Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24

[hobbers]

Ten Hag deserves the benefit of the doubt regardless of initial results. We're not hiring a managerial no-mark like Ole and just sticking our heads in the sand as he takes us backwards. And we're not hiring Jose and giving him half a dozen galactico signings to make an instant impact. This is a completely different approach.

I expect him to follow a similar trajectory to Klopp and Pep. And they both had fairly shit results in their first seasons but you could at least see an identity forming in the way their teams played.

 

[Solius]

You see Harry Maguire doesn't do that. If he actually was intelligent and read the game then his lack of pace wouldn't be an issue. My issue isn't his pace. Its the fact that he just isn't a very good centre back. Its almost as if you never watched Harry Maguire this season.

Harry Maguire was great for us in the 2020/21 season. To the point where as soon as he got injured our defence completely fell apart.

I find it funny how now he's had a bad season he's a bad CB. He's had one decent, one good and one bad season so far but of course recency bias and all that. Not defending him but just find it interesting.

 

[romufc]

You see Harry Maguire doesn't do that. If he actually was intelligent and read the game then his lack of pace wouldn't be an issue. My issue isn't his pace. Its the fact that he just isn't a very good centre back. Its almost as if you never watched Harry Maguire this season.

So a defender who cannot read the game, starts for England? The coaches that rate him dont know but, you looking from the outside know his qualities?

So I guess you don't think Varane is a good CB either?

So one season defines a defender?

 

[Slysi17]

Harry Maguire was great for us in the 2020/21 season. To the point where as soon as he got injured our defence completely fell apart.

I find it funny how now he's had a bad season he's a bad CB. He's had one decent, one good and one bad season so far but of course recency bias and all that. Not defending him but just find it interesting.

I mean look I am not a Harry Maguire hater. Not at all. I just find it very hard to believe he will turn it around especially since we are buying a centre back. Harry Maguire was really awful last season so I think I am justified in questioning whether he is good enough.

 

[Slysi17]

So a defender who cannot read the game, starts for England? The coaches that rate him dont know but, you looking from the outside know his qualities?

So I guess you don't think Varane is a good CB either?

So one season defines a defender?

Look who is manager for England and the style he plays. Defensive counter attack which isn't the style of Ten Hag. So you fail on that point. Also Gareth Southgate isn't a top class manager either. And Ole ended up being a failed managerial appointment. So again failed there. Also yeah actually having a bad season means for next season you have to prove people wrong. So again failed on the last point. Also the Varane comparison. Why are you comparing a centre back who played for Real Madrid and who won 3 champions league plus countless domestic titles and is world class. What has Harry Maguire won?

 

[Solius]

I mean look I am not a Harry Maguire hater. Not at all. I just find it very hard to believe he will turn it around especially since we are buying a centre back. Harry Maguire was really awful last season so I think I am justified in questioning whether he is good enough.

I know, but if he had an awful season followed by a good one it would have a completely different perspective.

 

[Slysi17]

I know, but if he had an awful season followed by a good one it would have a completely different perspective.

But I counter that to say if a player has a bad season, they gotta prove they can still perform for Manchester United the following season. One good season and one bad season doesn't make you world class. Consistency makes a player world class. I mean did Paul Scholes ever have a bad season.

 

[Tavern in the town]

Why the hell are you comparing 2 centre backs who were world class to Harry Maguire. Hummels and Puyol had football intelligence to make up for their lack of pace. Harry Maguire doesn't. Frequently makes dum decisions and completey messes up one on ones. Have you not watched Harry Maguire play this season?

I’ve no idea why you’re so upset. I was simply challenging the idea that Maguire’s pace is the reason he can’t play in a high line.

 

[Slysi17]

I’ve no idea why you’re so upset. I was simply challenging the idea that Maguire’s pace is the reason he can’t play in a high line.

