Erik ten Hag - Manchester United manager

Would you allow ETH to manage the cup final before parting ways?

  • Yes

    Votes: 526 52.7%
  • No, get an interim now

    Votes: 472 47.3%

  • Total voters
    998
  • This poll will close: .

VP89

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None of these processes and highly thought of individuals are infallible. I’d hope United fans know better than just following or trusting any and everything served by the club just because “it’s different now, it’s coming from INEOS”. It’s important that fans form their own opinions based on available evidence and what’s observable.
They are going to know a lot more than we do, and they are a lot more credible than we are in assessing the situation.
 

evil_geko

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Good on Erik for calling out his haters, love to see them getting triggered by his comments. Indeed a disgrace. Feck media and anyone supporting those clowns.
 

Cassidy

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Neville has said that at the weekend 8-9 of the starters would be in our best team. He's not wrong. Shaw, Martinez and Varane are the only first teamers missing the last few weeks.

Obviously if Garnacho, Rashford and Bruno are unavailable then yeah fair enough we are missing half our full strength team.
Hes also said the notion that there has been an injury crisis this season is false. Its not false.
 

JPRouve

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Wasn't even aware it was there already. Bottom line is we have been extremely lucky to have only conceded 48 so far, with Onana pulling off numerous amazing saves and conceding very few savable goals in the league. Also bear in mind we conceded way more in CL than we did in 2021-22 where we only conceded 8 (vs whopping 15 this year). It's bonkers to think we are less open and better defensively this year.
We are currently at 59 based on Opta's xGA, Understat has us at 63 but Opta is a more reputable source. Now the worst part is the xG because you could make the argument that we are open because we are offensively creative or potent but the xG is currently at 47.2 for Opta.
 

The Hilton

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Where do you think we would finish this season if he had his dream team available?
Honestly that's hard to tell, Ten Hag's system in its best state, as I understand it, comes with very high potential highs but also low potential lows. It sacrifices a degree of control for the potential to dominate, keeping the opposition penned in.

We'd definitely be doing better than we are at the moment, there is a question mark as to whether the inherent variance and lack of control would be sustainable long term compared to the likes of Pep's City where the system is all about control and lack of variance.
 

TsuWave

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They are going to know a lot more than we do, and they are a lot more credible than we are in assessing the situation.
That can be applied to almost anything. Imagine using that as justification to “trust” every outcome that goes against available evidence, your own eyes and knowledge. A core tenet of being a fan - in life even - is being able to use your own discernment
 

BorisManUtd

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Let's be honest we had something close to our best 11 against Wolves 1st game of the season (Onana, AWB, Varane, Martinez, Shaw, Casemiro, Antony, Bruno, Mount, Garnacho, Rashford) but that game already looked like a warning sign that playing the way ten Hag wants can't work. It was at home and against midtable side but we were still massively exposed. Then away game at Spurs and Arsenal were even encouraging to some extent, but everything since then proved that it doesn't work.

Ultimately we're 7th with negative goal difference, no control in games and conceding almost as many shots as Sheffield United or something like that. We've been performing like midtable team. Many injuries yes and especially in defence, but that's not good enough of an excuse.
 

VP89

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That can be applied to almost anything. Imagine using that as justification to “trust” every outcome that goes against available evidence, your own eyes and knowledge. A core tenet of being a fan - in life even - is being able to use your own discernment
Yes - that is why fans dont run clubs. They can have an opinion, but well qualified people in established roles should be making the deep dive and are more likely to draw the right conclusions.
 

The Hilton

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Who are these plenty of managers and which clubs brings that many players after two years that you could say that it's the manager's team? And has that ever been the case for ETH?
You're trying to put words in my mouth, that isn't what I stated.

What I'm referring to are clubs that plan in advance for managers, look at the likes of Brighton, City, Southampton, off the top my head all clubs that have adopted a club approach from youth teams up to the first team, and managers are brought in with that style in mind, so that any manager that comes in has a squad and youth that largely fit the system required. There's always some fine tuning involved, but no huge overhauls.
 

MadDogg

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When did the complete lack of organisation begin specifically? It was there as we took a 3-0 lead and for me taking off two younger players for more experience, Garnacho in particular was injured, wasn’t a terrible thing.

The subs costing the game/lead thing is quite exaggerated.
We were in complete control in the first half as Coventry sat back and basically allowed us to do what we wanted.

