Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24

[JPRouve]

To some extent his first year is reminiscent of Guardiola or Klopp first seasons in the PL. Their ideas were clear and often well executed but due to squad depth or nonoptimal fits, they both had middling seasons with highs and lows.Ten Hag will have to show that he understand the team that he has and what he needs to change for next season.

In my opinion this team needs to focus on bringing starting caliber striker, center midfielder and attacking midfielder. While keeping Bruno, Martial and Eriksen.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Already won a cup, our first since 2017. Looks like we’ll finish on 75 points +, our best return since 2018.
Reckon we’ll finish 3rd with those points and we certainly still have a chance of more silverware.

Last season we finished in freefall with 58 points and looked absolutely broken. That was just 10 months ago

 

[Loon]

We’re favourites for 3rd you wally.

"Wally." Not heard that in years. As you're in 1985, can I just spoil things and say you're gonna LOVE being a United fan in the next few years if you don't get on the Scotsman's back...

 

[Fingeredmouse]

"Wally." Not heard that in years. As you're in 1985, can I just spoil things and say you're gonna LOVE being a United fan in the next few years if you don't get on the Scotsman's back...

Also: invest heavily in the Sinclair C5. We all have them now.

 

[Licha-Vidic]

Makes zero sense. By that logic Pep isn't brilliant or a genius because he finished 4th in his first season at city...

But PEP DID NOT FINISH 4TH in his first season at City. Why is this mistake usually repeated here? Not that it matters to Ten Hag, but Pep finished 3rd in his first season at City.

Why do people insulate themselves with Pep finished 4th narrative lie?

Ten Hag is doing okay, can't throw jabs at him now but his litmus test will be how he solves the midfield structure issue in the summer.

If he doesn't solve the Midfield issues he will be sacked not in the distant future because as everyone can now attest we still play transition football with very minimal control of the game.

That's the main problem we face, he has to solve it, if not we will remain a 70 points team.

 

[frostbite]

Points after 29 games:

2022-23 56
2021-22 50
2020-21 57
2019-20 45
2018-19 58
2017-18 62

Not great, not terrible.

But I am sure that ETH will lead the team to better results next year.

 

[HookedOnAPhelan]

But PEP DID NOT FINISH 4TH in his first season at City. Why is this mistake usually repeated here? Not that it matters to Ten Hag, but Pep finished 3rd in his first season at City.

Why do people insulate themselves with Pep finished 4th narrative lie?

Ten Hag is doing okay, can't throw jabs at him now but his litmus test will be how he solves the midfield structure issue in the summer.

If he doesn't solve the Midfield issues he will be sacked not in the distant future because as everyone can now attest we still play transition football with very minimal control of the game.

That's the main problem we face, he has to solve it, if not we will remain a 70 points team.

You're right, he finished 3rd. 2 points off 4th, and 3 points off 5th.

That really makes a massive difference to the point.

 

[A-man]

We are miles better than last season. Maybe you missed watching us during 21/22. With everyone fit this team would hammer that one.

What about the season before that when we finished second in the PL? Result wise we have not seen an improvement compared to that season. After 19 rounds we have conceded more goals, scored less and have 1 point less.

 

[Berbasbullet]

Fair play to Ten Hag. As we know Pep finished 4th in his first season so can absolutely match that.

 

[Loon]

I'm more interested in where Ten hag finishes in his third season...

 

[Bilbo]

The Sevilla game is more or less done

Inspirational. We should have you do the pre game team talk

 

[HookedOnAPhelan]

Fair play to Ten Hag. As we know Pep finished 4th in his first season so can absolutely match that.

Yeah speaks volumes about Ten Hags performance this season that Pep finished 4th in his first season.

 

[Licha-Vidic]

You're right, he finished 3rd. 2 points off 4th, and 3 points off 5th.

That really makes a massive difference to the point.

Yes, it makes a difference to people who use that metric to make unnecessary observation. Pep finishing 3rd or 4th doesn't make Ten Hag a better manager.


Even Klopp finished 1 point behind Pep can we say Klopp finished first because he was 1 point behind?
Even Ferguson finished second behind city on same point, should we say he finished 1st just to make unnecessary observations?

What we need, is to evaluate our manager in his own metric.

As another poster has written there on top after 29 games how many points other managers had, you can see it's almost the same.

That's why I have been banging here for people to open up their eyes as see the main problem we have as a team/club ever since is we have never had a good midfield that can control over 30 game in a season.