Not upset really. Apoligies as it was just misguided frustation at other people in this thread who are so confident about Harry Maguire next season. Just find it odd people have confidence that Harry Maguire has a future at Manchester United and can play in a Ten Hag system. Apoligies for that.

 

[hobbers]

If we sign Timber and Varane stays fit I dont see Harry being a regular starter.

 

[Slysi17]

If we sign Timber and Varane stays fit I dont see Harry being a regular starter.

Yeah. It says alot we want a centre back.

 

[romufc]

Look who is manager for England and the style he plays. Defensive counter attack which isn't the style of Ten Hag. So you fail on that point. Also Gareth Southgate isn't a top class manager either. And Ole ended up being a failed managerial appointment. So again failed there. Also yeah actually having a bad season means for next season you have to prove people wrong. So again failed on the last point. Also the Varane comparison. Why are you comparing a centre back who played for Real Madrid and who won 3 champions league plus countless domestic titles and is world class. What has Harry Maguire won?

Okay, so you know exactly how we are going to play next year and decided Maguire doesn't fit ?

So if Maguire plays under Ten Hag, he must not be a top class manager because the logic is if a manager plays Maguire, they are not top class.

The comparison is on individual ability, not what the team has won, go watch the Brighton game and tell me Varane is a top quality defender. If I used your logic, he is just as bad as Maguire because like your bolded point, a bas seasons means he needs to prove people wrong, I couldn't care what he done at Madrid.

A bit hypocritical of you to say Maguire has a bad season so he needs to prove people wrong but Varane having a bad season is ignored because of what he won 3 years ago.

 

[Slysi17]

Okay, so you know exactly how we are going to play next year and decided Maguire doesn't fit ?

So if Maguire plays under Ten Hag, he must not be a top class manager because the logic is if a manager plays Maguire, they are not top class.

The comparison is on individual ability, not what the team has won, go watch the Brighton game and tell me Varane is a top quality defender. If I used your logic, he is just as bad as Maguire because like your bolded point, a bas seasons means he needs to prove people wrong, I couldn't care what he done at Madrid.

A bit hypocritical of you to say Maguire has a bad season so he needs to prove people wrong but Varane having a bad season is ignored because of what he won 3 years ago.

So do you know that Harry Maguire will play next season either then. Harry Maguire is not world class and has never proved that. Raphael Varane has. Go and watch Harry Maguires performances this season as you obsivouly have no clue. You seem to be so certain that Harry Maguire will be part of Erik Ten Hags plan next season. Then why does Erik Ten Hag want a centre back then. Anyway I have never rated Harry Maguire as a centre back and don't think he is Manchester United quality and good enough to win a league title or a champions league. You are entitled to your opinion but I don't agree.

 

[NYAS]

Can already tell who’ll be lapping up the leaks on here next season.

“But it’s the manager’s job to motivate”

“We finished 2nd under Ole with the same group of players”

Even after everything we’ve seen over the past few years, a decent chunk of the fanbase still fall into the same traps. It’s incredible.

It’s really no wonder the players are desperate to keep this going. £150k every week with no accountability. Board needs to stand with ETH when times are tough next season or else we’re fecked.

 

[Slysi17]

Can already tell who’ll be lapping up the leaks on here next season.

“But it’s the manager’s job to motivate”

“We finished 2nd under Ole with the same group of players”

Even after everything we’ve seen over the past few years, a decent chunk of the fanbase still fall into the same traps. It’s incredible.

It’s really no wonder the players are desperate to keep this going. £150k every week with no accountability. Board needs to stand with ETH when results are tough next season or else we’re fecked.

In all honesty, the squad needs ripped up. I include Harry Maguire in the players that need to go. I really find it odd on here that people defend Harry Maguire to the hilt on here when he has been one of the worst ones which include that arrogant interview saying managers pick me so I must be good.

 

[BrilliantOrange]

Its almost as if people have no idea about defending. I mean playing a high line means only fast defenders work is one of the worst statements I have heard.

If you are defensively good enough, press the ball in the right areas, you can read the game and don't require that excessive pace.

