I'd give him a lot more credit if he just fronted up and said yeah it's nowhere near good enough and admitted some responsibility. It's painful watching him talking like he's done no wrong.
Erik ten Hag | 2024/25
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Already talking like a cup would be a great season. 8th and an FA cup is still unavoidable sack territory someone needs to point that out.
These are more damning than any words on forums/ social media; the constant, systematic, embarrassing deconstruction of our play by opposing managers.
Ten Hag is not taken seriously by his peers.
How many losses by 3 clear goals is it now?
Why wait a month to confirm the obvious? There is still time to act but it has to be right now! This international break is the perfect opportunity, not next month or whatever! Sack now and save the season, instead of writing it off for no reason at all. It's not knee jerk because what's happening isn't new and it won't get better as the season goes on. One or two more injuries, which are bound to happen, and what?
The games leading up to the final were lucky. You couldn't get luckier than vs Conventry for instance
It’s as clear as day and night, the dogs on the street know it also that his time is up, was up at the end of last season, the players he has at his disposal are talented players, they need a manager who knows how to get the best out of them, instil confidence, but more importantly instructs them how to play and what way to play. The only thing worse than sacking him now is sacking him and getting Southgate in.
Aye for actually probing him with good points, hate....good journalism?
That would be the pathetic actions of a coward
Atleast we didn't lose in extra time again. Silver linings and all.
The reality is there's enough people in and around football who have little confidence in their own understanding of the game.
These people simply can't differentiate between not understanding an idea because it's complex, or not understanding an idea because it's been poorly explained and very few are brave enough to stick their head above the parapet.
Ten Hag is a perfect emperor's new clothes storm. He uses modern football terminology, he has bad enough English to make you think that perhaps without a language barrier he could explain himself, and he has a completely undeserved confidence that does leave you wondering if you're missing something.
Thankfully the penny seems to have dropped now and I think we've seen he last of fans painfully arguing that it's a good thing to give up 20+ shots a game, but not before he pulled the wool over INEOS's eyes too.
Disrespectful journalists don't get access.
It's not hard. That's how Ferguson did it.
Act a prick and he'll treat you like one
It was quite clear at the time he was referencing the trophies Mourinho won and gloated about as though we'd won the Premier League and Champions League.
Unfortunately it meant Ole was pretty much a dead man walking after losing numerous semi-finals and the Europa League final, it was an easy stick to beat him with. 'He doesn't care about winning trophies'.
He is his own worst enemy with his suicidal tactics. But his recruitment has been absolutely shocking.
Casemiro- I don’t often agree with spitty Carragher, but he made a good point . He spent all summer chasing De Jong and then signed Casemiro a player with a totally different profile to De Jong. Absolute madness . Great career but is looking lost in this system. He is past his prime. But he does need young legs around him. Real have Valverde, Camavinga etc to help Kroos, Modric and him when he was there. Another example of this club signing a big name with no clue how to use him.
Antony- Just an absolute waste of space. Terrible attitude, cant beat a man. He is that sunday league player who wears white socks over his football socks pink boots but goes missing on a game day. Can probably do a thousand step overs but has zero end product.
Hojlund- massive money on a guy who had only scored 9 goals in Serie A. He is raw. Guy has pace and good work ethic. I am still hopeful on him . But badly needs to work on his composure and finishing under Ruud.
Mount- Injury prone , Chelsea have pulled our pants down. The new Van De Beek
Malacia- Not good enough
Martinez- Good signing well done Eric on that one
Onana- Possibly the worst Keeper seen in my lifetime. Terrible positioning, slow getting down low, doesn’t command his box. Overrated distribution.
Eriksen- Free Transfer did a job first season. I like him always have
Zirkzee, De Ligt, Mazaroui, Ugarte and Yoro - too early cant judge .
Casemiro- I don’t often agree with spitty Carragher, but he made a good point . He spent all summer chasing De Jong and then signed Casemiro a player with a totally different profile to De Jong. Absolute madness . Great career but is looking lost in this system. He is past his prime. But he does need young legs around him. Real have Valverde, Camavinga etc to help Kroos, Modric and him when he was there. Another example of this club signing a big name with no clue how to use him.
Antony- Just an absolute waste of space. Terrible attitude, cant beat a man. He is that sunday league player who wears white socks over his football socks pink boots but goes missing on a game day. Can probably do a thousand step overs but has zero end product.
