Erik ten Hag - Manchester United manager

[Red Dreams]

Those who blame the manager cannot see the Forest for the trees.
No worries. He will gone soon.

Then the same numpties will be after some other new toy.

 

[Swedish_Plumber]

If he leaves then that should be game over for everyone above him.

Don’t think he will though.

 

[Gator Nate]

Has ETH found Ralf's 'doggy-dossier'?... the one Ralf (supposedly) didn't have because (supposedly) ETH said he would not be interested in such a dossier and wanted to make up his own mind about the players.

Bet Erik's done some reading this weekend though!

All the time he could have saved in the first month...

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

Oh we've finally been linked with Pedro Neto thank god. Been beating the drum for him for ages. Mendes controls Wolves and he just got them Cunha, so he could negotiate an easy exit for Neto now in return.

Morata, Neto, Rabiot and Dest would have me delighted tbh. Frenkie isn't happening though. Get rid of AWB, Bailly/Jones, Garner, McTominay, Ronaldo.

Yep Neto is class he’s just the player we should sign. Hope that one picks up some steam!

 

[ChorltonReds]

Support the manager, no fans should be getting on his back this season and should be actively backing him against those in the media that are revelling in our current plight.

He's a top class manager and coach and will succeed with time and the proper backing. But here's the crux, will he get proper backing?

I understand the argument that our squad and hierarchy were better suited to Poch, but that's been and gone.

All anger and criticism should be at the Glazers and the board. As fans we should be circling the wagons to protect an exciting coach who has taken over a shitshow and left hung out to dry by incompetence behind the scenes.

And maybe he will make mistakes (e.g. not getting a new keeper; captaincy questions etc.); but everyone makes mistakes (Fergie did) and I'm sure he'll right them with the correct support.

 

[Green Yellow Red]

Dear Erik, I hope you had a good sleep. Take my advice; it will add years to your United managerial reign.

The Man Utd re-build starts with:

1. Removing Maguire of captaincy
2. Choosing accomplished leader (Varane) and best defender
3. Letting Ronaldo go (as his wish)
4. Telling owners investing own cash into facilities, not reinvesting club profits
5. Actually close big new transfer deals asap

 

[TheNewEra]

Dear Erik, I hope you had a good sleep. Take my advice; it will add years to your United managerial reign.

The Man Utd re-build starts with:

1. Removing Maguire of captaincy
2. Choosing accomplished leader (Varane) and best defender
3. Letting Ronaldo go (as his wish)
4. Telling owners investing own cash into facilities, not reinvesting club profits
5. Actually close big new transfer deals asap

3, 4, 5 are the Glazers decisions not ETHs.

 

[DSG]

Liverpool will be out for blood on Monday. Two draws and third fixture of the season, already a must win game for them.

How do you reckon ETH will set up? Will he attempt to play out of the high press?

Decent article behind a paywall on the league leading giveaways in the final third… spoiler… they say it’s DeGea who is the weak link along with McFred. DeGea with a 70% pass completion rate over the last 5 seasons vs. Alison’s 85% and Ederson’s 86%…

https://www.espn.com/sports/soccer/...-mess-key-areas-erik-ten-hag-address-too-late

I would play a 3-5 2 vs Liverpool (or a 532) and hit them on the counter.

DDG
Lindelof Varane Maguire
AWB McTominay Eriksen Fred Malacia
Sancho Rashford

Cannot let yourself get overrun in the midfield, that will be the death of us.

Dalot is the worst defending FB in the PL. Diaz would tie him in knots. Almost have to start AWB, or maybe Lindelof with Martinez taking the left CB spot.

Sancho and Rashford should look to set up wider and split their two CBs, similar to Palace.

 

[RedCoffee]

Ten Hag has inherited an entire squad of players who have had modern football coached out of them over a long period of time. It's as simple as that.
Mourinho and Solskjaer were old skool nineties and noughties style managers whos approaches are well outdated.
It may take Ten Hag years to put this right both with new signings and changing the coaching style and mentality. We cannot turn on him at this early stage.

 

[Flexdegea]

Feels like the club has made up their minds that Ten Hag's got 2-3 matches to turn it around with the players he's got or they'll cut bait, hire Pochettino and spend the rest of the transfer budget in January.

