Erik ten Hag - Manchester United manager

[Super Schweini]

Who is interviewing Ten Hag here ?

" Obviously Harry has not got a chance" " He needs to match your expectations doesn't he" ?

How do these people get jobs ?

 

[Ayoba]

Needs to change his blade on his razor.

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

This is exactly what Ajax fans warned us about right?

Yep. They said its his major flaw

 

[bosnian_red]

About the lack of quotation, there was this quote in the press conference thread:

This might indicate why he doesn't like to do a lot of rotation. It appears that, in his experience, players always enjoy playing the games, so he might see it as a way to keep his first-teamers sharp and motivated. He might feel they need that more than a rest. I would also assume his training regime is adapted accordingly, but I haven't seen him talk about that.

Other than that, Ten Hag might also feel like these games are a good way to further bed Weghorst into the attack. If Weghorst were playing today with a couple of back-up attackers and a back-up midfield, his interaction with his first-choice team mates wouldn't improve, and it might have been a bit of a lost opportunity.

A lot of hypothesis of course; but I would suggest it makes sense to try and see this from Ten Hag's perspective. Someone as methodical as him probably has better arguments against such a well-established practice like rotation than 'nah, screw that'.

He has his reasons but its just not a thing where a team can play their strongest 11 every 3 days and it not come back to bite you in the ass. It happens to every manager that comes to the PL. They all learn that they need to rotate. Arteta is doing it now, Pep and Klopp both do it all the time.... Ten Hag will learn that he has to as well. He basically didn't rotate in the Europa League Group games and isn't doing it in the league Cup nor against lower league opposition in the fa cup.

Hopefully it doesn't cost us in the league Cup final, but it's a concern. There is no training alteration you can do to make up for that much match load.

 

[Zen86]

City’s bench is ridiculous, so it’s quite easy for Pep to rotate these days. Klopp hasn’t historically rotated much at Liverpool.

It’s probably a similar situation to Ole where he clearly doesn’t trust those outside his preferred XI. It’s understandable if he wants to fight for everything this season.

 

[Hansi Fick]

Not sure if this has been asked and answered already but what's going on with the spots on his head? Is he developing skin cancer from the North West England sun?

 

[matherto]

Sometimes it doesn't feel real that we've got a brilliant manager for the first time since SAF retired.

Then you remember that we're as good as we are because he's a brilliant manager who has form for making great teams and improving players and has won titles to back it up.

ETH and us are a match made in heaven it feels like. We're really quite good and I can't remember the last time we were.

 

[cyberman]

I remember struggling to open up lower sides, now we are comfortably dispatching them

 

[Guv77]

Not sure if this has been asked and answered already but what's going on with the spots on his head? Is he developing skin cancer from the North West England sun?

More like he cut himself shaving his head.

 

[always_hoping]

ELEVEN home wins on the bounce.

 

[RuudTom83]

Plenty of players got rest tonight, back 4 was entirely second string if you think about it. Rashford had an easy night.

Currently with the frequency of games I'd expect training is very light, more about recovery. Mid-week against Forest should be another stress free night too.

Also the second EtH picks McFred everyone on the cafe will be complaining.

 

[maxtrash]

somehow you don't doubt whether he's going to win against these lower tier sides. Unreal

 

[AshRK]

He has done a fabulous job. He took over a mess and he had a shaky start but he didn't panic but instilled his style and now we are seeing it. You need luck and we didn't have that against Arsenal but overall mighty impressed with his work.

People who moan about rotation, I think we will have a heavily rotated side this Tuesday.

 

[JeffFromHK]

Given the congested fixtures, I would rather play full 2nd team against reading to gamble, if we are knocked out, it is fine. Sometimes you get none if you want to get everything. We better concentrate on the last 2 games of Carling Cup

 

[NLunited]

Second or Third was the most realistic expectation for Ten Hag this season and a trophy to get these players back balling and working hard for the team. We are seeing a style of play been implemented but unfortunately a striker and a midfielder short of properly challenging. Looking forward to next season already when Ten Hag has his first starting 11 that he wants at the club and we are still battling for four trophies.

The expectation in the media for Ten Hag‘s first season was something like sixth place. No one expected us to be where we are now, or win anything. Just the beginning of a multi-year process alla Legopep or Klopp.

