I think you under-rated how bad some of our players are, looking at that squad I'm shocked it was only by 3-0 they lost.
When Pep has a couple seasons at a smaller club instead of a shoe in each season (Barça Bayern Cheaty) then we can compare him to Ten Hag.
They are higher than yours: you think we don’t have an incomplete squad.
The way you write about the final game is inexcusable. We were the better team (again), the performance was amazing.
It is only reasonable to manage expectations in line with the quality of our squad. At this point we have not improved our first team much this Summer, still have the same weaknesses that caused us to finish 8th last year. We need better squad to get better.I can't believe excuses are being made already
Also, some are forgetting that the biggest excuse last year were the injuries, and I hardly see anyone saying now that if we stay injury free we should be good. Again the main argument is that we need full squad of his players = another 200-300 millions.
It's baffling:I can't believe excuses are being made already
Also, some are forgetting that the biggest excuse last year were the injuries, and I hardly see anyone saying now that if we stay injury free we should be good. Again the main argument is that we need full squad of his players = another 200-300 millions.
Sure they are... I dont think our squad is as bad as some wants to make out, our biggest problem last year was tactics - we could have had an injury free squad but when we invite 20+ shots every game then we'll lose too many games.
There were plenty more injuries than just Shaw and Martinez. There were several games where we only had 1 fit CB for example. And Malacia the backup to Shaw hasn't played the entire season which meant we had no LB when Shaw was out. You mention the 300m spent but ultimately that's not on ETH. He wasn't the one that negotiated to blow almost 100m on Antony for example, though yes it's a player he liked and approved the signing of which in hindsight is questionable regardless of the price as he's been poor.
The rest of PL has progressed faster than us though, meaning we have to compete with multiple teams who have got to our level and better. His first season, we didn’t really have Liverpool and Tottenham to compete with as they had very underwhelming season, and Villa only got Emery midway 22-23 while sitting in the bottom half of the table. All these 3 teams are now possibly better than us.
Injuries are a part of the game and that's why we have a squad. The two major injuries were to Shaw and Martinez, rest were regular injuries. Also, we had Reguilon available as a LB for the first half of the season and Dalot available to play LB after AWB recovered.
The squad is also very weak thanks to decisions of the manager in charge.
Not impossible, given the rumours in Romerike’s Bald (Norwegian newspaper) yesterday: https://www.united.no/nyheter/united-i-samtaler-med-lillestrom-trener/1315586
Can’t see any excuses in this thread just people moaning about excuses. The season hasn’t even started and the naysayers won’t shut up. If and it’s a massive if, our current squad all stayed fully fit all season I’m pretty confident we would get top four. Especially the defence as that comprises some of our best players who were unavailable last season. However, if we don’t add at least another midfielder and fullback we will very likely be in the same situation again next season because we can’t rely on shaws fitness (arguably not Martinez’s either!) and Casa needs support in there. If those things don’t get addressed than there’s very little to be optimistic about outside of young players kicking on abit.I can't believe excuses are being made already
Also, some are forgetting that the biggest excuse last year were the injuries, and I hardly see anyone saying now that if we stay injury free we should be good. Again the main argument is that we need full squad of his players = another 200-300 millions.
Again completely ignores context. This post should be “if he can’t get us playing good football with his first team out, or with a suitably strong squad, then he should go”. Nobody here is Ten Hag above Man Utd, we all want the same things. Just some of us are able to critically analyse the situation of our squad and realise it’s very difficult (if not impossible) to play good football when we have to play dross players.
We've seen Managers coach far worst players and have them play good football.
I can honestly say I’ve never seen a manager coach such a Frankenstein squad to play good football. When our first team is out we generally perform very well and are capable of great highs. When we have to replace our best players with players either unsuited to the style of play, or downright poor players we fall apart. That isn’t a shock and it’s something that the other top teams in the league don’t face because they actually built strong squads all pulling in the same direction.
I don't think that's been said at all. We do play substantially better football when those players are available, but clearly, even when everyone is fit, we aren't at the level where we would be winning (or even competing) for titles, so inconsistency is expected. However our highs (Barcelona, City, Liverpool last season) have largely come when we have more of our best players available. If everyone is fit and we are still performing badly, then it's open season as far as I'm concerned, and the manager will rightly be under fire.
Depends how, if we are in the tight run for 4th all season and teams are like 1 point or GD apart and we play good football, scoring and actually dominating games. I think it's manageable - but if it's as this season was, I don't think we reach end of season without changes.
There's too many variables to accurately say to be honest. What I will say if that you still wouldn't sack a manager who would then have won four trophies in three seasons.
