So should we not address the personnel issue that is clearly not up to the levels that top football demands first?
We still don’t have our best defence and we haven’t had a LB now for 70% of our season.
We have issues with Rashford who benefits massively from having an overlapping fullback (as do most wide forwards who want to cut inside).
We have issues with our defence and midfield gaps which having Shaw and Martinez (both better defenders and comfortable stepping into midfield) would help resolve.
Is Ten Hag head of recruitment too now and is responsible for deciding the fees we pay?
I’ve said many times now if he leaves I don’t care. I’ll back the next appointment made.
Ive criticised him plenty. I just dont moan incessantly about things that im not sure are his sole responsibility. And when they aren’t his sole responsibility I also acknowledge that context.
I know my position and I’m not happy with this season or 100% convinced on Ten Hag. I know that I enter every discussion in good faith and make an effort to respond, contextualise and clarify my opinion. It’s not a popular one.
People take the piss because they lack the ability to debate the points I make and so it’s easier to try and characterise context as me being Ten Hag, his dad, agent or whatever else.
I maintain you add a CDM and CB of the correct physical and technical levels, and keep the best players we have fit for more of the season like Arsenal and other have and you’d see a significant improvement.
What exactly is the tactical issue in your view. And how much of that is tactical and how much is down to player quality?
Where do you draw that distinction?
What football could we play right now that you believe is better and achievable?
Exactly my point. Ten Hag tries to instil discipline and it’s used against him. I believe Ten Hag has made the right decisions with Ronaldo, Sancho, Rashford and Garnacho. Do you n
Tuchel has the same issue or worse (again read up on his season) and nobody wants to mention it?
If we’re going to change managers then we also need to understand why and what the concerns may be. Because you’ll find the parallels in terms of criticism is very similar the difference being Bayern have a better squad, are better set up regardless of manager to dominate their league and still he’s had two seasons where he’s struggled.
I think most would agree, the players are as big, if not bigger (for me, a bigger issue) an issue as the manager - A lot of these players do need to go, and yeah we need those additions in defence and defensive midfield. While Ten Hag has dealt well with a lot of issues correctly, I do think that if his team doesn't have the legs to play the transition football he wants to play, he should have the ability to be a bit more pragmatic and just get the wins (However scrappy they are) against the likes of Burnley, Bournemouth, etc. I have no issues with his man management, I believe he's done that aspect better than Mou, Ole and LVG - I don't think someone like Tuchel will do better in that respect.
I do take issue with his tactics in these easy games he should win, yes of course we've got injuries but we can still win these games if we play with a bit more solidity after we've taken a lead - and I believe that can be coached. I would be OK if he gets a bit more time with a fully fit squad and a couple of additions in the summer to see if he fixes these issues, but I would also be OK with someone like Nagelsmann or Enrique coming in at the end of the season, as long as it's a tactically better coach that doesn't have a prolonged history of falling out with players.
Not going to put some of these transfers solely on the manager, and yes of course we'd play better with our injured players back / if we had better players in certain areas - But we should still be getting past these bottom half / championship teams despite these limitations, our 2nd eleven should be good enough to at least beat 10th in the PL. This is where he comes up short for me, and I hope he's able to address this if he stays next season.