Hojlund- massive money on a guy who had only scored 9 goals in Serie A. He is raw. Guy has pace and good work ethic. I am still hopeful on him . But badly needs to work on his composure and finishing under Ruud.
Mount- Injury prone , Chelsea have pulled our pants down. The new Van De Beek
Malacia- Not good enough
Martinez- Good signing well done Eric on that one
Onana- Possibly the worst Keeper seen in my lifetime. Terrible positioning, slow getting down low, doesn’t command his box. Overrated distribution.
Eriksen- Free Transfer did a job first season. I like him always have
Zirkzee, De Ligt, Mazaroui, Ugarte and Yoro - too early cant judge .
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It does gnare away at me that we wouldn't be experiencing this now if City had won the final. I wouldn't want to change that result, but it feels so ridiculous the knock on impact.
I still can't believe we kept him when we had such a great opportunity to sack him in the summer. What's more, we even extended his contract!
But beating City completely made some people forget that we finished 8th and we were shite in the league.
Am I surprised how we've started this season? Hell no.
But beating City completely made some people forget that we finished 8th and we were shite in the league.
Am I surprised how we've started this season? Hell no.
Ten Hag literally asks for what he gets in that clip. I thought you were trolling, bloody hell
Cant see what's disrespectful about the question. It's Ten Hag who comes out looking like the prick
I’m not convinced that sacking EtH after only 3 games of the new season, when the Board have financially backed him strongly is the right answer, especially as there are not that many top Managers available at present.
I would like to see Ruben Amorim in the EPL, a strong manager with an attractive 3-4-3 style of football. I did think he was going to Anfield earlier in the year and not sure what happened.
Be careful what you wish for - you could always take Rooney off our hands!!
I would like to see Ruben Amorim in the EPL, a strong manager with an attractive 3-4-3 style of football. I did think he was going to Anfield earlier in the year and not sure what happened.
Be careful what you wish for - you could always take Rooney off our hands!!
As a fan you have to expect for victory in every game. Does not mean that people in charge of the club will take unprofessional and illogical decisions.
What would be cowardice is completely changing your gameplan because of the risk of individual errors.
Players have bad games, when they do it's likely you'll lose unless you outclassed the opposition elsewhere.
The difference between the sides wasn't the structures, it was the quality of the individuals within the team particularly in attack, the familiarity with the structure and the physicality.
The journalist is smelling blood because of the result and the club should feck him off.
To be fair, they followed fan sentiment and the overwhelming noise. It was the easier of the choices, and it doesn't reflect great on them, but I see why they did it, riling the fanbase would have heaped pressure on them instantly. I expected and hoped for a more cold and clinical decision. It was needed. And now we are where we are.
Ferguson could do it because he was the best in the business and winning leagues year on, year out.
Doesn't really work that way when you routinely get your ass handed to you by your biggest rivals whilst showing no clear signs of development and progress on the pitch.
When ETH first came here I was all for it. Young manager, new systems, hopefully a match for Pep in the long run.
As the first season went along, I thought OK, not too bad given the state of the club and players he inherited, plus we also won a trophy. Didn't expect miracles to happen straight away, but not a bad start and we got CL football the following season.
Second season came along and I was really hopeful, that he would push on, get us playing a new, modern way, could implement his style more and we'd start pushing City a bit more. Wasn't expecting a title win, but was hoping you could see a gradual improvement in our play. Despite injuries which were bloody ridiculous last season, a few months in, it became clear that the style of play he wanted to implement was difficult given the injuries. Never have I known a United squad in my time to be so unlucky with the amount we had. Every now and then, there would be flashes of what I could see he wanted to play, but couldn't. But at the same time, he would often make decisions that truly baffled me, sticking with Rashford when he was awful, swapping Garnacho to the other wing he's not so good on, continuing with Casemiro when it was obvious he couldn't last 20 minutes, not bringing on subs when it was obvious to everyone he should...etc
There was of course, all the goings on of the club sale, which was a distraction.
But despite that we had a great FA Cup run, beating 2 of our biggest rivals to win it. Those odd moments were still in there, we just need to get a solid team together and hopefully it will click. I was also upbeat that a new management system in place, would allow him to push on.
But roll on to this season and within 3 games we're already 6 points behind City and Liverpool. The season is done for any title challenges, we need City to lose 2 games just to catch up and they only lost 3 all season last year.
But what's really made my mind up he has to go are 2 things.
