[sparx99]

That's an issue to but these players are primarily there to create first, score second so they lack the cutting edge a striker brings.

We will see the difference when Hojlund plays. We won't turn into world-beaters but we will start to look cohesive.

I don’t know about that. You need wide forwards getting 10-15 goals themselves if you want to compete at the top. Especially in a one striker system.

 

[Jeffthered]

So much, yet not much to be said. This is going to be a long season. What worries me, aside for the clear limitations of our attacking unit (front five), is the fact that we played over 15 minutes after the second goal went in, and we didn';t look interested. No fight. Nothing. And this is a big concern.. what is happening within the club, training ground? Because that looks like a team of individuals. That's a worry.

May I also state that I think Jadon Sancho is a disgrace.. to come on, when your team needs energy, inspiration, and to play almost 40 minutes in that way is a disgrace. He did absolutely nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

I don't know what else to say. I'd be here until tomorrow if I start.

A couple of big weeks for ETH and his coaching staff, because somethings very wrong. That's obvious.

 

[sparx99]

The first 2 games have been miserable from United and we should have had 0 points. Exactly like the start of the season last season. The question is, is it a coincidence that we have started the last 2 seasons so badly? Or if there is something in the preparations for our season that is not good enough?

The players seem to be out of form. There are a lot of mispasses and several of the offensive players are very static and watch football instead of running into position when we have the ball.

We probably didn’t deserve to lose today. Spurs were better in the 2nd half but we should’ve had the lead in the first 30 mins.

 

[TwoSheds]

How can you single out Martinez. He was our one of our best players. Midfield is a fecking shambles.

If you watch the 2nd half back again you'll realise how wrong you are.

 

[gerdm07]

Brighton beat Wolves 4-1 at Wolves. That's how bad we were last week and we were just as bad in the 2nd half today. ETH better get improvement fast because we could easily have just 2 wins after the first 5 matches and be down 9 points with a bad GD.

 

[Siorac]

I think that's exactly why he added Mason Mount, because Ten Hag dropped the possession control idea and decided to go all in with the transition football. His targets have clearly shifted from what he wanted last year. His pursuit of DeJong was indicative of his desire to control games but after we acquired Casemiro, Bruno and Rashford proved themselves to be integral players for us, Ten Hag decided to simply go with what would highlight their strengths which is transition football.

The hope now is that as time goes on we'll start exerting more control eventually but that's just pure hope right now.

And I think this direction is a mistake, and is the equivalent of giving up on catching up to the real elite.

 

[gerdm07]

So much, yet not much to be said. This is going to be a long season. What worries me, aside for the clear limitations of our attacking unit (front five), is the fact that we played over 15 minutes after the second goal went in, and we didn';t look interested. No fight. Nothing. And this is a big concern.. what is happening within the club, training ground? Because that looks like a team of individuals. That's a worry.

May I also state that I think Jadon Sancho is a disgrace.. to come on, when your team needs energy, inspiration, and to play almost 40 minutes in that way is a disgrace. He did absolutely nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

I don't know what else to say. I'd be here until tomorrow if I start.

A couple of big weeks for ETH and his coaching staff, because somethings very wrong. That's obvious.

Sancho was better than Antony. Not sure why Sancho didn't play as striker and Rashford on the left. I would have made that change right after the first goal.

 

[JagUTD]

I don’t know about that. You need wide forwards getting 10-15 goals themselves if you want to compete at the top. Especially in a one striker system.

You do, but you need the striker for the set up to work. A wide forward getting a shot off, whether blocked, saved or just poor quality still creates a situation that a striker can take advantage of. A rebound, a deflection etc. They also take away at least one defenders focus and away from the other attackers which creates more space for the wide forwards.

Currently when our wide forwards get into good positions, once they get a shot or cross off, unless it's perfect they've basically given up the ball. There rarely anyone in the middle, nobody to go for the rebound, nobody making those short burst runs that pull centrebacks apart. None of this is happening so everything else just ends with a whimper.

 

[Cpt Negative]

It will be the same story for a lot of the season.

We had big chances in that game, the chances other teams lap up every time, they go 2-0 up and it’s a different game. We can’t score for shit and Rashford and Bruno wasting golden chances.

Sad to think we’ve spunked 70m on a kid who will have the weight of the club on him, because if he can’t score 20 league goals we’re not getting top 4

 

[Fitchett]

It's just so predictable. We played well in the first half and should have been 3-0 at half time. Shocking misses by Antony and Fernandes and the usual corruption by Oliver and Pawson in not awarding a blatant penalty for handball. But, as usual, we fail to kill a game off when on top and then collapsed in the second half. A few players need to be dropped. Play a front three of Pellistri - Hojlund - Amad when all three are fit.

 

[Amsterdam Devil]

If you watch the 2nd half back again you'll realise how wrong you are.

