Erik ten Hag - Manchester United manager

VP89

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How many times does it have to be stated on here, we have been piss poor since the league cup win with or without injuries. Jog your memory back to the very first game against Wolves this season.
Thats not really a proper rebuttal to his bolded statement is it?
 

iato89

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In my opinion we are underrating our players immensly. Yes some player need to go but we are far better then what our performances have shown this whole year.
I like how this got completely ignored
Rio thinks ETH will be sacked. So?
 

iato89

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Ten Hag wanted most of the players well in and training over pre season. Instead Murtough and Arnold spent the whole summer fecking about going to Barca chasing a bloke who had no interest in coming and putting off all other deals in the meantime. When they finally took the hint it was getting late so they overpaid for Antony, overpaid for Martinez (both had their prices raised right up when Ajax was losing players left right and centre) and panic bought 30 year old Casemiro.

Wish everyone would stop this Ten Hag spent 400m bollocks when as usual it was the higher ups calling the shots overall. Could also argue it was all of that nonsense which led to us having a crap pre season, crap start of the season and shit loads of injuries during it too.
Jesus !! ETH chased FDJ and not the board. It WAS clear he wanted him and only him. He refused and he panicked. The excuses for ETH are incredible
 

NLunited

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How many times does it have to be stated on here, we have been piss poor since the league cup win with or without injuries. Jog your memory back to the very first game against Wolves this season.
Absolutely. We did start improving after that, but never got consistent. Injuries don’t help.
 

pocco

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Fair enough

At this point I'd rather just know either way, but I worry that simply getting 5th or 6th will become acceptable next season if Erik stays, as it's improvement. IMO a United manager in his 3rd season needs to be challenging.
He said himself that he hopes to have us challenging for top 4 again next season, just needs no injuries and some good moves in the market.
 

Lash

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Chasing De Jong is obviously primarily Erik's fault.

It's his former player, we had a bid accepted. Erik should have been able to pick up the phone to him and figure out he's not interested within about 30 seconds. Rather than make the club waste 3 months in limbo because he lacks basic people skills.

Any competent manager would have been phoning a major target like De Jong within a day of the bid being accepted. Or ETH knew he wasn't interested and was hoping for Barca to literally force him out against his wishes somehow.
It is and it isn't. I had this argument with a poster in the summer when we went for Mount. It's obvious what Erik wanted when he's targeted De Jong for two summers, a good recruitment and football operations team would have alternatives that stylistically match the profile - I just got told there isn't a player available out there like him (that's why we've gone for Mount), because I couldn't name one. Very much like Ten Hag, that's not my job, but it should be a basic requirement for the recruitment team.

I agree he should have been far more aware of De Jong's intentions, but the club were pushing him hard out the door and I can imagine the agent was making all sorts of noises too. A stronger footballing structure would be taking that sort of responsibility out of the managers hands - very much how Liverpool did with Klopp.
 

JPRouve

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I can't even click that, I immediately got a pop up forcing me to an "Am I gay" test :lol:

I have to caveat I'm near certain it's not a targeted ad.
You need to ask yourself some serious questions. :D

Anyway, Arsenal had a lot of injuries especially at the back.
 

OmarUnited4ever

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I voted for him to be sacked, but he might stay if the new management thinks he can do a better job next season, but I am really hoping for a new manager.

I am also hoping for some players to be let go, like Maguire, Rashford, Casemiro, Eriksen, Lindelof, and others like VdB, Sancho, etc..., the current playing squad must be gutted and overhauled.
 

Zoo

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Mitten hasn't really been in the know for a while, has he?
Not sure but surprising as he wasn’t ask he just volunteered his opinion.

Truth is nobody know fully how INEOS works so all options are on the table. Has to be resolved next week after the final.
 

VP89

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You need to ask yourself some serious questions. :D

Anyway, Arsenal had a lot of injuries especially at the back.
I don't know the extent to which it's comparable to this freak show, but it makes sense given their goals scored and ending position on the table.
 

stevoc

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We planned to replace Maguire which never happened. We have played a lot of games with Maguire, Evans or both, both of whom cannot defend 1v1 because they are slow. Varane has slowed as well.