At some point Arnold will leak that he had been in contact with Poch's agent since August 7th, as if that reflects well on him.

Where are these posts coming from

 

[Bastian]

Sounds a lot like "open heart surgery" that was propounded by rangnick and half the caf was frothing at the mouth at him for it.

Does indeed. If true. And as an intelligent man he must have known that Ralf was 100% right, but for the optics and management of the dressing can't be seen to openly endorse that before he set foot into OT.

 

[DavelinaJolie]

I'm obviously hoping he can build a team to play how he wants to play, but I do think it's pretty naive to do the same thing you got beaten doing a week earlier and then expect a much different result. The players aren't going to suddenly get it.

 

[gaffs]

Ten Haag has to be pragmatic. He cant expect this bunch to be able to adhere to his way of playing overnight, if ever.

Yes, he has not got the signing he wants yet. Sure, the squad is not great and suffering from a massive confidence problem from last year.

But, I personally blame him for not realizing that this bunch of players are not good enough to play out of the back, when pressed. He should know that they give up the ball easy and go to sleep when defending.

Don't expect DDH to suddenly be good with the ball at his feet. Don't expect Harry McGuire to turn into Franco Baresi anytime soon.

They were never going to be able to play in the way he wants. Very different than managing Ajax where most teams they play in the Dutch league are just trying to not get thumped. From the last couple of years, Premier League teams and coaches know United are a soft touch.

Personally, to start with, i think it would have been better for ETH to make United hard to beat and then progress from there.

 

[gaffs]

I'm obviously hoping he can build a team to play how he wants to play, but I do think it's pretty naive to do the same thing you got beaten doing a week earlier and then expect a much different result. The players aren't going to suddenly get it.

 

[groovyalbert]

If he had been promised certain activities in the window which haven't come to pass, then I'm afraid I don't blame him if he left.

It would be shite and we would probably end up in a relegation scrap (not even joking), but if he's been sold a pipedream and walks, I think it would be the straw that breaks the camel's back in regards to the running of the club.

I think there would be genuine riots, and for their own sake, both Arnold and Murtough would probably be advised to step down sharpish.

 

[bosnian_red]

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Pretty much this. Its hopeless for him. Setting him up to fail even if we spend big on someone.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

A penny for his thoughts right now.

 

[royboy16]

Hypothetically would they get Carrick back if ETH walked ?

 

[izec]

He wanted a challenge, and got one

 

[thegregster]

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Pretty much this. Its hopeless for him. Setting him up to fail even if we spend big on someone.

It was ETH choice to spend the whole summer going after FDJ. It was a gamble that hasn't paid off. He should have moved on in late June and got 2 CMs in.

 

[captaincantona]

ETH needs to take some responsibility for this situation and learn fuking quickly. He stated clearly, in public, the party line - that he only wanted the right midfield player (De Jong) and if he didn’t get that player he would recruit from within . He said that Fred was playing that role quite well. He was warned by RR and ex players and by the fans at large in every website and chat room and tv show in the world that the players that were there could not do the job- but he ignored it and publicly backed his existing midfield.

They were then spanked twice by mid table sides and he realises - fuk, we need anybody at this stage that has a first touch.

No one expected him to publicly slate McFred but he should have known the difference between a few preseason games and the intensity of the PL. with the reputation he came with, I would have expected a more layered approach to rejuvenating our style of play than simply “buy de Jong”

I am 100% behind him but, I said it at the time, that comment about “the right players” was like a siren…something was rotten in Denmark. He needs to knuckle down now and hold the board to task. I once is a mistake- and everyone makes mistakes. Twice is not acceptable. Get your shit together.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

It was ETH choice to spend the whole summer going after FDJ. It was a gamble that hasn't paid off.

Yeah, ETH fault all this.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

ETH needs to take some responsibility for this situation and learn fuking quickly. He stated clearly, in public, the party line - that he only wanted the right midfield player (De Jong) and if he didn’t get that player he would recruit from within . He said that Fred was playing that role quite well. He was warned by RR and ex players and by the fans at large in every website and chat room and tv show in the world that the players that were there could not do the job- but he ignored it and publicly backed his existing midfield.

They were then spanked twice by mid table sides and he realises - fuk, we need anybody at this stage that has a first touch.