I thought Martinez had a lot of work to do the second half because the midfield was missing, Casemiro was nowhere, Dalot was much worse defensively than AWB, Varane didn’t have a great game and Shaw was out of position a lot of the time. A bit hard to single out Martinez.

 

[Amsterdam Devil]

It will be the same story for a lot of the season.

We had big chances in that game, the chances other teams lap up every time, they go 2-0 up and it’s a different game. We can’t score for shit and Rashford and Bruno wasting golden chances.

Sad to think we’ve spunked 70m on a kid who will have the weight of the club on him, because if he can’t score 20 league goals we’re not getting top 4

Yes that will be very hard for him, hopefully it won’t break him because he is talented obviously but still very young.

 

[Tibs]

Absolute dogshit.

If we can't get another midfielder in, then drop Mount - a shit buy - and play McT and Casemiro with Bruno in front.

 

[dalriada]

Can someone tell me how United have progressed in terms of their playing style under ETH? Behind the scenes the club are still amateurish, recruitment hasn't improved really. There is still no DOF worthy of the name, they just handed over control of transfers to ETH who basically just seems to know players he has worked with before and who thought Antony was worth £80. City and Newcastle have structures in place that ensures more sensible decisions are made and so they would be in a decent position were there manager to leave. Feels like we would be back to square one if eth goes

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
We change the manager, who changes the system and the style of play. The previous manager's players are pronounced "deadwood" and replaced, until we change the manager and start all over again. We've been doing it since SAF retired, with largely the same underwhelming results.
It's only the start of the season, so no need for panic, but the look of low confidence and disorganisation compared to other teams is ominous. ETH's preferred side is clearly still in formation, but my concern is that he exhibits some of the rigidity of our other Dutch manager. We don't want him to be constantly reactive like David Moyes, but his frequent reference to players not following the "rules and principles" sounds a lot like LVG's insistence on his "philosophy". If he really thinks the midfield was good today, as he's claimed, he's seeing things that I'm not. SAF had the knack of adapting to his best players within his system rather than always insisting that players adhere strictly to the system.
Last season I thought the playing style had progressed, but only by comparison with the end of Ole's time and the Rangnick games. It's like a permanent rebuild.

 

[Wazzaduke33]

A weird collection of largely expensively assembled individuals. There is no clear way of playing, no pattern play, I’m not really sure what ETH is aiming for with this team ? Maybe all will become clearer after the next two windows ? I hope so because this isn’t a team at all . . .

 

[MakDevil]

Bruno is in absolutely terrible form. Previous game and today also. And no one points finger at him...
In the second half he had multiple embarrassing passes. I can say that for a player of his rang, he is fairly inconsistent.
IMO he needs to step up from the rest as a captain, or ETH should bench him.

 

[JagUTD]

It will be the same story for a lot of the season.

We had big chances in that game, the chances other teams lap up every time, they go 2-0 up and it’s a different game. We can’t score for shit and Rashford and Bruno wasting golden chances.

Sad to think we’ve spunked 70m on a kid who will have the weight of the club on him, because if he can’t score 20 league goals we’re not getting top 4

It's a big ask but by being on the pitch he would allow Rashford to move to his best position and hopefully regain the form of last season, which would take some pressure off. Our strikers last season scored 6 goals? (Martial and Wout) so if he can at a minimum hit double figures, it's quite an improvement in itself.

We certainly create enough for a half decent striker to hit double figures as a minimum.

I'd personally be looking to bring another striker in tbh as if Hojlund gets injured we are in trouble. Whether that's a signing, loan, promote a youngster or even the return of a certain someone, going into this season without cover for a position we are already lacking in is madness.

 

[RuudTom83]

You can talk tactics and mentally all day long but ETH has had old man Ronaldo, glass man Martial and left wing Rashford (who he coach to 30 goals last season)

Pep has Haaland and World Cup winner Alvarez.

Until Hojlund can start I’d play a bit more pragmatic and try to get a few 1-0.

But already the pressure on Hojlund is mounting.

 

[NewGlory]

Postecoglou at half time - "Lads. It's United..."

Well played!

 

[NewGlory]

I’m scared what will happen when we come up against someone that will play to all our weaknesses.

6-1

 

[quadrant]

I thought we played pretty well first half, this just felt like a game where the first to score would go on and win. They got the goal, and it swung the game their way in the second. With Rashford at 9 ad Garnacho and Antony wide we have nothing like the threat we need. But still, this was a very different performance to the Wolves game.

 

[dalriada]

On a different note, if the refs enforce the new rules on dissent and time-wasting as fastidiously as Michael Oliver did today, we're going to have a lot of yellows and consequent reds. I'll be interested to see how they deal with Pep.

 

[JagUTD]

On a different note, if the refs enforce the new rules on dissent and time-wasting as fastidiously as Michael Oliver did today, we're going to have a lot of yellows and consequent reds. I'll be interested to see how they deal with Pep.

Wouldn't worry about it. Rules don't apply to City or their employees.