 

[Isotope]

When you see how he played, missing Case against Arsenal was a disaster. We'd have big chance to win that game.

 

[December_16]

When you see how he played, missing Case against Arsenal was a disaster. We'd have big chance to win that game.

Yeah, but meh, water under the bridge. There’s still a lot more football to be played in the second half of the season, no point in looking back.

 

[Isotope]

Yeah, but meh, water under the bridge. There’s still a lot more football to be played in the second half of the season, no point in looking back.

Agreed. Just telling how much ETH has improved the team, that i feel we could've beaten the League leader at their home.

 

[zenith]

Love what he has done with the team. I'm enjoying watching united again and he's entirely earned the trust of the fan base.

Win a trophy and get top 4, along with a summer where he is backed and he'd make this united team a challenger for all top honors.

In the immediate future, hopefully he rests a few v/s forest, considering we have more than a foot in the door in the final.

 

[florisW]

The point is that Garnacho, Pellistri, Fred and McTominay are more than good enough to beat fecking reading.

That is the issue i think in the cups where the big teams have issues with a b team. When you dramatically change your team on 6 positions all automatics disappear. Don’t forget the difference between a goal and not a goal can be decided by the pass a few inches off. If they hardly play together they dont know where the receiving part wants it best

 

[NLunited]

The point is that Garnacho, Pellistri, Fred and McTominay are more than good enough to beat fecking reading.

The first half ended 0-0, this is wishful thinking. It is about having control of the game, which you lose if there is too much rotation. Our bench is not ready yet for that much responsibility. Hopefully we can swap out six players next season and look the same. Now that is not the case.

 

[David Bartley]

Simple answer would be to try and wrench Raya and Ivan Toney away from Brentford this summer.

I wouldn't bet on Toney.

 

[sullydnl]

The thing I find really promising is that we are doing well while there are so many areas that can still obviously be improved. Still massive potential upside with the right signings.

 

[bosnian_red]

The first half ended 0-0, this is wishful thinking. It is about having control of the game, which you lose if there is too much rotation. Our bench is not ready yet for that much responsibility. Hopefully we can swap out six players next season and look the same. Now that is not the case.

Nah. We've started Fred and Garnacho and looked pretty much the same. Don't need to do full rotation but no excuse not to do partial.

Fred should have started both games, rest Eriksen in one and Bruno in the other. He's good enough to start vs City and Spurs and produce a great performance, it's good enough for championship sides. Start Garnacho ahead of Rashford in one game, pellistri ahead of Antony the other game. It's nothing about losing control. It's literally just Ten Hag doesn't want to rotate ever. He will learn. It's got nothing to do with the players at the club. It's just his own preferences.

 

[Desert Eagle]

I wouldn't bet on Toney.

Ba dum tsh

 

[Suv666]

I wouldn't bet on Toney.

Nice

 

[ayushreddevil9]

The point is that Garnacho, Pellistri, Fred and McTominay are more than good enough to beat fecking reading.

You put McTom there and Reading have a chance.

 

[bosnian_red]

You put McTom there and Reading have a chance.

He was injured anyway. There's a medium between no rotation and full rotation anyway. It's ok to say it. No manager is perfect and they all have to improve on things here and there. This is ten hags area to improve. Not a huge deal.

 

[NLunited]

Nah. We've started Fred and Garnacho and looked pretty much the same. Don't need to do full rotation but no excuse not to do partial.

Fred should have started both games, rest Eriksen in one and Bruno in the other. He's good enough to start vs City and Spurs and produce a great performance, it's good enough for championship sides. Start Garnacho ahead of Rashford in one game, pellistri ahead of Antony the other game. It's nothing about losing control. It's literally just Ten Hag doesn't want to rotate ever. He will learn. It's got nothing to do with the players at the club. It's just his own preferences.

Nope, we did not look the same after the subs. Secondly, we did rotate in defense, Maguire and Lindelof. I don‘t think Ten Hag thought we could afford to rotate our midfield, so we didn‘t. Same for the attack.

 

[bosnian_red]

Nope, we did not look the same after the subs. Secondly, we did rotate in defense, Maguire and Lindelof. I don‘t think Ten Hag thought we could afford to rotate our midfield, so we didn‘t. Same for the attack.

We subbed a full team. I'm not saying start all the backups.