1, he still doesn't have a clue from 2 seasons now, what style of play he's aiming for. He persists with formations that even new managers, like Slot whos been at Liverpool for 5 minutes, have already sussed out how to beat. He leaves gaping holes in midfield and STILL expects Casemiro to play like a 20yr old, when virtually everyone could see he didn't have the legs last season, let alone this.
He persists with a keeper who's simply not good enough, who's not shown any of this 'playing it out from the back' nonsense and can't get low to save any shot on the ground, which is an absolute basic.
He persists with playing Rashford, when it's been obvious for some time that his 'running past defenders' style of play has left him.
He chops and changes the team far too much, often leaving out players, like Amad, for his favourites, which in doing so, filters down the team to messing about with formations.
2. But the final 'light bulb' moment for me, actually came in a two statements he made. One was when asked about Scott McTomminay leaving, he said he didn't want him to leave and the second was yesterday, when he said Ugarte will need some time to bed in, that he's not Harry Potter.
Right there summed him up for me, that he's not got a clue anymore. If he thinks that McTomminay was still the answer (and I've nothing against Mct as a person) after 2 seasons here, then he's deluded and if he can't see after 2 seasons that we've been crying out for a DM like Ugarte, who will get stuck in and plug the holes ETH keeps leaving with his ridiculous formations, then there's no hope whatsoever, that he's turning this around.
Its like hes spitting his dummy out the pram because the management have bought Ugarte and he didn't, but he's going to leave him out for 2 months and carry on with Casemiro, just to despise them.
For me, I'm done with him. He's got to go, when and how I don't care, but he's not going to win us titles, which a club our size and stature, should be aiming for.
I'm no fan of Carragher by any means, but he's spot on when he says Real Madrid and Barcelona wouldn't put up with being 6th, let alone 8th. But under this guy, that's all we're expecting.
As fans, we've forgotten just how big this club is. We're one of the biggest clubs in Europe and on the world stage are we really happy, deep down, accepting this shite every season?
It's time for the management to 'Avra Kedavra' his ass out of Old Trafford.
As the first season went along, I thought OK, not too bad given the state of the club and players he inherited, plus we also won a trophy. Didn't expect miracles to happen straight away, but not a bad start and we got CL football the following season.
Second season came along and I was really hopeful, that he would push on, get us playing a new, modern way, could implement his style more and we'd start pushing City a bit more. Wasn't expecting a title win, but was hoping you could see a gradual improvement in our play. Despite injuries which were bloody ridiculous last season, a few months in, it became clear that the style of play he wanted to implement was difficult given the injuries. Never have I known a United squad in my time to be so unlucky with the amount we had. Every now and then, there would be flashes of what I could see he wanted to play, but couldn't. But at the same time, he would often make decisions that truly baffled me, sticking with Rashford when he was awful, swapping Garnacho to the other wing he's not so good on, continuing with Casemiro when it was obvious he couldn't last 20 minutes, not bringing on subs when it was obvious to everyone he should...etc
There was of course, all the goings on of the club sale, which was a distraction.
But despite that we had a great FA Cup run, beating 2 of our biggest rivals to win it. Those odd moments were still in there, we just need to get a solid team together and hopefully it will click. I was also upbeat that a new management system in place, would allow him to push on.
But roll on to this season and within 3 games we're already 6 points behind City and Liverpool. The season is done for any title challenges, we need City to lose 2 games just to catch up and they only lost 3 all season last year.
But what's really made my mind up he has to go are 2 things.
1, he still doesn't have a clue from 2 seasons now, what style of play he's aiming for. He persists with formations that even new managers, like Slot whos been at Liverpool for 5 minutes, have already sussed out how to beat. He leaves gaping holes in midfield and STILL expects Casemiro to play like a 20yr old, when virtually everyone could see he didn't have the legs last season, let alone this.
He persists with a keeper who's simply not good enough, who's not shown any of this 'playing it out from the back' nonsense and can't get low to save any shot on the ground, which is an absolute basic.
He persists with playing Rashford, when it's been obvious for some time that his 'running past defenders' style of play has left him.
He chops and changes the team far too much, often leaving out players, like Amad, for his favourites, which in doing so, filters down the team to messing about with formations.
2. But the final 'light bulb' moment for me, actually came in a two statements he made. One was when asked about Scott McTomminay leaving, he said he didn't want him to leave and the second was yesterday, when he said Ugarte will need some time to bed in, that he's not Harry Potter.