 

[bosnian_red]

So in 2 games, 4 xg for, 4 xG against, 1 goal scored, 2 conceded. 2 even games that swung opposite ways, lucky with a pen on one day, unlucky on the other. We need to start actually controlling games off the ball, we concede far too many chances right now. Maybe it's teething issues. Maybe it's being distracted or lacking composure. But it's got to quickly improve. And we need to get our away games curse out of the way, and need to start converting chances we create. I'm sure we'll be fine, but I'm looking forward to Hojlund coming in. Rashford up top just doesn't work.

 

[Von Mistelroum]

Brilliant tactics by Erik and the lads! The Glazers are staying because they think they're on to a winning formula with EtH and the club starting to do well again. The lads have figured out that playing like they have never met each other, or a football before, might get them to pack their bags!

 

[Red 142]

We look like we're a couple of weeks off other teams, a poor start.
Not as woeful as last season's start,

It's basically this.

At least the first half today was a significant improvement in sharpness and intensity from last week's game, but the team's sill present lack of fitness caught up with them in the second half.

I think it's still a bit too early to be panicking - if the progression continues and the players are able to soon carry the first half levels across 90 minutes then things should fall in to place. Most of the mistakes in the team last week and in the second half today will not be due to the player's lacking quality but to the effect of tiredness inducing errors.

It is a bit odd though that it's now two seasons in a row Utd seem to have started the season with pre-season not quite finished.

 

[FCAES_7]

Yeah 2nd half we were bad!! But if the first half went as it should we would be 1-0 up, and it's a different game. Just wondering if the refs will be punished like the Wolves game or not. Try to turn it into a positive hope this help with Garnacho development as it's not always great and he need to fight through it

 

[The Mitcher]

You can talk tactics and mentally all day long but ETH has had old man Ronaldo, glass man Martial and left wing Rashford (who he coach to 30 goals last season)

Pep has Haaland and World Cup winner Alvarez.

Until Hojlund can start I’d play a bit more pragmatic and try to get a few 1-0.

But already the pressure on Hojlund is mounting.

Rashford was not coached to 30 goals, he already had two 20 goal seasons before your messiah ever came here. Awful post.

 

[Flamingo Purple]

So ambivalent to this game . Another season wasted. Get rid of Ten Hag get rid of the Glazers. Until we move on as a club there’s nothing worth cheering for.

 

[Shakesy]

God please

 

[izec]

It will be the same story for a lot of the season.

We had big chances in that game, the chances other teams lap up every time, they go 2-0 up and it’s a different game. We can’t score for shit and Rashford and Bruno wasting golden chances.

Sad to think we’ve spunked 70m on a kid who will have the weight of the club on him, because if he can’t score 20 league goals we’re not getting top 4

It still does not explain how we can completely fail in the second half. A stable team is not getting destroyed against Wolves and Spurs. We have no control, at any point in games. We have chances, yes, but never full control. Just because sometimes you miss 2 or 3 chances, cannot be that you lose your head every time. Our statistic against the top sides away is damning.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

If the Glazers don't sell it sure feel will finish 3rd - 7th for the foreseeable future. The sale is the only real thing that matters at this point to me. This season will be what it's going to be. Oh well.

The game feels like it could have gone either way until we looked weak end of 2 half. We sure did not deserve anything by the end.

lastly, get Rashford on the f'ing wing.

 

[Toblerone92]

I’ll be back in a year. Not because I don’t love the club but more because participating in discussion about another calamitous season doesn’t help my blood pressure.

I can’t take another false dawn. At least make it look like you care.

 

[GreatDane]

My buzz for the season is fading fast.

 

[Blood Mage]

Maybe too early to say for sure yet but feels like another one of those seasons where the wheels come off, we finish 6th/7th and the manager gets sacked. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

Nothing you can do when your playmaker (Bruno) can’t find a teammate with a pass, you miss two free headers, your wings have no end product, and you play someone at CF who is absolutely unable to play the role. The set up was wrong. The tactics were wrong. The players were mostly out of sync.

I firmly believe everything comes together when we start with either Martial or Hojland as the CF. We were playing with 10 today.

Not going to panic, throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

[lex talionis]

The problem, as has been the case for years and years, was our front line. Do not be shocked if this is the case the next game and the game after that.

 

[RuudTom83]

Rashford was not coached to 30 goals, he already had two 20 goal seasons before your messiah ever came here. Awful post.

Hardly an awful post to suggest the manager/coach had a big part in Rashford having his best season.

If you don’t want to give the manager any credit for the good…don’t blame him for the bad.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

The fact that few if any have picked on AWB forgetting to mark his opponent again, is a mystery.

It's amazing how much it happens. He has been a better player but it is still a problem.

 

[The Mitcher]

Hardly an awful post to suggest the manager/coach had a big part in Rashford having his best season.

If you don’t want to give the manager any credit for the good…don’t blame him for the bad.

No, you're giving him 100% responsibility rather than helping an already talented player find his feet again.