Martinez is fine at it, as he was at Ajax.
Well that doesn't really explain it, we started the season with the defenders we have now. So if we were ploughing on with implementing this system regardless of personnel. Then it doesn't explain the back line sitting so deep.

Martinez isn't the fastest but can play a high line. But that's equally true of Maguire, Lindelof and even Evans. You can play a high line without lightning quick defenders. It's a structure and coaching issue.
 

stevoc

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Well you have 2 out of 3 in the starting lineup who are youth projects, which in itself is a problem before you consider set up or coach.
How does that result in our striker becoming isolated?
 

roonster09

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The excuses made for EtH are getting bigger every day.
Injuries
No CF
Not his signing
400 million spent is not really 400 million because
He didn't choose the target
It's not his fault club paid so much for Antony.
Concentrated injuries
Licha
Shaw
Players not good enough

Ten Hag won us the league cup, players are the reason why we are in 8th position.
 

VP89

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How does that result in our striker becoming isolated?
There are many games where him being isolated wasn't an issue. He has been hot and cold in his own performances, which is fine.

But to answer your question - it's poor decision making.
 

LawCharltonBest

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He said himself that he hopes to have us challenging for top 4 again next season, just needs no injuries and some good moves in the market.
Well I don't mean challenging top 4. I'm not sure if I'm missing sarcasm or if it is a genuine misunderstanding
 

Maticmaker

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Yeah every manager would need some time to acclimate to a new league, but he's had two year now mate. We've gotten worse the longer he's been here.
I am not arguing he should stay beyond his current contract if he does not fit the new 'head coach' model which it is assumed you think will happen under Sir Jim and Co. However I would argue that from the disasters of the first few week in his first year, ETH did win us a Cup, get to another final and into the CL. Its only been this year and the injuries mainly to defenders that have stopped the progress and allowed the backsliding. I think there are genuine criticisms of his selection of players, the positional deployment and his seeming intent to stick to 2 in midfield and 2 inverted wingers. Whether that is ETH's unwillingness to change his approach, or he's just going where he's pushed... not sure!

I just don't think with the senior team still to take up their positions it is the right time to sack ETH. If a new 'head coach' (as opposed to an actual management role) is the order of the day going forward, then we need to clear the decks in term's of both on and off the field personnel, get the rules laid down throughout the club on attention to detail, etc. and above all agree the style and way of playing going forward, then look for the Head Coach who can do that job, let them hit the ground running, with all the 'sh** shifting having been done. Otherwise it will become a 'rinse and repeat' cycle once more.

A different time indeed. I don't agree that we need another Fergie or a Busby, that's the old football model where a manager comes in and shapes the club to his liking rebuilding it form the gorund up.
As I indicated also, it was a different time, with SAF and Sir Matt, but I believe if we still decide to look for a traditional manager, or if we do go to the 'head coach' model, we still require something of a 'visionary', who can see what styles of play are emerging, (following the Pep era) and get us moving in that direction. At senior management level decisions about league structures, seasonal lengths (i.e. 39th match etc.), remuneration levels and transfer policies will all have to converged with the coach's thinking if success is going to happen.

However I don't believe any of this will be helped if we rush to dismiss ETH, he may at some stage decide to 'fall on his sword.' I would at least let him finish out his contract, unless the 'United messiah' appears miraculously during this summer break.
Don't forget in 1973-74 Tommy doc took us down to Div two, but he was still at the helm when he brought us back up as Div 2 champions the following year and to reach an FA cup final as well. (indeed except for personnel life issues, he could have gone on to further success)
[ record; 1973-74: -10 GD; 21st place: 38 points]
 

pocco

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Well I don't mean challenging top 4. I'm not sure if I'm missing sarcasm or if it is a genuine misunderstanding
I was being sarcastic, I knew what you meant and I agree with you. I thought this season we would be challenging in a similar way Arsenal did for a large part of last season, and I doubt we would have even if we kept everyone fit.
 

Bobski

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The excuses made for EtH are getting bigger every day.
Injuries
No CF
Not his signing
400 million spent is not really 400 million because
He didn't choose the target
It's not his fault club paid so much for Antony.
Concentrated injuries
Licha
Shaw
Players not good enough

Ten Hag won us the league cup, players are the reason why we are in 8th position.
It is amazing that some can so easily hand-wave away the ineptitude demonstrated this season.

