Erik ten Hag - Manchester United manager

DutchSerb

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Could not agree more. I don't think he has been as bad as others have said but surely he should have been subbed off at HT today? I mean we have to play 3 midfielders to get control in the middle. That has to be priority. I am very surprised we had Sabitzer and Bruno as our midfield while WW was playing as no.10....what do I know but just feels we can do better
But who do we really have? SMT is shite, Fred + Sabitzer looked horrible together against Leeds. I'm with you guys on the Weghorst criticism but to me it just feels like we're unlucky with injuries and need to endure until the next transfer window. The reality is our midfield depth is mediocre and WW at 10 has worked out in previous games, it's logical to me that ETH sticks with what worked for him in the past. When I look at what we have available in midfield right now I can't think of a single combination that would allow us to play good football.
 

mav_9me

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But who do we really have? SMT is shite, Fred + Sabitzer looked horrible together against Leeds. I'm with you guys on the Weghorst criticism but to me it just feels like we're unlucky with injuries and need to endure until the next transfer window. The reality is our midfield depth is mediocre and WW at 10 has worked out in previous games, it's logical to me that ETH sticks with what worked for him in the past. When I look at what we have available in midfield right now I can't think of a single combination that would allow us to play good football.
The obvious would be Fred, Sabitzer and Bruno no?
 

Garethw

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This blind spot for Weghorst is seriously making me question him.
 

Garethw

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Who else is meant to play there?
Give Bruno a free role centrally and play three central midfielders behind him.

What’s the point of playing a striker that doesn’t score or create?

Give his minutes to Mainoo or another academy player. Weghorst is literally pointless as a 9 or 10 and offers nothing.
 

Garethw

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:houllier:

Always, there is always one. Always.
ETH has been fantastic . A breath of fresh air. But can you honestly understand the decision to constantly start Weghorst? He’s completely out of his depth and his constant inclusion is worrying. He’s even been moved to a 10 position as he offers zero goal threat as a striker. It’s crazy and the experiment needs to end.
 

Sandikan

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We’ve won but I feel he’s got a big test coming in the next few weeks after the international break to get these lot going again.
We have undoubtedly lost a step since winning the league cup. He needs to fire something up this team because performance have dropped significantly bar that second half against Betis.

Casemiro and Eriksen are just too big a miss right now but neither are available for our next three games so we need to work out what we’re doing in midfield because it just looks so bad without them and it shouldn’t.

The Weghorst thing is a little weird. Our options aren’t great but we do still have options and it’s a little baffling to me that a player with 2 goal involvements in about 15 games gets as much game time as he does. It’s become a little predictable our attack.
Do we know Eriksen is out that long? Shame those 3 games are over 6 days though. That doesn't help!

But by mid April we should have a full squad.
 

DutchSerb

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The obvious would be Fred, Sabitzer and Bruno no?
Fred has only put in stinkers without Casemiro so to me that's not obvious at all. We have no other choice I guess but we'll still look the same as we did today, horrendous.
 

Irwin99

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One last stretch of the season to go. Think it's fair to say performances have dropped quite a bit lately but we're still in a really good position. Hopefully Eriksen, Martial and Casemiro will all come back and performances will pick up.
 

Gavinb33

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I love this guy. But recently he's surprised me a bit with his change of tone. He's starting to moan a bit more and I'm not sure why - maybe it's because results are slipping a bit and he's feeling the pressure?

He seemed to refuse to blame refs for anything up until the Southampton game and then he went in on them. Now he's gone and moaned about injuries and suspensions and randomly pointed out (wrongly) that Arsenal always have a fully fit squad available.

Do you think it's only a matter of time before he complains about fixture congestion? Something he's always refused to do, but I think the effect on the squad is clear to see for everyone now.

Anyway, I still love him and think he's a top manager, but I think I preferred the stoic, never-complaining Erik we were getting for most of the season up until now.
Arsenal have used 2nd least players in the league therefore their players are usually available, therefore he was correct
 

Bastian

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If he's taken advice from SAF he'll have leaned on the whole squad to pull out off friendlies in the next couple of weeks. We definitely need the rest. Thank f Varane has retired from international football.
 

LordSpud

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The Weghorst chat is mental. Can you imagine if we hadnt loaned him and hadnt got anyone else in either (Weghorst was seemingly the one and only option)? We would be playing with a false 9/10 hybrid in Bruno.

WW, as an option in that position, is absolutely essential to us right now.
 

NFM

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A lucky manager is often a good manager. ETH is exhibiting these attributes.
 

Eddy_JukeZ

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Our play has slipped a bit lately bar the Betis game, but our depth is thin and we're playing constantly.

Hopefully Eriksen returns soon and maybe Martial can play a game or two.
 