That's what has been ailing this club, if Ten Hag won't solve it then we won't stay much.

Competing with Pep is such a hard task, you need to win 29 games minimum, that's around 87 points then add a few draws. Klopp was doing 30-32 wins spread ( 97 points) and still not win the league.

Expecting Man United to win 29 games in Premier League Season with zero midfield control is just being delusional..

The first season is not on Ten Hag, because probably he has never faced such a hard task in his life but as he has seen now, how hard it is to compete and stay consistent through out the season he needs to find solutions to our main problem.

Which is controlling a football game. Controlling the games week in week out, play badly but don't be overrun. Let whoever beats you, beat you because of mistakes or quality but not being overrun. ( See Brighton now, even if you beat them you won't overrun them).


You can't be a top team, when in 2 months you have controlled only 2-3 games. Every other games is a frantic match, full of grit, energy and emotions eventually it will be unsustainable.

Midfield control is our main problem. If he fails to solve that then don't expect big things.

 

[dubplate warrior]

What about the season before that when we finished second in the PL? Result wise we have not seen an improvement compared to that season. After 19 rounds we have conceded more goals, scored less and have 1 point less.

We're a better team than any of Ole's sides.

 

[The Boy]

However good he is as a manager, we do not have the quality in the team as we keep getting exposed to low level players as replacements. From weghorst, mctominay, maguire, lindeloff.

The Sevilla game is more or less done. They will be at home with small fouls here and there and rolling on the floor, they will win with a stop start game plus we will be without Bruno, Martinez, Varane and a fully fit Rashford.

Brighton based on their form will run rings around us. Top 4 is the only target really possible at this moment just due to the amount of games we have played and the injuries.

Top 4 and Liverpool in the conference league will be a decent season.

Loving your optimism

 

[Powderfinger]

Pep's City was actually very good in his first year, not at the level of his later teams but still really impressive by any other standard. They finished with a +41 GD and were by far the best team in the league in terms of XG differential (actually much better than Conte's Chelsea). Pep was still figuring out how to control games without getting hit on the counter but they were also very unlucky in some respects and Claudio Bravo was just disastrous. You could very clearly see where Pep's project was going, they were imposing their will (not always winning, but always dictating the flow) on every match, including against top opposition. At least in terms of league form, they were really in an entirely different class than this year's United, both in terms of the overall performance level and in terms of how they played. That's not to say ETH isn't doing a great job (he is) but its a flawed comparison to just say "Pep finished 3rd his first year" without the context of how they played and how dominant they were in terms of chance creation.

 

[dubplate warrior]

Pep's City was actually very good in his first year, not at the level of his later teams but still really impressive by any other standard. They finished with a +41 GD and were by far the best team in the league in terms of XG differential (actually much better than Conte's Chelsea). Pep was still figuring out how to control games without getting hit on the counter but they were also very unlucky in some respects and Claudio Bravo was just disastrous. You could very clearly see where Pep's project was going, they were imposing their will (not always winning, but always dictating the flow) on every match, including against top opposition. At least in terms of league form, they were really in an entirely different class than this year's United, both in terms of the overall performance level and in terms of how they played. That's not to say ETH isn't doing a great job (he is) but its a flawed comparison to just say "Pep finished 3rd his first year" without the context of how they played and how dominant they were in terms of chance creation.

They also had Kompany, Silva, Aguero and De Bruyne. Give the man time.

 

[Witchking]

Inspirational. We should have you do the pre game team talk

I would love that. Maybe the team will be pissed off with my pessimism and play brilliantly and win to prove me wrong

 

[kidbob]

I think he has to be judged with the reality of the season. I don't usually like to blame injuries or absences for overall performance but you'd have to be an idiot to not take it into account this year. Watching Martial in the first half against Sevilla really drove it home for me. We have been missing that for basically an entire season. We have literally gone an entire season with no striker and that isn't ETH's fault. Furthermore I don't actually know if we have ever been able to play what is our 'best' 11 at all this season. Every time we have gotten a player back we've lost another. Hell even with Rashford out we are missing his natural replacement in Garnacho. The funny thing is that, for me, if you left this squad the same but had it fully fit for the whole season next year then we'd achieve better results.

There's been times I have been disappointed this season but in the context of the reality of some things that have happened and availability of players then it's actually been mostly very very good. We all knew our squad isn't good enough and this season the one's who have been most unavailable are the ones who are good enough. Give ETH a fully fit Martial for the season alone and I honestly believe that we are comfortably 3rd.