At halftime they changed their system a bit and came at us more, and from then on it was 50/50. So it was at that point that we 'lost control', although Coventry wasn't in control either.

Then around the 70th minute or whatever it was they made a couple of subs which made them better, we made a couple of subs which made us worse, and it was mostly chaos from us from that point forward while they took advantage.

What we saw in the first half is basically what ETH's system is supposed to bring. That's what he wants to see every match. The issue is that for it to work this season it basically requires a poor quality opposition who sit off us and let us do what we want. As soon as even that poor quality opposition makes a few changes and decides to get at us, we tend to descend into chaos where we're relying entirely on individual quality instead of seeing any benefits or strengths of the system.
 

Ace of Spades

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The press maybe useless, but he has got a very easy ride so far. Looks more clueless than Ole who was called a P.E. teacher and the moment he has a little criticism, he gets all cnutish.

He has been crap, and deserves the sack. He has nothing going for him. Performance, results, squad building, etc. all suck.
 

MadDogg

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Credit to Coventry but I don’t agree with that. We were poor after 70 minutes, but they were lucky to get to 3-3. The penalty was very harsh.

We’ve seen this lack of game management over and over; there is no way Ten Hag isn’t talking to his players about this.

He is not coaching them to lose the ball or lose duels at critical moments.
No he's not. However he is also quite clearly not coaching them to keep the ball or setting up a system that allows them to control a match when we are under pressure. These things should be getting drilled into players so it's second nature and they do it without even thinking, and there's plenty of managers with worse players doing just that. We simply don't, and we've gotten significantly worse at it under his management.

Also, I don't like this narrative of us only becoming bad after 70 minutes. The momentum of the match started turning right from halftime.
 

JPRouve

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You're trying to put words in my mouth, that isn't what I stated.

What I'm referring to are clubs that plan in advance for managers, look at the likes of Brighton, City, Southampton, off the top my head all clubs that have adopted a club approach from youth teams up to the first team, and managers are brought in with that style in mind, so that any manager that comes in has a squad and youth that largely fit the system required. There's always some fine tuning involved, but no huge overhauls.
I didn't put anything in your mouth. You stated that the squad wasn't his and I asked you when he ever had his squad during his career The vast majority of clubs do not follow an approach from youth teams to the first team, and the vast majority of clubs do not sign a head coach that is a perfect fit for what they have, now most managers adapt to what they have.

As an example Brighton didn't plan their squad for De Zerbi, it would be strange to state that it was his team when he arrived in September because Potter left for a surprising job opening at Chelsea. It would be even stranger to make that claim when De Zerbi's main setup in his career has been 4231 while Potter's main setup has been with a back 3 in terms of squad building that's an important distinction.

As I said I don't really understand this "not his squad" statement that people sometimes make, it's not something common in Football. And head coaches are rarely in that type of context.
 

kouroux

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The press maybe useless, but he has got a very easy ride so far. Looks more clueless than Ole who was called a P.E. teacher and the moment he has a little criticism, he gets all cnutish.

He has been crap, and deserves the sack. He has nothing going for him. Performance, results, squad building, etc. all suck.
Still waiting for someone to ask him why Rashford keeps starting despite being consistently shite
 

hobbers

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Still waiting for someone to ask him why Rashford keeps starting despite being consistently shite
"Heh but you see, he is in a process, his form is clear. every game he makes a step, we are very pleased with him. heh"
 

90 + 5min

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Weird reaction here. I think he's right and glad to see him give it back. I can't ever remember a manager being asked if he's embarrassed after a win or if his players are. The arrogance of the same media who kneel and worship cheating City is sickening. Some of you just don't get it or seem to have forgotten the absolute contempt most non United fans have for United
Agree. I wouldn't mind some kind of reaction as we did few months back. Ban those in media who are disrespectful and are only there searching for some reactions so they can sell papers.
 

MadDogg

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Except clean sheets and goals conceded but do carry on
:confused:

We're on track to equal our worst ever goals conceded in PL history (57 goals in the Ole/Rangnick season of 21/22), and the fact that we seem to be getting worse as the season wears on and we've got quite a tough end of the season means we are very likely to beat it. And that's just in the league, we're significantly worse this season if we take all competitions (conceding 1.64 goals per game this season compared to 1.4 goals per game in 21/22).
 

soapythecat

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Let's be honest we had something close to our best 11 against Wolves 1st game of the season (Onana, AWB, Varane, Martinez, Shaw, Casemiro, Antony, Bruno, Mount, Garnacho, Rashford) but that game already looked like a warning sign that playing the way ten Hag wants can't work. It was at home and against midtable side but we were still massively exposed. Then away game at Spurs and Arsenal were even encouraging to some extent, but everything since then proved that it doesn't work.