No one expected him to publicly slate McFred but he should have known the difference between a few preseason games and the intensity of the PL.

I am 100% behind him but, I said it at the time, that comment about “the right players” was like a siren…something was rotten in Denmark. He needs to knuckle down now and hold the board to task. I once is a mistake- and everyone makes mistakes. Twice is not acceptable. Get your shit together.

I agree, but those decisions shouldn't be his to make in the first place. It's yet another issue that comes directly from the club not having the right support people or governance structures in place.

 

[bosnian_red]

It was ETH choice to spend the whole summer going after FDJ. It was a gamble that hasn't paid off. He should have moved on in late June and got 2 CMs in.

It should never be Ten Hag's job to decide transfers. It is the club's failure to not bring any others in. Even if he wanted to get Frenkie, work on others in, get others in, and still go for Frenkie if he changes his mind. The fact that we are chasing another 5 positions right now.... 1 transfer doesn't hold that up. An incompetent recruitment team, board, whatever the flow of decisions is, is what is failing. The club is failing Ten Hag like they've failed previous managers here. Just we are in a much worse position now

 

[steffyr2]

ETH needs to take some responsibility for this situation and learn fuking quickly. He stated clearly, in public, the party line - that he only wanted the right midfield player (De Jong) and if he didn’t get that player he would recruit from within . He said that Fred was playing that role quite well. He was warned by RR and ex players and by the fans at large in every website and chat room and tv show in the world that the players that were there could not do the job- but he ignored it and publicly backed his existing midfield.

They were then spanked twice by mid table sides and he realises - fuk, we need anybody at this stage that has a first touch.

No one expected him to publicly slate McFred but he should have known the difference between a few preseason games and the intensity of the PL. with the reputation he came with, I would have expected a more layered approach to rejuvenating our style of play than simply “buy de Jong”

I am 100% behind him but, I said it at the time, that comment about “the right players” was like a siren…something was rotten in Denmark. He needs to knuckle down now and hold the board to task. I once is a mistake- and everyone makes mistakes. Twice is not acceptable. Get your shit together.

Yes.

 

[Vapor trail]

It was ETH choice to spend the whole summer going after FDJ. It was a gamble that hasn't paid off. He should have moved on in late June and got 2 CMs in.

I agree there's a catch 22. It's come from reliable Journos that the decision to wait out the FDJ deal has come from the manager this is 100% an area that warrants criticism because it's not strategic.

The club with decent timing could have acquired the likes of Vitinha, Ruiz and or others for the midfield. I think the lack of signings is both the contribution between ETH poor judgement and Murtough's inexperience. Someone made a good point ETH was a first team coach for Ajax and not the more general manager that he is here I think this is clearly evident with the scatter gun approach. I do think however ETH deserves time as everything described above is offfield issues. If ETH works under a proper DOF he's put in his place to effectively maintain the first team and the DOF complies in acquiring targets with the scouting infrastructure utilised.

Been the worst start imaginable and consider that every single team in the top 6 has strengthened it's laughable. If N Forest sign Aouar I'd consider their summer to be more prolific than United's. Laughable.

 

[Darlington Padgett]

Liverpool will be out for blood on Monday. Two draws and third fixture of the season, already a must win game for them.

How do you reckon ETH will set up? Will he attempt to play out of the high press?

Decent article behind a paywall on the league leading giveaways in the final third… spoiler… they say it’s DeGea who is the weak link along with McFred. DeGea with a 70% pass completion rate over the last 5 seasons vs. Alison’s 85% and Ederson’s 86%…

https://www.espn.com/sports/soccer/...-mess-key-areas-erik-ten-hag-address-too-late

I would play a 3-5 2 vs Liverpool (or a 532) and hit them on the counter.

DDG
Lindelof Varane Maguire
AWB McTominay Eriksen Fred Malacia
Sancho Rashford

Cannot let yourself get overrun in the midfield, that will be the death of us.

Dalot is the worst defending FB in the PL. Diaz would tie him in knots. Almost have to start AWB, or maybe Lindelof with Martinez taking the left CB spot.

Sancho and Rashford should look to set up wider and split their two CBs, similar to Palace.

Hope ETH realizes at the moment his tactics are not working and changes. I can see a really big win from Liverpool if we press high with how things are going.