If he somehow gets us 4th from here on in with our current injury issues then its a very good season. If he does that and wins another cup its an excellent season. If he does that and wins 2 more cups its an unbelievable season.

So many of you forget just how shit we were when he took over. In many ways he's the victim of his own good achievements this season and the rise in expectations from it.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

What about the season before that when we finished second in the PL? Result wise we have not seen an improvement compared to that season. After 19 rounds we have conceded more goals, scored less and have 1 point less.

What about compared to 99?

Look, we can’t just ignore the fact thatl ETH took over a team:

1. With our worst ever PL points tally
2. That was for years coached to play a style unsuitable to reach the top
3. That had no confidence and to the naked eye no real desire either (first time I’ve seen such a hated United team)
4. That had a star CF who was over the hill and far away, but paid mega bucks to pretend he was still great, ruining the atmosphere
5. The other 9 being good but made of glass
6. That hadnt won a trophy for over 5 years (!!)

And 2 is extremely important. While football moved on, we never did modernise. We were stuck playing old school footy and have spent years and years not really drilling in a cohesive possession based style, not having an ability to play high line or press from the front. Look at how Brighton play - we decided to do the opposite and rely on speed and the space on the break and that’s not ever going to get us to the top. And we bought players for that purpose - Awb, James, Maguire etc too. So turning this squad around firstly from the state it was in (broken) and then somehow modernising it into a proper modern football machine will take a lot of time. If we fail to appreciate that we probably won’t get it.

 

[kidbob]

What about compared to 99?

Look, we can’t just ignore the fact thatl ETH took over a team:

1. With our worst ever PL points tally
2. That was for years coached to play a style unsuitable to reach the top
3. That had no confidence and to the naked eye no real desire either (first time I’ve seen such a hated United team)
4. That had a star CF who was over the hill and far away, but paid mega bucks to pretend he was still great, ruining the atmosphere
5. The other 9 being good but made of glass
6. That hadnt won a trophy for over 5 years (!!)

And 2 is extremely important. While football moved on, we never did modernise. We were stuck playing old school footy and have spent years and years not really drilling in a cohesive possession based style, not having an ability to play high line or press from the front. Look at how Brighton play - we decided to do the opposite and rely on speed and the space on the break and that’s not ever going to get us to the top. And we bought players for that purpose - Awb, James, Maguire etc too. So turning this squad around firstly from the state it was in (broken) and then somehow modernising it into a proper modern football machine will take a lot of time. If we fail to appreciate that we probably won’t get it.

Great post to remind any stupid posters of the context of what ETH took over from. The problem is that ETH has achieved so much this season that he raised expectations and now those many many braindead posters like @A-man have started to expect too much and somehow forgotten that ETH was the one who made them expect it in the first place. It's a funny paradox. If we had stayed as shit as under Ralf then the likes of @A-man would probably expect nothing but the fact that ETH has made us better and has us expecting to win things again then the like of @A-man are frothing at the mouth at any bad thing that happens while seemingly forgetting that ETH is the one who raised their expectations in the first place. I have learned to assume that people like that can never appreciate the concept of context.

 

[NZT-One]

Great post to remind any stupid posters of the context of what ETH took over from. The problem is that ETH has achieved so much this season that he raised expectations and now those many many braindead posters like @A-man have started to expect too much and somehow forgotten that ETH was the one who made them expect it in the first place. It's a funny paradox. If we had stayed as shit as under Ralf then the likes of @A-man would probably expect nothing but the fact that ETH has made us better and has us expecting to win things again then the like of @A-man are frothing at the mouth at any bad thing that happens while seemingly forgetting that ETH is the one who raised their expectations in the first place. I have learned to assume that people like that can never appreciate the concept of context.

You are a delightful. Lets hope, that all those stupid people finally realize their deficiencies and accept your superiority.

 

[Bert_]

However good he is as a manager, we do not have the quality in the team as we keep getting exposed to low level players as replacements. From weghorst, mctominay, maguire, lindeloff.

The Sevilla game is more or less done. They will be at home with small fouls here and there and rolling on the floor, they will win with a stop start game plus we will be without Bruno, Martinez, Varane and a fully fit Rashford.

Brighton based on their form will run rings around us. Top 4 is the only target really possible at this moment just due to the amount of games we have played and the injuries.