Ultimately we're 7th with negative goal difference, no control in games and conceding almost as many shots as Sheffield United or something like that. We've been performing like midtable team. Many injuries yes and especially in defence, but that's not good enough of an excuse.
We were almost, if not, at full strength when we got beat 0-7 and 6-3 by the Dippers and City. The bloke is a fraud of a tactician and well out of his depth. His signings just reiterate how poor a judge of player he is.
 

sparx99

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A good manager finds a way to win games regardless of the selection issues. I've seen us beat Arsenal with a midfield filled with defenders. There's more than one way to play football but for some reason Ten Hag has convinced our fans that this is all that we're capable of and there's no other possible way to play, when the reality is that it's all that he's capable of because he's so one dimensional.

There's no reason for our forward line and defensive line to be so far apart, there's no reason for us to be so open in the middle. We don't have to set up defensively. Some of the most attacking football we've ever played was formed on the basis of a counter attacking side.
Yeah, that's why I said I'd play more compact. The defence doesn't have enough pace to play high so the forwards and midfield need to play deeper.
 

The Hilton

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I didn't put anything in your mouth. You stated that the squad wasn't his and I asked you when he ever had his squad during his career The vast majority of clubs do not follow an approach from youth teams to the first team, and the vast majority of clubs do not sign a head coach that is a perfect fit for what they have, now most managers adapt to what they have.

As an example Brighton didn't plan their squad for De Zerbi, it would be strange to state that it was his team when he arrived in September because Potter left for a surprising job opening at Chelsea. It would be even stranger to make that claim when De Zerbi's main setup in his career has been 4231 while Potter's main setup has been with a back 3 in terms of squad building that's an important distinction.

As I said I don't really understand this "not his squad" statement that people sometimes make, it's not something common in Football. And head coaches are rarely in that type of context.
You did, and continue to do so. I never said that a head coach would be a perfect fit, there's obviously adaption, but the level of adaption required varies.

Brighton didn't plan specifically for De Zerbi, but he had been on a shortlist for a while. It's basic succession planning. Under Potter they'd been steadily building up a squad that was comfortable in possession under pressure etc, so while De Zerbi has brought in changes, he was a starting from a point where the squad could reasonably be expected to transition. Compare that to a squad that had been assembled for a pressure-allergic mid block for over half a decade like ours has, there's quite a clear difference.

Ten Hag could easily have adapted to the squad by continuing down the mid block route, but that wasn't why he was brought in. We've seen the limitations of that, and so are trying to adopt an entirely new system that the squad wasn't remotely suited for (and still isn't).

As for your last paragraph, let's just say I disagree, it's pointless us doing this dance again and again.
 

sparx99

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Team was 3-0 up with the opposition having had about 1 or 2 shots in the game, what happened after that wasn't about tactics
Saying that for the season you are correct, but it didn't really apply yesterday, that was total lack of discipline
It was partly about tactics. Coventry got a massive slice of luck with the deflected goal but the space they found is because of our team setup. Eventually, if you let teams shoot constantly they'll smash it in the top corner or it will deflect in the other side.
 

JPRouve

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You did, and continue to do so. I never said that a head coach would be a perfect fit, there's obviously adaption, but the level of adaption required varies.

Brighton didn't plan specifically for De Zerbi, but he had been on a shortlist for a while. It's basic succession planning. Under Potter they'd been steadily building up a squad that was comfortable in possession under pressure etc, so while De Zerbi has brought in changes, he was a starting from a point where the squad could reasonably be expected to transition. Compare that to a squad that had been assembled for a pressure-allergic mid block for over half a decade like ours has, there's quite a clear difference.

Ten Hag could easily have adapted to the squad by continuing down the mid block route, but that wasn't why he was brought in. We've seen the limitations of that, and so are trying to adopt an entirely new system that the squad wasn't remotely suited for (and still isn't).