Forget the results, the performances this season amount to the worst season in my lifetime of watching Utd, structurally Utd have been an utter shambles throughout, a senselessly suicidal set up that obviously could not work. Stubbornly sticking with an unworkable system that needs players you don't have to function is not a sign of good coaching, allowing the players to flounder trying to make the unworkable work doesn't fill me with confidence that this is a manager who can adapt to challenging times and circumstances, it makes him look incredibly one dimensional instead. A season like this with so much disruption is also an opportunity to show his coaching skills, come up with innovative solutions, he had nothing, tried nothing.

I can't think of a comparable season at any major club.

What are people seeing that is creating such faith in Ten Hag?
 
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roonster09

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It is amazing that some can so easily hand-wave away the ineptitude demonstrated this season.

Forget the results, the performances this season amount to the worst season in my lifetime of watching Utd, structurally Utd have been an utter shambles throughout, a senselessly suicidal set up that obviously could not work.

I can't think of a comparable season at any major club.

What are people seeing that is creating such faith in Ten Hag?
Yeah, can't think of a worst season than this. Most teams dominated us and it was just pathetic performance from all involved. Suicidal tactical set up, players looking like never trained together, manager with bunch of excuses in every PC.
 

Borninthe80ts

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I am trying to find the positives.... I am struggling, guessing you will say bringing through youth, am I right, so who exactly? Garnacho, a teenager bought by Ole for nearly half a million who was on first team fast track from the second he signed! or Mainoo? a player who has been nailed on for the first team for at least 18 months, it would be harder to have kept these 2 out than playing them. So what about Amad? a player who many would argue should have been player or at least young player of the year last season in the Championship and who has sat out game after game whilst Antony has floundered, Kambwalla? who again was bought in for big money and who has only been played as a last resort.... don't get me wrong I take your point that discussion should be objective and balanced, but then that goes for everything.

Truly the majority of the posters on here defending ETH do seem like they have drunk the coolaid... I think some of the reaction is the incredulity of it

I am very much an each to their own, live and let live guy, we can have a discussion, a disagreement, my goal is not to convince you I am right, it is just the debate, maybe we agree on some things, but then we agree to disagree on the rest.

I would also add that every ETH detractor on here does not discount the injuries, the signings, the disruption in the board room, having to deal with Ronaldo, Greenwood and Sancho.... it hasn't been a joy ride, not one sane person would say that it has been, but this is Man Utd, it is not going to be plain sailing, even having a torrid season we are still getting more press that City, Pool and Arsenal combined.... we need a manager that can handle the adversity and adapt not one who goes nuts and decides to abandon having a midfield for 95% of the games.

You know what most managers would have struggled with Utd this season, but the problem is ETH has amplified those problems, he has insisted on trying to create a system which has been impossible to implement and would be even in perfect conditions, it is a vicious cycle, players get blamed for not busting their lungs running back, but they have been demoralised, they do not play in a vacuum, they see the same issues that we do, it breeds discontent, poor attitude and effort, but does ETH shut up shop, get the team solid, starting to feel positive before trying to move things on again, no just keeps banging on the same destructive tactics, it is a truism in football that winning games is contagious, same for conceding easy goals, capitulating when things are not going well... bottom line is nobody, nobody is saying we should have been winning the CL or the Prem, if we finish 8th we finish 8th, but it is the way we have gone about it, it has been embarrassing, and that rests solely on ETH
It’s doesn’t really matter who purchased the players you mentioned, to play them as youngsters is what matters. You say they were nailed on which is incorrect, Garnacho was and still fluctuates in performance level and a host of posters on here still questioned his ability up until recently. You also say big money was spent on Kambwala, which has nothing to do with Eric yet criticise him for being a last resort. Maybe the fee was high for a 16 year old but under 4 million euros, performance related isn’t bad for me.

Either way he had long term injuries preventing earlier involvement. Also Amad has only really demanding starts with performances recently, prior to the Liverpool game he was inconsistent. Trying to play your big money signing into form isn’t ridiculous to me, ie Antony.