Top 4 and Liverpool in the conference league will be a decent season.

Glass half empty but tip a bit more out just to make sure

 

[amolbhatia50k]

However good he is as a manager, we do not have the quality in the team as we keep getting exposed to low level players as replacements. From weghorst, mctominay, maguire, lindeloff.

The Sevilla game is more or less done. They will be at home with small fouls here and there and rolling on the floor, they will win with a stop start game plus we will be without Bruno, Martinez, Varane and a fully fit Rashford.

Brighton based on their form will run rings around us. Top 4 is the only target really possible at this moment just due to the amount of games we have played and the injuries.

Top 4 and Liverpool in the conference league will be a decent season.

The Seville tie is not more or less done. If our team has your sort of attitude they’d probably end up relegated. They have an advantage with our injuries but we still have a chance.

Brighton despite their good general play lost to Spurs last week so let’s see how that one goes.

 

[gajender]

The Seville tie is not more or less done. If our team has your sort of attitude they’d probably end up relegated. They have an advantage with our injuries but we still have a chance.

Brighton despite their good general play lost to Spurs last week so let’s see how that one goes.

Pessimism here is quite baffling to be honest , if I have to take guess chances are Supporters of Sevilla and Brighton might be giving United more chance of win than our own fan base .

Yes United are in bit of injury crisis but definitely have enough quality to be quietly confident of getting results in both the games might not happen but we aren't out of it not by long stretch .

 

[A-man]

What about compared to 99?

Look, we can’t just ignore the fact thatl ETH took over a team:

1. With our worst ever PL points tally
2. That was for years coached to play a style unsuitable to reach the top
3. That had no confidence and to the naked eye no real desire either (first time I’ve seen such a hated United team)
4. That had a star CF who was over the hill and far away, but paid mega bucks to pretend he was still great, ruining the atmosphere
5. The other 9 being good but made of glass
6. That hadnt won a trophy for over 5 years (!!)

And 2 is extremely important. While football moved on, we never did modernise. We were stuck playing old school footy and have spent years and years not really drilling in a cohesive possession based style, not having an ability to play high line or press from the front. Look at how Brighton play - we decided to do the opposite and rely on speed and the space on the break and that’s not ever going to get us to the top. And we bought players for that purpose - Awb, James, Maguire etc too. So turning this squad around firstly from the state it was in (broken) and then somehow modernising it into a proper modern football machine will take a lot of time. If we fail to appreciate that we probably won’t get it.

I understand that there is a long list of reasons and excuses why we are not positioned better in the table. Valid ones. But let’s not call it success until results are better than the last 5-6 seasons. That doesn’t mean I think ETH is doing a terrible or average job, just that it is too early to evaluate. As you say it will take time to improve, which also means we do not know yet if ETH is the man who can do it.
For me the biggest improvements are that we have a coach with a plan and a philosophy I like.

Great post to remind any stupid posters of the context of what ETH took over from. The problem is that ETH has achieved so much this season that he raised expectations and now those many many braindead posters like @A-man have started to expect too much and somehow forgotten that ETH was the one who made them expect it in the first place. It's a funny paradox. If we had stayed as shit as under Ralf then the likes of @A-man would probably expect nothing but the fact that ETH has made us better and has us expecting to win things again then the like of @A-man are frothing at the mouth at any bad thing that happens while seemingly forgetting that ETH is the one who raised their expectations in the first place. I have learned to assume that people like that can never appreciate the concept of context.

The context you say? And then you write that ETH has “achieved so much this season”. With context in mind, which achievements are you referring to? A brain dead and stupid writer like me could really learn a lot from you.

 

[dubplate warrior]

What about compared to 99?

Look, we can’t just ignore the fact thatl ETH took over a team:

1. With our worst ever PL points tally
2. That was for years coached to play a style unsuitable to reach the top
3. That had no confidence and to the naked eye no real desire either (first time I’ve seen such a hated United team)
4. That had a star CF who was over the hill and far away, but paid mega bucks to pretend he was still great, ruining the atmosphere
5. The other 9 being good but made of glass
6. That hadnt won a trophy for over 5 years (!!)

