It's like the old hammering under SAF. Yes on that day we could have cut the score down but we went for it. In hindsight we should have shut up shop but we didn't.
Two important things struck me. The lack of ball control of our players and the terrible passing.
Now any decent player will control and pass the ball if under no pressure. It's what they do under pressure that counts. We are normally so poor. It started from the time of Jose and has continued.
Did we? What do we have to show for it? Not like we created anything of sorts in 1st half. I think, that this is some sort of illusion, because we weren't defensive we must have been aggressive. But we weren't really. Which is part of the issue. If ETH would have setup the team guns blazing, I'd say alright, cool - very brave, maybe too brave even but whatever. But there is nothing to suggest that this was the plan at all.
honestly don't know what they are seeing. I have rarely been impressed by how we played. I feel Eth has a cult following like all our new managers do. Hopefully he does well but obviously he has to prove himself as imo he has done next to nothing to have the reputation and faith he currently has.
He's still in the phase where we assume he's got a good plan and will be able to implement it. There has been very little sign of it on the pitch so far despite the 4 wins. If anything he has already gone away from how he originally wanted to play (first two games) and now we're caught between that and an Ole style counter attacking side.
Feels good seeing such posts because I felt I was one of the only ones.
A few United supporters have said to me this week that doubts are starting to creep in about ETH. Not just based on Sunday but everything they've seen so far this season.
Anybody else having doubts or concerns?
No not at all. He has been here for what is like 20minutes. After almost 10 years of non- and mismanagement. I think, we have to accept, that he isn't sort of lightbringer who will instantly enable us to skip some steps between our current place and a spot at the sun. It is a tricky thing - being fickle is as bad as being overly optimistic. Lets see what he can do, he has shown, he can build functional teams and there is no reason to suggest, he shouldn't be able to replicate that with us. We all knew, the challenge ahead was very big and I think, not even him realized how big it was. But doubting or being concerned - no, makes no sense, way too little of a sample size.
I want to give him the benefit of the doubt for all things regarding the transfer window. If some of the bad things repeat themselves he is to be held accountable as well. He is adjusting to the league, to being the key position of a huge club with a team without a potent backbone, style of play or recent success to build up from. He has shown to be a progressive modern coach and he proofed to create a team able to beat above their weight class. It was the right move of the club, the best decision since ages. Signs are there he won't be an instant hit, I see that too, but so be it. We didn't do anything to deserve an easy route out of where we are, where years of bad decision brought us. The pain of digging ourselves out there is necessary.