Erik ten Hag - Manchester United manager

DRJosh

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How did Antony perform in an Ajax shirt? I've not followed him prior to him signing for us. Was he more purposeful with the ball back then? Perhaps that's why ETH had some faith in him. Hindsight is always 20/20
 

roseguy64

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To be very honest, the gripes I have with Ten Hag are more about the decisions and non-decisions that had a direct impact in wasting 5 points out of 6 this week. Let's go through them i no particular order.
  • Leaving Casemiro on against Palace when Fred has played all season as his replacement upon the manager's call. That cost a yellow card and a ban.
  • Playing McTominay in both games when that Academy idiot has no clue about delivering the goods and does not have a good enough attitude as a midfielder.
  • Waited too long before sending Garnacho on against Arsenal. McTominay + Antony had to make way for Fred + Garnacho.
  • Did not play the back 4 from the last few weeks (Shaw at LCB and Malacia at LB) + Martinez as a CDM. Against Arsenal, we needed someone who could keep Odegaard shut when Arsenal have Partey to neutralize Bruno.
Don't take it wrong. I'm glad that Ten Hag took us this far so far. However, honest criticism in the last 2 matches is warranted.
McTominay has been Casemiro's replacement. Fred has usually played instead of Eriksen.
 

SAFMUTD

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The fact that basically all of our signings thus far have been former Ajax or Dutch players, excluding Casemiro who was hardly a hidden gem, indicates to this point it has essentially been left to Ten Hag which doesn't make sense given how much less he was involved in that stuff at Ajax (theoretically a slightly smaller club with less pressure).

Hopefully with the additions made to the scouting department and the changes to the recruitment team that will be different this summer.
We signed Eriksen and Casemiro who don't fit that description. But since we signed Antony and Licha who both are ten Hag former players and two dutch then it must all be Ten Hag?

I don't doubt ten Hag was involved in the signings which he should be, specially when recommending former player and I also agree that we can't/shouldn't let ten Hag call all the shots. But at this point I trust him way more than the recruitment team that decided Maguire and Wan Bisaka were worth 130M combined.
 

giggs-beckham

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Not convinced on him to be honest. Seems another counter attack coach. Counter press fancier name

We're more organised and he's a more saf type authoritarian. The best manager since Jose, but our press and possession game is poor and personnel dependant.
 

Trequartistry

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Not convinced on him to be honest. Seems another counter attack coach. Counter press fancier name

We're more organised and he's a more saf type authoritarian. The best manager since Jose, but our press and possession game is poor and personnel dependant.
Tagline checks out
 

SAFMUTD

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Not convinced on him to be honest. Seems another counter attack coach. Counter press fancier name

We're more organised and he's a more saf type authoritarian. The best manager since Jose, but our press and possession game is poor and personnel dependant.
I'm convinced he's the right manager. Of course it's personnel dependant when the drop in quality between the starters and the subs is huge.

Which manager can control a game with a player like McTominay and the end of the day the manager can only do so much the players are the ones executing.

Watch this stat:

Manchester United conceded more goals (3) and xG (2.68) against Arsenal than in their last four games combined (2) and xG (2.56).

It's no coincidence our defensive performance was awful when not having Casemiro. I'm convinced Saka's goal wouldn't have happened with Casemiro on the field. There's no chance he would have let Saka run into the middle with all the time and space to take that shot.

Arsenal is playing great football but we made things really easy for them. McTominay and Eriksen where useless past by every single time we couldn't get a grip which ultimately led us to being with 8-9 players in our own box just kicking balls out.

Get ten Hag 2-3 more quality players and he'll deliver I'm convinced of it. You may not like our style but it's clear to everyone that we are working as a team and there's a plan being executed. Finally it seems the players know what to do in the pitch, some don't have the quality to execute it correctly which is a whole other issue.
 

Bert_

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Not convinced on him to be honest. Seems another counter attack coach. Counter press fancier name

We're more organised and he's a more saf type authoritarian. The best manager since Jose, but our press and possession game is poor and personnel dependant.
:lol:
 

Adnan

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Not convinced on him to be honest. Seems another counter attack coach. Counter press fancier name

We're more organised and he's a more saf type authoritarian. The best manager since Jose, but our press and possession game is poor and personnel dependant.
You shouldn't expect any coach to dominate possession against high calibre opponents with De Gea, McTominay and Wan Bissaka starting the game. It's was actually remarkable to see how we played in the first half with the handicap.