And 2 is extremely important. While football moved on, we never did modernise. We were stuck playing old school footy and have spent years and years not really drilling in a cohesive possession based style, not having an ability to play high line or press from the front. Look at how Brighton play - we decided to do the opposite and rely on speed and the space on the break and that’s not ever going to get us to the top. And we bought players for that purpose - Awb, James, Maguire etc too. So turning this squad around firstly from the state it was in (broken) and then somehow modernising it into a proper modern football machine will take a lot of time. If we fail to appreciate that we probably won’t get it.

Great Post, but it's mad to me you're having to make in the first place. People have short memories.

 

[Manncunian]

Anybody questioning the man, please just see the following players, and compare their performance level before he took over, to now.

Rashford
AWB
Shaw
Dalot

Everyone was calling for Rashford to be released last season, most thinking he was finished as a top level player.

The transformation of Rashford alone is enough to sit back and think “wow, Eric’s got something here”.

AWB was god awful before Eric came in, and now he’s first choice RB for most here, and with good reason.

Shaw also looked mediocre for a few seasons before Eric came in. Now he’s back to being one of the best LBs in the PL.

Some very short term memories in here, clearly not remembering how dire our situation was for many years previous to Eric’s tenure.

We are definitely not there yet, in terms of competing for titles. But we are on the right track, with the right man leading us.

 

[Marwood]

What about compared to 99?

Look, we can’t just ignore the fact thatl ETH took over a team:

1. With our worst ever PL points tally
2. That was for years coached to play a style unsuitable to reach the top
3. That had no confidence and to the naked eye no real desire either (first time I’ve seen such a hated United team)
4. That had a star CF who was over the hill and far away, but paid mega bucks to pretend he was still great, ruining the atmosphere
5. The other 9 being good but made of glass
6. That hadnt won a trophy for over 5 years (!!)

And 2 is extremely important. While football moved on, we never did modernise. We were stuck playing old school footy and have spent years and years not really drilling in a cohesive possession based style, not having an ability to play high line or press from the front. Look at how Brighton play - we decided to do the opposite and rely on speed and the space on the break and that’s not ever going to get us to the top. And we bought players for that purpose - Awb, James, Maguire etc too. So turning this squad around firstly from the state it was in (broken) and then somehow modernising it into a proper modern football machine will take a lot of time. If we fail to appreciate that we probably won’t get it.

It's nothing to do with modernising.

It was/is just shite football. Not being able to pass the ball doesn't work now but it didn't work 20 years ago either.

 

[TheReligion]

I don't think I'll ever forget the 7-0. And I don't think my Liverpool supporting mates would let me forget either.

I mean, I still remember the 5-0 to Newcastle from 96, with Phillippe Albert chipping Big Pete. How many years ago is that now?

Did you hold that against Sir Alex forever?

 

[dubplate warrior]

It's nothing to do with modernising.

It was/is just shite football. Not being able to pass the ball doesn't work now but it didn't work 20 years ago either.

We don't have the players for that. I'd say the players comfortable with keeping the ball and retaining possession under pressure are Antony, Martinez, Eriksen, Casemiro and Shaw. The rest just don't have it in their locker, you need players capable of it.

What he has coached which we haven't see for a long time is patterns of play.

 

[Marwood]

Anybody questioning the man, please just see the following players, and compare their performance level before he took over, to now.

Rashford
AWB
Shaw
Dalot

Everyone was calling for Rashford to be released last season, most thinking he was finished as a top level player.

The transformation of Rashford alone is enough to sit back and think “wow, Eric’s got something here”.

AWB was god awful before Eric came in, and now he’s first choice RB for most here, and with good reason.

Shaw also looked mediocre for a few seasons before Eric came in. Now he’s back to being one of the best LBs in the PL.

Some very short term memories in here, clearly not remembering how dire our situation was for many years previous to Eric’s tenure.

We are definitely not there yet, in terms of competing for titles. But we are on the right track, with the right man leading us.

It'd be lovely to believe ETH could just transform players but it isn't true. Isn't true of any manager. The above list of players have shown their curremt form before. They've even played better at times in the past. They've just sorted themselves out a bit after last seasons disaster.

Reality is managers need players. It's why they all buy so many if given the chance. It's why ETH bought a new centre midfield and demoted Maguire and Lindelof. He knows he can't coach these players to the top of the league.

He'll likely need an almost completely new XI to win the Prem League.

 

[Marwood]

We don't have the players for that. I'd say the players comfortable with keeping the ball and retaining possession under pressure are Antony, Martinez, Eriksen, Casemiro and Shaw. The rest just don't have it in their locker, you need players capable of it.