Mr. Robot

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ETH has been fantastic . A breath of fresh air. But can you honestly understand the decision to constantly start Weghorst? He’s completely out of his depth and his constant inclusion is worrying. He’s even been moved to a 10 position as he offers zero goal threat as a striker. It’s crazy and the experiment needs to end.
That's on the Glazers and the Sporting/Scouting Deparments. THIS is why we're desperate for new owners and a new structure. We haven't planned for the future and it's why we're now forced to use a Burnley reject as our no.9.
 

fallengt

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ETH has been fantastic . A breath of fresh air. But can you honestly understand the decision to constantly start Weghorst? He’s completely out of his depth and his constant inclusion is worrying. He’s even been moved to a 10 position as he offers zero goal threat as a striker. It’s crazy and the experiment needs to end.
The alternatives are Maguire, McTomminay and some kid from academy. Pick your choice
 

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ETH has been fantastic . A breath of fresh air. But can you honestly understand the decision to constantly start Weghorst? He’s completely out of his depth and his constant inclusion is worrying. He’s even been moved to a 10 position as he offers zero goal threat as a striker. It’s crazy and the experiment needs to end.
Just shows he's got a sense of humour heh?
 

DRJosh

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When will we have Varane back? Today’s performance against Fulham doesn’t fill me with confidence as we reach the tail end of the season.
 

Tarrou

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ETH has been fantastic . A breath of fresh air. But can you honestly understand the decision to constantly start Weghorst? He’s completely out of his depth and his constant inclusion is worrying. He’s even been moved to a 10 position as he offers zero goal threat as a striker. It’s crazy and the experiment needs to end.
he just works hard and we don’t have anyone else

I wouldn’t worry about it
 

SalfordRed18

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One last stretch of the season to go. Think it's fair to say performances have dropped quite a bit lately but we're still in a really good position. Hopefully Eriksen, Martial and Casemiro will all come back and performances will pick up.
Stop it
 

SalfordRed18

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Anywho if there was ever a season to complain about fixture congestion, it's this one.

I don't know the exact stats but I wouldn't be shocked if a mixture of the squads that got lucky with the least injuries, and youngest teams typically outperformed the rest.
 

Irwin99

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But I have to keep the hope, even if it kills :( . I'm not even a part of the Martial fan club on here I just want a bit of depth and variety to the attacking options and take some of the burden off Rashford.

Martial will come back and play at a decent level for the final part of his United career...when his team need him the most. It is written!
 

Marwood

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I think the penny is dropping for quite a few. Managers aren't miracle workers. They rely on the talent of the players at their disposal.

ETH can't turn Ole's players into ball playing winners despite what some on here think.

Our improvement largely came from the new signings. He's done brilliantly bringing them in. Without them his hands are tied to some extent.

He needs his best players back asap or top 4 is going to get sticky.

Followed by one hell of a summer.
 

sglowrider

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He has really grown into the role. His body language and his voice have so much more authority now. You can tell that he feels that it's his club now.
His vocab has improved dramatically too.
 

amolbhatia50k

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I think the penny is dropping for quite a few. Managers aren't miracle workers. They rely on the talent of the players at their disposal.

ETH can't turn Ole's players into ball playing winners despite what some on here think.

Our improvement largely came from the new signings. He's done brilliantly bringing them in. Without them his hands are tied to some extent.

He needs his best players back asap or top 4 is going to get sticky.

Followed by one hell of a summer.
Yeah I think as much as we want to see many of these players transformed it doesn’t look to be possible and for many we have to move on. The difference in our tactical organisation and control during that great run we had and now is alarming - I pretty got used to expecting us to be controlling games well and pressing as an organised unit - so watching us bumble our way through games is such a stark difference.

We have to identity those who can’t play the way we want and be ruthless and sensible in replacing them. I initially thought we needed a few additions but we need many including improvements in squad players too. Just open ETH makes sure every signing is aimed at making us more comfortable on the ball. He did say we played well in the first half which I found surprising. Maybe keeping morale up?
 

romufc

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Yet another game, yet another poor performance and dominated at home again.

This is a recurring theme, we've been so lucky to get away with this. I have said it for weeks, this team is not good and a better attacking team will again put us 4/5 past us again.

Its worrying signs really, its unsustainable what we are doing at the moment. We are in a top 4 dog fight now against Poor Spurs, Poor Liverpool.
 

golden_blunder

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Yet another game, yet another poor performance and dominated at home again.

This is a recurring theme, we've been so lucky to get away with this. I have said it for weeks, this team is not good and a better attacking team will again put us 4/5 past us again.

Its worrying signs really, its unsustainable what we are doing at the moment. We are in a top 4 dog fight now against Poor Spurs, Poor Liverpool.
What do you propose? He’s working with a small squad and missing major players due to injury & suspension. We just have to suck it up and see where we are at the end of the season.
 

NewUser777

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Yet another game, yet another poor performance and dominated at home again.

This is a recurring theme, we've been so lucky to get away with this. I have said it for weeks, this team is not good and a better attacking team will again put us 4/5 past us again.

Its worrying signs really, its unsustainable what we are doing at the moment. We are in a top 4 dog fight now against Poor Spurs, Poor Liverpool.
You Are right. But also wrong. We do not have the squad to compete in all competitions. But we are. And we don’t even have a striker.