 

[Josh 76]

Hope ETH realizes at the moment his tactics are not working and changes. I can see a really big win from Liverpool if we press high with how things are going.

If ETH plays like that and we get shafted, he deserves the fecking sack! Every man and his dog knows how not to approach this game!

 

[Adisa]

We have fecked him, royally.
If he manages to turn us around despite this chaos, he will go down as one of the greats.

 

[el3mel]

We should go with 5 at the back against Liverpool and park our bus. Anything else will be setting us up for yet another shit performance.

Heaton
Dalot - Varane - Martinez - Maguire - Malacia
Fred - Scott
Eriksen
Ronaldo - Martial

 

[Scottynaldinho]

I'm still ready to give ETH a proper chance. The transfer team has bungled this window and it was so important to get this one right. We all know that McFred is the most alarming weakness in the squad and it hasn't been addressed. We should have bailed on the FDJ a month ago and moved onto other targets, but instead we just get strung along and now it's too late to get anyone that will make an impact. It's match week 3 ffs.

I do think ETH was naïve in his approach of giving everyone a clean slate and a chance to prove themselves. Most of the players in this squad have shown their true colors for years. There remains zero mystery to be solved with a new manager getting a tune out of this dross; it cannot be done. I'm also not been impressed by ETH's insistence to play out of the back when the inept technical and weak mentality of the players. It's suicide.

We have a manager that could be the right one. The club has failed to refresh the squad in any meaningful way and continue to show complete ineptness in the transfer market.

Well thanks feck for that.

 

[Mike Smalling]

He’s taken the most difficult job in football by some distance. Is there another club where the pressure and expectations are so out of line with the foundations for success, in terms of player material and backing in the market?

If he fails it won’t necessarily be down to him.

 

[Gavinb33]

If he is still here this time next year I'll be surprised.

He'll either quit or they'll sack him for not getting top 4 despite it being their fault.

 

[Jed I. Knight]

We should go with 5 at the back against Liverpool and park our bus. Anything else will be setting us up for yet another shit performance.

Heaton
Dalot - Varane - Martinez - Maguire - Malacia
Fred - Scott
Eriksen
Ronaldo - Martial

It'll be interesting to see our approach, for sure.

Is ETH a purist, or pragmatic enough to understand that we have no chance of going toe to toe with a properly coached team?

 

[Cassidy]

It was ETH choice to spend the whole summer going after FDJ. It was a gamble that hasn't paid off. He should have moved on in late June and got 2 CMs in.

His choice not to sign any forwards, not to sign a keeper and not to sign a RB too I take it.

His choice to let Liverpool sign Nunez too I take it

 

[NoPace]

His choice not to sign any forwards, not to sign a keeper and not to sign a RB too I take it.

His choice to let Liverpool sign Nunez too I take it

Hard to believe Nunez preferred to join us over Liverpool.

And Henderson wanted to leave unless De Gea was sold and I think with his wages that was impossible. Though signing a young keeper who's good with his feet to back up De Gea would have made sense.

The lack of an RB is confusing. We don't even need someone who can cross, just a player who is good on the ball tucking inside and stopping counter attacks. Seems like Timber was that player, and when he rejected the move we didn't look for a replacement.

 

[peridigm]

I was most impressed with Ajax’s goal stats since ETH took them over. I expected the same here. Just not the other direction. I wonder who is going to score our first goal of the season. I mean, which United player will score the first goal of the season.

 

[The Oracle]

I fully expect a response from the team against Liverpool on Monday night.

If the unthinkable happens, and players put in another crap showing, then it will be the beginning of the end for our Dutch manager.

 

[Mike Smalling]

I was most impressed with Ajax’s goal stats since ETH took them over. I expected the same here. Just not the other direction. I wonder who is going to score our first goal of the season. I mean, which United player will score the first goal of the season.

We’ll probably get a jammy penalty against Southampton. Ronaldo will not be playing so Bruno will take it and score.

 

[Kill 'em all]

I fully expect a response from the team against Liverpool on Monday night.

If the unthinkable happens, and players put in another crap showing, then it will be the beginning of the end for our Dutch manager.

Nothing is going to change even if we get Guardiola as manager with Klopp and Tuchel as his assistants.