For me he also got rid of a lot of players that were affecting the environment of the team and non starters. There’s still more to go but he made a start and has been restricted by funding in this area.

We had the second best defence in the league last season before injuries disrupted that.

Fair dues you do cover a some of the issues but to me there dismissed like all top coaches have to deal with the seriousness of the issues. Greenwood, Antony and Ronaldo issues alone would be seen as a crisis at other clubs and these are non footballing yet its seen as part of the big club culture. Imagine if Salah, Diaz and Allison had done the same. Mix this with underperforming key players and injuries and it will have build up.

In fact can anyone give me a comparison to a top club where similar situations have arose? In a two year period mind.

Finally I agree that the manager has added to his own issues in that he probably could have been more flexible tactically and maybe the issues with Sancho and starting certain players. However I can see the need to try and implement his own style on the opposition, and we have had periods when we’ve won using his system, and at times played well. It’s been to inconsistent for sure but it’s been present for me. I’m not demanding we keep Eric, nor do I sip the kool aid, just trying to be fair in assessment. But as you say, each to their own no insults needed.
 

stevoc

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There are many games where him being isolated wasn't an issue. He has been hot and cold in his own performances, which is fine.

But to answer your question - it's poor decision making.
I think that's an understatement mate. There's been games and entries runs of games where the rest of the forwards including older players like Rashford just don't even look for Hojlund. Let alone actually pass to him, so either this is by design or well I've no idea why all the wide forwards would decide to play like this and Ten Hag not say anything about it.
 

crossy1686

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I voted for him to be sacked, but he might stay if the new management thinks he can do a better job next season, but I am really hoping for a new manager.

I am also hoping for some players to be let go, like Maguire, Rashford, Casemiro, Eriksen, Lindelof, and others like VdB, Sancho, etc..., the current playing squad must be gutted and overhauled.
Not having a go at your post, but people keep saying he deserves the chance under the new structure but without realising the new structure will probably take another 6 months or so to start making any kind of meaningful impact. They still need to finish hiring everyone, they need to get in and start implementing change once they've identified what the issues are, and the summers recruitment is going to be pretty difficult by all accounts. Meaning Ten Hag will probably be gone based on results alone by November at the latest, at which point we'd have wished we sacked him in the summer instead of wasting yet another season and trying to bring someone in to bail us out around Christmas.
 

Lyng

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The excuses made for EtH are getting bigger every day.
Injuries
No CF
Not his signing
400 million spent is not really 400 million because
He didn't choose the target
It's not his fault club paid so much for Antony.
Concentrated injuries
Licha
Shaw
Players not good enough

Ten Hag won us the league cup, players are the reason why we are in 8th position.
The lengths to which people go to defend this is indeed utterly absurd.
You even have posters claiming our attack being toothless is only down to the players, despite anyone with half a football brain can see the lack of play patterns and players put in positions where they are miles from each other.
 

pocco

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You definitely are watching something else. More often than not Onana just boots it
I'm convinced these guys supporting ETH aren't watching games. Our press is so poorly coordinated, and as you said, the playing out from the back is also poor. Generally results in a punt up the pitch more often than not. You can literally see the traps that opposition coaches are laying for us each game.
 

stevoc

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I am not arguing he should stay beyond his current contract if he does not fit the new 'head coach' model which it is assumed you think will happen under Sir Jim and Co. However I would argue that from the disasters of the first few week in his first year, ETH did win us a Cup, get to another final and into the CL. Its only been this year and the injuries mainly to defenders that have stopped the progress and allowed the backsliding. I think there are genuine criticisms of his selection of players, the positional deployment and his seeming intent to stick to 2 in midfield and 2 inverted wingers. Whether that is ETH's unwillingness to change his approach, or he's just going where he's pushed... not sure!

I just don't think with the senior team still to take up their positions it is the right time to sack ETH. If a new 'head coach' (as opposed to an actual management role) is the order of the day going forward, then we need to clear the decks in term's of both on and off the field personnel, get the rules laid down throughout the club on attention to detail, etc. and above all agree the style and way of playing going forward, then look for the Head Coach who can do that job, let them hit the ground running, with all the 'sh** shifting having been done. Otherwise it will become a 'rinse and repeat' cycle once more.
Ineos will 100% be going down the Director of football and head coach route.