Spurs played a high line with Vertonghen too.

Ajax played a high line the CL semi final year with Daley Blind next to Matthijs de Ligt

 

[romufc]

So do you know that Harry Maguire will play next season either then. Harry Maguire is not world class and has never proved that. Raphael Varane has. Go and watch Harry Maguires performances this season as you obsivouly have no clue. You seem to be so certain that Harry Maguire will be part of Erik Ten Hags plan next season. Then why does Erik Ten Hag want a centre back then. Anyway I have never rated Harry Maguire as a centre back and don't think he is Manchester United quality and good enough to win a league title or a champions league. You are entitled to your opinion but I don't agree.

This is the problem with fans. Someone defends a player they dont rate = They think he is WC. Can you show me where I said he is World class?

Or do you only have two definitions? Shit or world class

A defender can be good without being world class. Okay, go watch videos of Varane this season, cause you do not have a clue, he has been directly involved with alot of goals conceded against us as well.

Again, I have never said if Maguire will or wont play, You're the one saying if a manager plays maguire, the manager is shit.

Okay, so Manutd want an attacker, does that mean Sancho, Ronaldo are rubbish?

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Can already tell who’ll be lapping up the leaks on here next season.

“But it’s the manager’s job to motivate”

“We finished 2nd under Ole with the same group of players”

Even after everything we’ve seen over the past few years, a decent chunk of the fanbase still fall into the same traps. It’s incredible.

It’s really no wonder the players are desperate to keep this going. £150k every week with no accountability. Board needs to stand with ETH when times are tough next season or else we’re fecked.

We might have finished 2nd again, if we went back to empty stadiums and the other teams turned s**t.

 

[VidaRed]

Can already tell who’ll be lapping up the leaks on here next season.

“But it’s the manager’s job to motivate”

“We finished 2nd under Ole with the same group of players”

Even after everything we’ve seen over the past few years, a decent chunk of the fanbase still fall into the same traps. It’s incredible.

It’s really no wonder the players are desperate to keep this going. £150k every week with no accountability. Board needs to stand with ETH when times are tough next season or else we’re fecked.

There's no cure for idiocy. I foresee a massive civil war amongst the fan base.

 

[Tavern in the town]

Can already tell who’ll be lapping up the leaks on here next season.

“But it’s the manager’s job to motivate”

“We finished 2nd under Ole with the same group of players”

Even after everything we’ve seen over the past few years, a decent chunk of the fanbase still fall into the same traps. It’s incredible.

It’s really no wonder the players are desperate to keep this going. £150k every week with no accountability. Board needs to stand with ETH when times are tough next season or else we’re fecked.

Both cold hard facts.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

There's no cure for idiocy. I foresee a massive civil war amongst the fan base.

It will be the managers job to get these players fit for a change, to have them actually having tactics for a change, to defend properly for a change, to respect their manager for a change, not ridicule the coaching staff for a change, respect the fans for a change.

 

[Crick]

What's with the top 4 negativity? Top 4 is easy to solve - conceding 20 less goals would get us in the fight for it. Conceding 56 goals is crazy for us. We are usually in the 35-45 area. This season is an anomaly. We don't usually concede this many goals and we shouldn't next season, if we sort out the midfield and defence.

Both Mourinho and Ole managed to concede less goals hence why we came second under them. It's adding the 30-40 goals to win the title that's the bigger problem. This why when people claimed there was progress under Mourinho and Ole for finishing second was garbage. We were still miles off, Mourinho best was (68:28 or +40) and Ole (73:44 or +39). That will only get you a win in a bizarre year such as when Leicester won.

We need to score 85+ and concede under 35 to have a chance of winning and in reality a goal difference of 60+. That will be EtH's biggest challenge but he's done that consistently with Ajax. I see hope and optimism with EtH not negativity, the most since Fergus left. Finally we have an attacking manager again.