As for your last paragraph, let's just say I disagree, it's pointless us doing this dance again and again.
I asked you questions because if a manager isn't a perfect fit and there is a level of adaption required then how is it his squad? At which point do we state, x squad is his?

Surely you understand why I stated that I don't understand that claim?
 

Di Maria's angel

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Why do people get so offended/pressed by what he says to the media? It doesn't really make any difference to what he's showing on the pitch (which is dreadful). Also feck the media.
 

El Zoido

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Feck me how triggered are some of you lot. Ten Hag is totally correct in calling out the media response to the semi-final victory. No it wasn’t good, and United fans can dissect that, but the ABU media ought to wind their neck in. The fact we’ve pissed so many of them off is one of the silver linings of this shit show of a season.
 

The Hilton

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I asked you questions because if a manager isn't a perfect fit and there is a level of adaption required then how is it his squad? At which point do we state, x squad is his?

Surely you understand why I stated that I don't understand that claim?
There's a world of difference between a squad that can be referred to as his squad, and a perfect fit on joining. But a handful of first choice picks, a few club signings driven by a dysfunctional footballing department, some emergency loan signings and free stopgaps, some youth players, and a load of legacy brought in to play an almost antithetical style of football clearly doesn't fit the bill.
 

JPRouve

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There's a world of difference between a squad that can be referred to as his squad, and a perfect fit on joining. But a handful of first choice picks, a few club signings driven by a dysfunctional footballing department, some emergency loan signings and free stopgaps, some youth players, and a load of legacy brought in to play an almost antithetical style of football clearly doesn't fit the bill.
Okay. Applying those criteria how is the current squad not his?
 

Di Maria's angel

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Feck me how triggered are some of you lot. Ten Hag is totally correct in calling out the media response to the semi-final victory. No it wasn’t good, and United fans can dissect that, but the ABU media ought to wind their neck in. The fact we’ve pissed so many of them off is one of the silver linings of this shit show of a season.
My point exactly. He's still our (shite) manager.
 

croadyman

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Presume he has gained some yes votes on here purely due to that presser. Knew that was going to persuade some he should get another season
 

Sarni

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We are currently at 59 based on Opta's xGA, Understat has us at 63 but Opta is a more reputable source. Now the worst part is the xG because you could make the argument that we are open because we are offensively creative or potent but the xG is currently at 47.2 for Opta.
That also feels right. I definitely remember our opposition missing sitters way more frequently than we do. I know some have convinced themselves that if our strikers had been clinical, and referees hadn’t screwed us, we would be in title race now but that notion is very incorrect. We are lucky to be where we are and also lucky that our GD is just -1.
 

Sarni

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Presume he has gained some yes votes on here purely due to that presser. Knew that was going to persuade some he should get another season
He seems very confident to be honest. I think he will have been assured that he’s completely safe.
 

AllezLesDiables

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Yes - that is why fans dont run clubs. They can have an opinion, but well qualified people in established roles should be making the deep dive and are more likely to draw the right conclusions.
The problem is there are a lot of people who get jobs that they are not qualified for and are ill-suited for.

Football is no different. United has terrible ownership and poor football staff. The two are intertwined.

United is an easy fix with the right leadership.
Many fans have pegged the problem. When you do not have a strong front office failure is inevitable.

As or blaming the media Ten Hag is barking up the wrong tree. When your team shits the bed like that you always own it and take responsibility.

Letting a championship side comeback from 3-0 deficit in the last 20 minutes is amateur hour.

United was extremely lucky to win. If you don’t want the media to criticize you then perhaps Ten Gag should stop with the bad decision making and flawed tactical plans.
 

JPRouve

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That also feels right. I definitely remember our opposition missing sitters way more frequently than we do. I know some have convinced themselves that if our strikers had been clinical, and referees hadn’t screwed us, we would be in title race now but that notion is very incorrect. We are lucky to be where we are and also lucky that our GD is just -1.
We are far worse than people think. Now I noticed something funny that should cheer up @SilentWitness? Everton have a better xG and xGA against than us with respectively 47.6 and 47.9. :lol:
 

NLunited

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It was partly about tactics. Coventry got a massive slice of luck with the deflected goal but the space they found is because of our team setup. Eventually, if you let teams shoot constantly they'll smash it in the top corner or it will deflect in the other side.
That’s true, if you let an opponent at you they can force the luck eventually. I don’t understand why we didn’t make some more tactical fouls and regrouped in a lower block.