What he has coached which we haven't see for a long time is patterns of play.

Yeah that's what I'm saying.

What are these patterns of play out of interest that we haven't seen before?

 

[Manncunian]

It'd be lovely to believe ETH could just transform players but it isn't true. Isn't true of any manager. The above list of players have shown their curremt form before. They've even played better at times in the past. They've just sorted themselves out a bit after last seasons disaster.

Reality is managers need players. It's why they all buy so many if given the chance. It's why ETH bought a new centre midfield and demoted Maguire and Lindelof. He knows he can't coach these players to the top of the league.

He'll likely need an almost completely new XI to win the Prem League.

Nobody is claiming they’re playing at levels never seen before. Your whole post is a total mess here and makes no point whatsoever.

 

[dubplate warrior]

Yeah that's what I'm saying.

What are these patterns of play out of interest that we haven't seen before?

Whilst it may be in fits and spurts, I have seen for the first time periods where United play good one touch football and move the ball around the pitch in a way we haven't done under either Ole or Jose. We just don't have the capability to do it consistently over 90 minutes mate.

 

[Marwood]

Nobody is claiming they’re playing at levels never seen before. Your whole post is a total mess here and makes no point whatsoever.

Well you said you were "wowed" by Rashford's transformation. Said AWB was "god awful" before ETH's arrival. So it does sound like you think they're playing at levels never seen before.

Reality is Rashford has played better than this before. He had to improve from last season. He was so poor it'd be unthinkable for him to be that bad again. In reality his overall game is much the same. He's just keeping it simple now and has had a good couple of months in front of goal.

AWB is no better now than he was in his first one or two seasons. Maybe a bit better but you'd expect some natural improvement given he's a young player developing.

Ultimately you're seeing what you want to see. What about all the players who haven't improved at all?

This isn’t me criticising ETH by the way. It's more about unrealistic fans thinking managers can transform players.

 

[Manncunian]

Well you said you were "wowed" by Rashford's transformation. Said AWB was "god awful" before ETH's arrival. So it does sound like you think they're playing at levels never seen before.

Reality is Rashford has played better than this before. He had to improve from last season. He was so poor it'd be unthinkable for him to be that bad again. In reality his overall game is much the same. He's just keeping it simple now and has had a good couple of months in front of goal.

AWB is no better now than he was in his first one or two seasons. Maybe a bit better but you'd expect some natural improvement given he's a young player developing.

Ultimately you're seeing what you want to see. What about all the players who haven't improved at all?

This isn’t me criticising ETH by the way. It's more about unrealistic fans thinking managers can transform players.

I said AWB was god awful before. I didn’t say he’d always been god awful. Otherwise he’d never have been signed . You’re the one seeing what you want to see from my posts. Inferring things that haven’t been stated explicitly at all. Players can go through good and bad periods. Saying they were awful before a good period doesn’t in any way suggest they were always bad before that.

Suggesting managers have zero bearing on players performance levels is one of the most absurd takes I’ve ever seen. You’re basically rendering managers/coaches irrelevant. Are Chelsea players underperforming because they simply just are, or because of poor/mismatched management/coaching? Are you going to state managers are only there for their tactics?

Managers can absolutely get the best out of players. Conversely, bad managers can bring out the worst in their players too.

You spend all your days commenting on this thread, bashing the manager and the players. It’s tiresome.

Go spend some time enjoying being a football fan for once instead of peddling pessimism day in, day out on here.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Did you hold that against Sir Alex forever?

Do you think Arsenal can truly enjoy this season knowing we beat them 8-2 in 2011?

 

[Rapsel]

The Seville tie is not more or less done. If our team has your sort of attitude they’d probably end up relegated. They have an advantage with our injuries but we still have a chance.

Brighton despite their good general play lost to Spurs last week so let’s see how that one goes.

And as fas as injuries are concerned Brighton are is the same dire position as United right now losing Veltman and Ferguson yesterday and already missing Lallana, Sarmiento and Lamptey.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

It's nothing to do with modernising.

It was/is just shite football. Not being able to pass the ball doesn't work now but it didn't work 20 years ago either.

It’s not just shit football. If you want us to keep trying Jose and Ole football to reach the top then great but I don’t think it’ll work unless you have unbelievable players. We did finish 2nd and 3rd under them so we clearly knew how to pass the ball but I wanted to see us play a more exciting front foot style of football. That will take time to implement.