You might be able to carry one player whilst building the play, but three players is too much against a team like Arsenal who are very good right now.
 

TR87

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He's improved the club faster than I expected. An incredible manager, and I'm happy he's our manager. We're dropping points because of squad depth. Give him a couple windows, and we'll definitely be fighting for the title. He's made United exciting again.
 

croadyman

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Not convinced on him to be honest. Seems another counter attack coach. Counter press fancier name

We're more organised and he's a more saf type authoritarian. The best manager since Jose, but our press and possession game is poor and personnel dependant.
So you have had enough then?
 

RedDevil@84

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Weird sub activity in last 2 games. Casemiro kept in the game for way too long. Not his fault Cas did a stupid tackle, but he shouldn't have been on the pitch. And today no Garnacho all game despite needing goals
 

TMDaines

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When Arteta joined Arsenal they finished 8th for two consecutive seasons and 5th last term. Yet, they stuck with him and let him build his team, culture and style and now everyones waxing lyricals about them.
If only it were that easy. Nobody foresaw Arsenal doing this this season. You’d have made a lot of money if you could have done.
 

croadyman

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Have already admitted in an earlier post he got it wrong with in game management this week,however getting the distinct impression some in the CAF have given up on him already
 

NFM

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The Manager is good. But he is fallible like most. Casimero should not have played on Wednesday, he should have been protected for today.
And there is no way Antony should have been bought for the price he was, he has no pace.
United's team was approx 3 years older than Arsenal's today on average. There is no time for this team to 'get better'. Its now or never. Top 4 is OK but its not going to get better for this lot.
Unless a new owner can pump a lot of 'allowable' cash into the transfer coffers on new young talent, this is about the level United can possibly aspire to . however motivated the manager is.
 

SAF is the GOAT

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Our bench is crap
for this game he didn't have any real option to bring on, lets be real.

All our attacking options are missing right now and overall we don't have enough options.

Our midfield is weak and we saw this today.
1 absent to Miro and we're going to crumble.
We have 5 players for 3 places in midfield. For a long and tiring season its not enough at all.

If we want to challenge next season I reckon we need 3 or 4 players to bring in.
 

Strelok

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Cafe is hag out?
Of course not. Anyone with some sense would see how much this man has done and improved us.

Of course no one like to lose, and ETH surely is human so he's gonna make mistakes. But I've said somewhere here a top 4 this season is already a miracle given how we're last season and the start of this season especially all the mess with Ronaldo.

Some got carried away because of our recent form but tbf that form would never last. We don't have the required depth and even our first XI is not where we'd need to be yet. But I've no doubt we'll challenge and win the title in the next two seasons. Of course only if we could keep our current progress.
 

Marcus

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I think we can't play both Bruno and Christian at the same time in midfield without Casemiro. Always struggling.
 

mav_9me

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People have to understand, Arsenal had the most touches in our box than in any other game this season.

How he decided to defend that deep is still a mystery. His game management is wanting to say the least.

Also how he's handled the team this past week has been shambolic..

Maybe he thought he would autopilot through the week, but alas we have been stung in the tail properly.
From what he was saying post match, saying we didn't follow rules, we got punished etc, and how the players have to change the mentality, I feel like that's the area he is criticizing the players. I don't think that was his instructions.
 

croadyman

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Needs to drop Antony from the starting XI as soon as possible and start making better subs early and often. Why was Eriksen on the pitch for 90 minutes? Or at all, in fact? Fecked the Casemiro sub last game also which had an effect now since we played with 10 men.

Needs to be supported in the summer but absolutely with input from the club.
Think he could get benched for Sancho IF he comes back and rips it up. Eriksen won't play so much when we get Casa partner and a cheap rotation option like Tielemans in summer.

Maybe those kneejerkers in this thread might want to remember Licha could have been playing for opposition if Pochettino got the job.
 

mav_9me

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Speaking of squad depth; do Arsenal rotate at all? I have a feeling that they are playing whole season witb 14,15 players
No they don't really. They are similar to us, except their key players are younger. Also they have quite a few less games than us.
 

croadyman

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Sorry but I'm not trusting him with a penny after Antony. Hopefully the new recruitment staff can identify the players that will be valuable to the club long after ETH leaves too.
Better hope we get middle east ownership then because wouldn't mind betting Ratcliffe keeps Murtough,however could be completely wrong.