 

[Greck]

Ajax played a high line the CL semi final year with Daley Blind next to Matthijs de Ligt

We know all about Blind. Blind is like the anti-Maguire when it comes to reading the game to hide his lack of pace. Harry by contrast makes his flaws worse by ballchasing. He'll end up like AWB if he continues to play this way. A shame because he can actually play on the ball very decently. Next year is probably going to be a make or break season for his career. His united career that is.

 

[Tavern in the town]

What's with the top 4 negativity? Top 4 is easy to solve - conceding 20 less goals would get us in the fight for it. Conceding 56 goals is crazy for us. We are usually in the 35-45 area. This season is an anomaly. We don't usually concede this many goals and we shouldn't next season, if we sort out the midfield and defence.

Both Mourinho and Ole managed to concede less goals hence why we came second under them. It's adding the 30-40 goals to win the title that's the bigger problem. This why when people claimed there was progress under Mourinho and Ole for finishing second was garbage. We were still miles off, Mourinho best was (68:28 or +40) and Ole (73:44 or +39). That will only get you a win in a bizarre year such as when Leicester won.

We need to score 85+ and concede under 35 to have a chance of winning and in reality a goal difference of 60+. That will be EtH's biggest challenge but he's done that consistently with Ajax. I see hope and optimism with EtH not negativity, the most since Fergus left. Finally we have an attacking manager again.

Spot on. The amount of think pieces that are written about the problems of any top team, when in reality it usually boils down to the forwards not being good enough.

 

[phelans shorts]

Harry Maguire was great for us in the 2020/21 season. To the point where as soon as he got injured our defence completely fell apart.

I find it funny how now he's had a bad season he's a bad CB. He's had one decent, one good and one bad season so far but of course recency bias and all that. Not defending him but just find it interesting.

I don’t necessarily think it’s a recency bias thing even, even when he was good last season there were still claims that he was crap. He’s one of the players that certain sections of the fan base decided were to blame for anything at all pretty much ever since he signed.

His season this time around was undoubtedly poor, but I wouldn’t say he particularly stood out amongst our defence, or even the rest of the squad as worst of all. He’s definitely a player that would be of use for just about any top side, but the knives are out and confidence is understandably totally shot.

 

[NYAS]

Both cold hard facts.

Please list what responsibilities you think a player should have in a football club.

 

[pratyush_utd]

Both cold hard facts.

I wonder what changed then? Penalties dried up? Or it was fluke? Or the other teams weren’t good that season.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

Ten Hag deserves the benefit of the doubt regardless of initial results. We're not hiring a managerial no-mark like Ole and just sticking our heads in the sand as he takes us backwards. And we're not hiring Jose and giving him half a dozen galactico signings to make an instant impact. This is a completely different approach.

I expect him to follow a similar trajectory to Klopp and Pep. And they both had fairly shit results in their first seasons but you could at least see an identity forming in the way their teams played.

Completely agree. This is a long term thing changing the culture, training, and tactics of the club and players. This isn't going to be doesn't to be done over this shortened summer. Were talking a few years.

 

[NoLogo]

Please list what responsibilities you think a player should have in a football club.

Exist. Collect Paycheck. Repeat.

 

[VidaRed]

Please list what responsibilities you think a player should have in a football club.

Receiving high wages and leaking gossip to journos.

 

[Rolaholic]

Terrible news for half the squad

 

[Woziak]

Okay, so you know exactly how we are going to play next year and decided Maguire doesn't fit ?

So if Maguire plays under Ten Hag, he must not be a top class manager because the logic is if a manager plays Maguire, they are not top class.

The comparison is on individual ability, not what the team has won, go watch the Brighton game and tell me Varane is a top quality defender. If I used your logic, he is just as bad as Maguire because like your bolded point, a bas seasons means he needs to prove people wrong, I couldn't care what he done at Madrid.

A bit hypocritical of you to say Maguire has a bad season so he needs to prove people wrong but Varane having a bad season is ignored because of what he won 3 years ago.

