We strangely have a good defensive record but it feels like, in most games, we give the opposition countless opportunities to create chances, often we luckily go unpunished. But then our goal difference tells a story in itself. I don't even buy into the idea that we don't have fire power either, it's just that we have failed to get a tune out of the likes of Sancho, Antony, Bruno and others this season.
Obviously there's squad management, or lack of. We've gone full strength against some really poor sides. Often when he does change it up, he still doesn't get the balance right. Like tonight. Fergie was a master of it, he knew how many players we could carry, who were out of form or inexperienced, and made it work. ETH doesn't seem to have a handle on that at all. Tonight he enabled an already shockingly complacent team by making subs that reflected their apparent attitude towards the game.
But in general, my other gripes are that I don't think our football is actually that good at all. It's an amalgamation of LVGs slow, laboured passing, mixed with Ole's counter attacking game, with a bit of his own flavour. I remember him being lauded for playing Weghorst at no.10 and I absolutely hated it. It was and is anti football to me. Something Jose was killed for, even though he played a much better Fellaini there. I just find him pragmatic, and whilst we generally get results, I think we're boring to watch and we can't control a game of football to save our lives.
I've seen very little of this pressing game that posters on here claimed we would get. Often we have some sort of mid to low block, where we spring counters from. And I see even less of the Pep comparisons, as his football is possession based but far more progressive and adventurous. I've spent most of this season trying to figure out exactly what we are but I still don't really know. Sometimes we are one thing, but then you don't see it again for weeks or months.
We strangely have a good defensive record but it feels like, in most games, we give the opposition countless opportunities to create chances, often we luckily go unpunished. But then our goal difference tells a story in itself. I don't even buy into the idea that we don't have fire power either, it's just that we have failed to get a tune out of the likes of Sancho, Antony, Bruno and others this season.
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