Make 1 change in midfield, and 1 in attack. Garnacho in for Rashford and Fred in for Eriksen for this game. Pellistri in for Antony and Fred in for Bruno for the other game. That's extremely different to full subs.

He doesn't think he can afford to play Fred vs shit teams but thinks he can start vs City and Spurs and produce great games? Come on. That's obviously nonsense.

 

[Rolaholic]

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[HarryP]

Playing a full strength team last night made sense. The cup tie v Forest is virtually over so they can rest midweek. It was better to ensure victory over Reading and avoid risking a replay (which would've been disastrous given our current schedule)

Also, Reading sat back and played with a deep block and rarely threatened offensively. That game would've felt like a good training session.

Contact injuries like Carroll on Eriksen can happen in any game and have no relevance to arguments surrounding fatigue.

 

[croadyman]

Playing a full strength team last night made sense. The cup tie v Forest is virtually over so they can rest midweek. It was better to ensure victory over Reading and avoid risking a replay (which would've been disastrous given our current schedule)

Also, Reading sat back and played with a deep block and rarely threatened offensively. That game would've felt like a good training session.

Contact injuries like Carroll on Eriksen can happen in any game and have no relevance to arguments surrounding fatigue.

I can understand the frustration in Erik playing him,however we needed someone to help break down low block

 

[NLunited]

We subbed a full team. I'm not saying start all the backups.

Make 1 change in midfield, and 1 in attack. Garnacho in for Rashford and Fred in for Eriksen for this game. Pellistri in for Antony and Fred in for Bruno for the other game. That's extremely different to full subs.

He doesn't think he can afford to play Fred vs shit teams but thinks he can start vs City and Spurs and produce great games? Come on. That's obviously nonsense.

That is clearly what he thinks. Fred is good at pressing, but against Reading we desperately need Eriksen for his creativity.

 

[Shai-Hulud]

Is there a good compilation for our best football played since EtH took over?

 

[Mas Risky]

The point is that Garnacho, Pellistri, Fred and McTominay are more than good enough to beat fecking reading.

No, they are not. They are decent as individuals, but playing those four together in our starting lineup would be a foolish decision by EtH, and we all know he is not stupid.

 

[romufc]

I'm obviously talking about spending in January not the season as a whole. Did any other top club have a new manager in the summer? Did any other club have their worst ever pl finish? The context matters.

Its well reported that ETH wanted Gakpo but we didn't have the funds. Gakpo would have clearly improved our chances of achieving the seasons objectives. I want the manager to get what he wants especially when he's doing quite well.

I don't want to spend just for the sake of it but I think it's disgraceful that money is not available to the manager in his second window. And nobody is saying let's spunk a 100 million but even 25 million could get you a decent squad option or two.

It's terrible financial planning and combined with those leeches you call businessmen penny pinching and sucking us dry till the very end of course United fans can be upset. Now it's not the end of the world because we have a good manager who we trust to make things work but it's incompetence all the same.

Oh so money being spent comes with stipulations that it has to be specific window, has to be a new manager this season.

Okay, let me give you context, Manutd had their worst finish, No CL and spent 220m in the summer, when has this every been done?

I do like how fans read reports that suit their agenda only. Gapko was a United target, correct. Was he a January target only? or was he a summer target too? So let me put some context for you, United went for Gapko in the summer, they didn't want to pay the fee. Yet, when a player in Antony was available, we paid 100m for him. We could easily have had Gapko over Antony, would you have taken this?

I wouldn't have, never rated Gapko, reminds me of a Europa league Rashford at best.

So you are upset that we spent 200m but havent spent more? The Galzers are the worst owners we know this but not due to spending on transfers. They have spent money over years in transfers.

 

[Desert Eagle]

Oh so money being spent comes with stipulations that it has to be specific window, has to be a new manager this season.

Okay, let me give you context, Manutd had their worst finish, No CL and spent 220m in the summer, when has this every been done?

I do like how fans read reports that suit their agenda only. Gapko was a United target, correct. Was he a January target only? or was he a summer target too? So let me put some context for you, United went for Gapko in the summer, they didn't want to pay the fee. Yet, when a player in Antony was available, we paid 100m for him. We could easily have had Gapko over Antony, would you have taken this?

I wouldn't have, never rated Gapko, reminds me of a Europa league Rashford at best.