I do agree with this Maguire and Varane can fight it out with the other two centre backs, Maguire needs to lose his captain position and solve the problem with being an automatic starter.

 

[romufc]

I do agree with this Maguire and Varane can fight it out with the other two centre backs, Maguire needs to lose his captain position and solve the problem with being an automatic starter.

Yeah, I agree that no player should be an automatic starter and Maguire should not be captain.

However; some people just go too far on this, I personally think he will play games under ETH. Its up to him to prove to the manager he can play regularly though.

We know that Varane is not trusted to keep fit.

 

[Rightnr]

Terrible news for half the squad

Some of our players must be desperate to join this new group chat.

 

[Woziak]

ETH doesn't have the players to play his style though. There might be a season or two of growing pains whilst he gradually gets his squad together.

Even Pep only got fourth in his first season, with a much better squad than we have.

I do think the target should be top four, but I won't be surprised if we struggle to get it.

Correct me, I might be wrong but doesn’t 5th place with the new rules qualify for CL 23/24 season, I disagree Top 4 should be a must for any man United manager or if not a Europa League win to qualify. As much as I hated Jose he got that and won the Europa League quote easily, when you consider what a S….Fest we had in the competition under Ole, a semi final and a final defeat not acceptable.

That’s why United playing in Europa League next season and not Conference league is a must, wouldn’t surprise me if we lost to palace and Brighton Nick a 90th minute draw against West Ham

 

[Tarrou]

Correct me, I might be wrong but doesn’t 5th place with the new rules qualify for CL 23/24 season, I disagree Top 4 should be a must for any man United manager or if not a Europa League win to qualify. As much as I hated Jose he got that and won the Europa League quote easily, when you consider what a S….Fest we had in the competition under Ole, a semi final and a final defeat not acceptable.

That’s why United playing in Europa League next season and not Conference league is a must, wouldn’t surprise me if we lost to palace and Brighton Nick a 90th minute draw against West Ham

I‘m a bit confused. I said top 4 should be the target, so we’re in agreement right?

I just think we might struggle to get it

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Mitchell van der Gaag kinda looks like Michael Stipe with those shades.

First thing I though, too!

 

[Mr Pigeon]

Something's not quite right with that earlier photo...

Spoiler

 

[Woziak]

Look who is manager for England and the style he plays. Defensive counter attack which isn't the style of Ten Hag. So you fail on that point. Also Gareth Southgate isn't a top class manager either. And Ole ended up being a failed managerial appointment. So again failed there. Also yeah actually having a bad season means for next season you have to prove people wrong. So again failed on the last point. Also the Varane comparison. Why are you comparing a centre back who played for Real Madrid and who won 3 champions league plus countless domestic titles and is world class. What has Harry Maguire won?

Listen anyone in their right mind would not compare Harry to Varane when he’s fully fit .I do think that we shouldn’t judge a player on one terrible season, United and Maguire problem is that he should never ever have been captain, he reminds me of Steve Bruce as a player for us but without the bravery, we know he has that cavalier never say die attitude for England but for United he’s a wet damp Squid.

Dropping him , playing him less, stripping him of the captaincy that’s the correct action, in which case, ETH let’s him compete with Julian Timber , Varane , Lindelof for his 2 CB positions, ETH rarely plays 3 CB’s so he might only play 20-25 games like John Stones at City, the simple reality is both are hugely overrated but they have never let England down!
If Harry’s as good as he thinks he is, then he’ll be one of the top 10cbs in world football, let’s be clear here De Light who ETH had at Ajax is just as if not slower than Harry Maguire and the PL is very unforgiving for slow centre backs!

 

[Woziak]

I‘m a bit confused. I said top 4 should be the target, so we’re in agreement right?

I just think we might struggle to get it

Yep my bag , I thought you said not top 4, we will struggle simple because it takes time for foreign coaches to adjust to the pace and power of PL.