Ten Hags Dutch so of course the inverted wingers are his idea. And to be fair most coaches opt for them these days.

As I indicated also, it was a different time, with SAF and Sir Matt, but I believe if we still decide to look for a traditional manager, or if we do go to the 'head coach' model, we still require something of a 'visionary', who can see what styles of play are emerging, (following the Pep era) and get us moving in that direction. At senior management level decisions about league structures, seasonal lengths (i.e. 39th match etc.), remuneration levels and transfer policies will all have to converged with the coach's thinking if success is going to happen.

However I don't believe any of this will be helped if we rush to dismiss ETH, he may at some stage decide to 'fall on his sword.' I would at least let him finish out his contract, unless the 'United messiah' appears miraculously during this summer break.
Don't forget in 1973-74 Tommy doc took us down to Div two, but he was still at the helm when he brought us back up as Div 2 champions the following year and to reach an FA cup final as well. (indeed except for personnel life issues, he could have gone on to further success)
[ record; 1973-74: -10 GD; 21st place: 38 points]
We'll still need a top coach when Ten Hag goes. But the play style will be decided by the club hierarchy going forward.
 

roonster09

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The lengths to which people go to defend this is indeed utterly absurd.
You even have posters claiming our attack being toothless is only down to the players, despite anyone with half a football brain can see the lack of play patterns and players put in positions where they are miles from each other.
Like I said, managers wins us the trophies, players let us down everytime.

Last season for few months we played good football but overall his 2 seasons are not good enough. Very low goal scoring seasons, poor underlying numbers. He is very lucky with the cup draws, only thing his fans can use to defend this failure.

He gets way too easy pass for the pathetic CL group, so bad that we didn't even qualify for europa from CL. It was such an easy group too.
 

Lyng

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Like I said, managers wins us the trophies, players let us down everytime.

Last season for few months we played good football but overall his 2 seasons are not good enough. Very low goal scoring seasons, poor underlying numbers. He is very lucky with the cup draws, only thing his fans can use to defend this failure.

He gets way too easy pass for the pathetic CL group, so bad that we didn't even qualify for europa from CL. It was such an easy group too.
Couldnt agree more. Its been our worst season in the Premier League era by a country mile and yet people want to stick with him.
We have had much better managers sacked for a lot less in the past.
 

LordSpud

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Chasing De Jong is obviously primarily Erik's fault.

It's his former player, we had a bid accepted. Erik should have been able to pick up the phone to him and figure out he's not interested within about 30 seconds. Rather than make the club waste 3 months in limbo because he lacks basic people skills.

Any competent manager would have been phoning a major target like De Jong within a day of the bid being accepted. Or ETH knew he wasn't interested and was hoping for Barca to literally force him out against his wishes somehow.
Nah. Arnold and Murtough were the people above him. They should have overruled. Of course Erik wanted the player he wanted. They should have said no, instead paid the 30m and 40m for Martinez and Antony early doors before the Ajax squad got rinsed, and either went back in the end for De Jong or plan B. Last summer was not Ten Hag's feck up.
 

Sarni

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He said himself that he hopes to have us challenging for top 4 again next season, just needs no injuries and some good moves in the market.
This is quite convenient because very obviously we will have injuries. Buying into this excuse once grants him a virtual managerial immunity here.
 

The Firestarter

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This is quite convenient because very obviously we will have injuries. Buying into this excuse once grants him a virtual managerial immunity here.
Has he taken any blame, any reflection whatsoever? So far it is 1) Players are injured 2) Even if not injured they not good enough
 

LordSpud

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Chasing De Jong is obviously primarily Erik's fault.

It's his former player, we had a bid accepted. Erik should have been able to pick up the phone to him and figure out he's not interested within about 30 seconds. Rather than make the club waste 3 months in limbo because he lacks basic people skills.

Any competent manager would have been phoning a major target like De Jong within a day of the bid being accepted. Or ETH knew he wasn't interested and was hoping for Barca to literally force him out against his wishes somehow.
But you've also proved the point that there WAS no structure above him. It was a fecking circus. That's why I'm willing to see how he fares with INEOS calling it. He might even decide he doesn't want to stay if they are overruling