So you are upset that we spent 200m but havent spent more? The Galzers are the worst owners we know this but not due to spending on transfers. They have spent money over years in transfers.

What I've bolded is the entire problem. It's not the amount of money spent in the summer, it's the mismanagement of funds which has been the trademark of the people above ETH for the past decade. If you know you only have 200 million to spend this season and you blow it all in the summer including overpaying like crazy for a position where at the start of the season we already have Sancho, Pellestri and Amad then you are a moron and should be fired. I would have taken no Antony in the summer and have an extra 80 million in January.

The Glazers have spent CLUB money on transfers yes but they have not had a competent footballing structure above the manager to make those decisions. Even this summer it seems like all the targets are basically whatever ETH wanted, not necessarily a bad thing but not the way a top club operates. You need a good GM in every team to help the coach deal with incomings, outgoings, contracts etc. Putting it all on ETH in his first season is Glazer incompetence yet again.

 

[romufc]

What I've bolded is the entire problem. It's not the amount of money spent in the summer, it's the mismanagement of funds which has been the trademark of the people above ETH for the past decade. If you know you only have 200 million to spend this season and you blow it all in the summer including overpaying like crazy for a position where at the start of the season we already have Sancho, Pellestri and Amad then you are a moron and should be fired. I would have taken no Antony in the summer and have an extra 80 million in January.

The Glazers have spent CLUB money on transfers yes but they have not had a competent footballing structure above the manager to make those decisions. Even this summer it seems like all the targets are basically whatever ETH wanted, not necessarily a bad thing but not the way a top club operates. You need a good GM in every team to help the coach deal with incomings, outgoings, contracts etc. Putting it all on ETH in his first season is Glazer incompetence yet again.

Yes you would have taken it, because you are not the manager.

I thought you wanted us to back Ten Hag? How do you know Ten Hag didn't go to the board and say, I have seen pre season, I have seen the first 3/4 games, I am not convinced about Diallo, Pellestri, Sancho, get me Antony at all costs.

Look, I will not argue about the Glazers, we all know they are shit owners.

What really is frustrating is fans taking this narrative and running with it without knowledge. The footballing structure has been changed since last year, which is why we opted for Ten Hag and not Poch or Conte, which the old structure would have gone for.

So you want the club to buy players and give them to the manager? The plan for the summer was to give the manager his options because we had 4 months prior sacked some scouts and other personnel at the club.

The clubs plan was to have Rangnick, Ten Hag got asked and he refused that option. I suggest you go and watch Ten Hag's first presser where he said, he analyses players himself. Giving Ten Hag the summer is not incompetence, it actually is the reason why he has improved us so much.

 

[sugar_kane]

Yes you would have taken it, because you are not the manager.

I thought you wanted us to back Ten Hag? How do you know Ten Hag didn't go to the board and say, I have seen pre season, I have seen the first 3/4 games, I am not convinced about Diallo, Pellestri, Sancho, get me Antony at all costs.

Look, I will not argue about the Glazers, we all know they are shit owners.

What really is frustrating is fans taking this narrative and running with it without knowledge. The footballing structure has been changed since last year, which is why we opted for Ten Hag and not Poch or Conte, which the old structure would have gone for.

So you want the club to buy players and give them to the manager? The plan for the summer was to give the manager his options because we had 4 months prior sacked some scouts and other personnel at the club.

The clubs plan was to have Rangnick, Ten Hag got asked and he refused that option. I suggest you go and watch Ten Hag's first presser where he said, he analyses players himself. Giving Ten Hag the summer is not incompetence, it actually is the reason why he has improved us so much.

Indeed, not a chance in hell Antony wasn’t a Ten Hag signing. It’s much more likely the board were against it and ETH put pressure on.

£80m is crazy money but that’s football nowadays, plus Ajax had no reason to sell so we needed to give them one.

Whatever you think of Antony if we hadn’t signed for that position we’d be fecked this season. Sancho has been out for months, Pellistri clearly isn’t ready (still not sure if he will make it in the PL despite his obvious talent) and Amad while having a great season now was coming off the back of a disastrous loan with Rangers.

We basically only had Sancho, Rashford, an injury prone Martial (returning from a disastrous loan at Sevilla) and a toxic Ronaldo to work with at the start of the season.