Right there summed him up for me, that he's not got a clue anymore. If he thinks that McTomminay was still the answer (and I've nothing against Mct as a person) after 2 seasons here, then he's deluded and if he can't see after 2 seasons that we've been crying out for a DM like Ugarte, who will get stuck in and plug the holes ETH keeps leaving with his ridiculous formations, then there's no hope whatsoever, that he's turning this around.
Its like hes spitting his dummy out the pram because the management have bought Ugarte and he didn't, but he's going to leave him out for 2 months and carry on with Casemiro, just to despise them.
For me, I'm done with him. He's got to go, when and how I don't care, but he's not going to win us titles, which a club our size and stature, should be aiming for.
I'm no fan of Carragher by any means, but he's spot on when he says Real Madrid and Barcelona wouldn't put up with being 6th, let alone 8th. But under this guy, that's all we're expecting.
As fans, we've forgotten just how big this club is. We're one of the biggest clubs in Europe and on the world stage are we really happy, deep down, accepting this shite every season?
It's time for the management to 'Avra Kedavra' his ass out of Old Trafford.
God help us, if the fabled appointments upstairs, with technocrats taking over to change the club's fortunes, are so early reduced to top-four trophies, at all costs and without any actual progress in terms of style and philosophy, and "just give it to (insert ex-legend's name) to lift the spirits" grand ideas. Somewhere, right now, Woodward is sipping his tea and laughing his arse off
Suicidal tactics. Ten Hag is a lunatic for persisting with this. And yet despite repeatedly overcommitting too many players too far forward, we still can’t score goals.
We are so easy to play against.
We are so easy to play against.
I also don’t think there would really have been much fan pushback. Ok, there would have been arguments by some that it was the wrong decision but the majority would have accepted it, as was the case with LVG.
As it is, we’ve now extended his contract (completely unnecessarily) and have little scope to get anyone else in at this point. Ineos acting now would look knee-jerk and like they didn’t know what they are doing in the summer. As such, he will be given longer - he probably has 6 more games at least in my view.
At the time yes, but now it is very much relevant to ETH who is gloating about the league cup and Fa cup win. Despite frankly pathetic league form.
Ole was right, judge teams on there league form you can get lucky in cups. And we did judge him on his league form in his third season, despite having a strong second season a poor start to his third league campaign was enough for him to be sacked.
Judging ETH on our current league form would mean sacking him now despite the cup wins, and it would be perfectly fair.
Why? It's obvious that the squad needs a number of windows to fix, and time to develop the younger players
ETH is doing well with the young players and won trophies for the club, if he doesn't turn out to be the guy you've given yourself time to build your squad for how you want to play, your young players are more experienced and physically ready and the market for managers should be better since you've likely been working on it in the background for the year
2 years in, we should see organisation and some form of a methodoligy embedding. But all we see constantly is confsuing defensive positions, a style that has always been easy for opposition, stand off us and we will make the mistake.
When you see the so called 'weaker' teams than us look more solid, more organised, more aware of their approach as a unit - this is the very concerning part.
You simply cant harp on about 'new team build' forever. This goes back to Jose, he knew we were shit from midfield to defence and he had us limp through by just narrowing the gap and pockets from defence to midfield. We seem to persist with getting left totally open and doing the same mistakes over and over.
Yesterday was a good example, taking Casemiro off made zero difference as we persisted to play it short in our final 3rd, Mainoo caught the same way as Casemiro for the 3rd. You cant continully blame the players for getting forced to play a way we are unable to, or it we are able to paly it we clearly are nto working on it/coached well enough to execute.
I dont have the faith Erik can turn this round, simply because he cant execute anythign in a league environment - he might work for cup football but game management at a league level is awful.
When you see the so called 'weaker' teams than us look more solid, more organised, more aware of their approach as a unit - this is the very concerning part.
You simply cant harp on about 'new team build' forever. This goes back to Jose, he knew we were shit from midfield to defence and he had us limp through by just narrowing the gap and pockets from defence to midfield. We seem to persist with getting left totally open and doing the same mistakes over and over.
Yesterday was a good example, taking Casemiro off made zero difference as we persisted to play it short in our final 3rd, Mainoo caught the same way as Casemiro for the 3rd. You cant continully blame the players for getting forced to play a way we are unable to, or it we are able to paly it we clearly are nto working on it/coached well enough to execute.