.
 

croadyman

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Credit to Arsenal for sticking with Arteta. He has created a beast of a team. We’ll get there soon I’m sure but that Ole appointment and painful stint under RR set us back a good few years on where we should be.
Yeah left Ole in the job WAY too long

Can completely understand why Erik's lack of subs has come under criticism in last two games.

However honestly believe when he has some better options available (Sancho,Martial) that he will be more confident in utilising his bench better.
 
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mav_9me

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Been a theme all season. Whenever we look most dominant and in control in matches he’s almost always on the pitch. Take him off and we don’t. That can’t be a coincidence.
You maybe right but a major confounding factor is the time when we take him off, that's when we start to tire. We need to see him for 90 minutes, with this type of midfield, how we control the matches to see if he is that big a factor.
 

Bert_

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Sorry but I'm not trusting him with a penny after Antony. Hopefully the new recruitment staff can identify the players that will be valuable to the club long after ETH leaves too.
Yeah, all his signing have been shit!
 

mav_9me

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Not convinced on him to be honest. Seems another counter attack coach. Counter press fancier name

We're more organised and he's a more saf type authoritarian. The best manager since Jose, but our press and possession game is poor and personnel dependant.
Unlike Pep, Klopp and Arteta who all got their pressing machines and possession game going with the players they inherited.
 

DRJosh

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Unlike Pep, Klopp and Arteta who all got their pressing machines and possession game going with the players they inherited.
I think our scouting department and the lack of a proper structure or football director has also contributed to several knee jerk buys over the past few years that have ultimately failed us.
 

AshRK

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No they don't really. They are similar to us, except their key players are younger. Also they have quite a few less games than us.
The big difference is they are more of a finished product under arteta and they have two good number 9s much better than our fruad Martial. The other number 9 with all due respect is a burnley reject. They also have been very lucky with injuries. Take partey out they will struggle as they did in September fixture. I feel football is about margins and luck and they have been getting theirs this season whilst we just lost some great momentum because of a worldie by crystal palace full back.
 

kouroux

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I blame the media partly for some of the reaction. These "title talks" have made people expect way too much from a team still under serious construction.
 

AshRK

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I blame the media partly for some of the reaction. These "title talks" have made people expect way too much from a team still under serious construction.
Yes. I also think the fact that we concedes two late goals killed some momentum and is making it even more hard to digest. The palace draw still hurts.
 

mav_9me

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The big difference is they are more of a finished product under arteta and they have two good number 9s much better than our fruad Martial. The other number 9 with all due respect is a burnley reject. They also have been very lucky with injuries. Take partey out they will struggle as they did in September fixture. I feel football is about margins and luck and they have been getting theirs this season whilst we just lost some great momentum because of a worldie by crystal palace full back.
For sure.

I was just talking about the fact they don't rotate much either. They have a core of 14-15 players. Similar to us. Their record without Partey is something like 46% wins. Tbf we've been lucky with injuries too.
 

croadyman

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We need a lot more than that to be honest.

If we're only going for the PL title then yeah 2 or 3 decent quality players is fine but to compete in other competitions in addition to the PL we need a lot more strength in depth. McTominay needs to go. Eriksen can't play the full 90. Lindelof and Maguire, Martial is never fit. Oh and Jones is still collecting a paycheck.

We'll need at least 7 players IMO.
Provided we get new ownership how many of those do you think can be signed in the summer
 

AFC NimbleThumb

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I blame the media partly for some of the reaction. These "title talks" have made people expect way too much from a team still under serious construction.
Yep.

EtH is 6 months in. None of Klopp, Pep or Arteta were given such lofty expectations 6 months in. They’ll have a field day this week telling people how well Arteta has done whilst ignoring the favourable on pitch decisions & the fact he’s been the about 6 times longer than EtH.

Club can’t be sold soon enough.
 

SATA

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The only gripe i have with him is his infatuation to start Eriksen every match. This player can’t be possibly starting and finishing every game especially in the big and end to end ones. It just makes the entire team too soft and light when the opposition team is up for a battle