I dont have the faith Erik can turn this round, simply because he cant execute anythign in a league environment - he might work for cup football but game management at a league level is awful.
We often mention here on the forum that the team's decline began after winning the League Cup. While we finished that season strong at home, we lost the most crucial games in the Europa League. However, the performance over the past year has been especially bad and below any acceptable level.
Since the start of last season, we've played 27 home matches across all competitions, with a record of 14 wins, 3 draws, and 10 losses. That means we're winning only about every other home game. If we exclude the final against City, the team has been in free fall for over a year, and I honestly don't see any signs of how that could change.
Even when we play at home, teams are coming in without much fear, knowing they can get a good result against us.
Since the start of last season, we've played 27 home matches across all competitions, with a record of 14 wins, 3 draws, and 10 losses. That means we're winning only about every other home game. If we exclude the final against City, the team has been in free fall for over a year, and I honestly don't see any signs of how that could change.
Even when we play at home, teams are coming in without much fear, knowing they can get a good result against us.
I strongly backed him last season but he's really out of excuses this season, needs to start delivering. I won't say sack just yet but it's not a good start. Not looking good.
Ten hag is not the answer, but the alternative was very likely going to be southgate, and he is no better in a different way. We'd have sat back and not got hammered, but offered nothing going forward and still lost to the first mistake we made.
People are making a lot of 'if we had lost the final he#s be gone', but I think a lack of alternatives was just as important in the choice that Ineos made.
I think it's a perfect set of fixtures (along with the cup games in between) to properly test if there are any improvements, blend of low/mid/high level teams. He will also have starting 11 players returning (Hojlund, Shaw, Ugarte), so a full strength squad, no further excuses.
If there is no progress at all, let him go before the Chelsea fixture.
Forget about points & wins for a second, also forget about the top managers because he is not anywhere near them but I can’t remember a single manager who managed a big club in the last 20-30 years who consistently managed to lose games by a big margin. Maybe I am wrong but I don’t remember the likes of Roy Hodgson, Rogers, all the Chelsea managers etc constantly losing by 3 goals or more.
Defensive structure is the first thing any half decent manager works on. Eddie Howe has worked on an average budget & has had a lot of injuries but hardly see his teams being beaten by big margins. Going into the game yesterday I was resigned to the fact that we will lose but I also knew that there was a good chance it will be ugly. With previous managers I always felt we lacked an offensive identity & struggled to create much but in his third year and after 3 full pre seasons this guy hasn’t even managed to drill any defensive structure into his team so not sure what can change going forward
Defensive structure is the first thing any half decent manager works on. Eddie Howe has worked on an average budget & has had a lot of injuries but hardly see his teams being beaten by big margins. Going into the game yesterday I was resigned to the fact that we will lose but I also knew that there was a good chance it will be ugly. With previous managers I always felt we lacked an offensive identity & struggled to create much but in his third year and after 3 full pre seasons this guy hasn’t even managed to drill any defensive structure into his team so not sure what can change going forward
Just sack him now and stop putting the obvious and clear solution off for any longer.
There is still a chance to salvage something from the season
There is still a chance to salvage something from the season
The results have been absolutely appalling and we resemble a hungover Sunday league veterans team most of the time
When we do win, it's either sheer variance or a moment of brilliance. His in-game management is a disgrace and usually have the opposite effect to whatever it is he's trying to fix at a given moment.
I think at this point, if you're still backing EtH it's sheer blind faith. There's nothing, literally nothing to cling on to other than just "hoping" that he actually is a wizard and he can conjure up some managerial ability overnight.
When we do win, it's either sheer variance or a moment of brilliance. His in-game management is a disgrace and usually have the opposite effect to whatever it is he's trying to fix at a given moment.
I think at this point, if you're still backing EtH it's sheer blind faith. There's nothing, literally nothing to cling on to other than just "hoping" that he actually is a wizard and he can conjure up some managerial ability overnight.
No it wasn't. I don't think Southgate was even mentioned in the list of managers they spoke to.
It should have been Tuchel or De Zerbi.
Getting a Pep or a Klopp is indeed an extremely tricky process.
However, to have never had a single manager come even close to a major trophy in an 11 year span is incredible, especially when you consider the automy they've had. Other clubs in that period who haven't had long-term successful managers have still had more success. And yeah, we should have had more than 5 permanent managers in that period. I would have binned off most of them before they eventually got the sack.