Imagine if we had what the MLS have. They give the player that played the pass before the assist player an assist too. So basically 2 assists for 1 goal.
Erik ten Hag - Manchester United manager
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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McSauce just had a wank.
Showing good signs for sure, but we need to control games like this for 90 minutes. Arsenal away from home still looked the more dangerous side in that second half up until we went 2-1 up. Felt like we were holding on for a while.
Yeah this is brilliant analysis because while I couldn't go back and explain it myself, I've pushed back strongly on people saying we've been playing Ole ball the past few weeks because I could tell our structure and how we connected passes was completely different even though we had scored mostly through transitions. Can finally see a team that knows how they want to go about things instead of just winging it and freelancing hoping something comes off.
Last season Dalot wouldn't have been so happy to get a goal kick but this year they have all found their fighting spirit. Ten hag has really changed the mind set of these players.
Not going to happen for a season or two I'd guess. You're taking a team of players that mostly have never been coached in this sort of structure and build up, and still doing it with some technically deficient players. Bare minimum wait until we get a dominant distrubution keeper.
We will not see that for a few month. Thats not something you can learn over night, thats just hard work, repeating every single day. I guess by the end of the season we could see united dominating in possesion and playing great football.
Not being fast at all. The end of the season will show if the club is moving in the right direction. I did not say the job is over. This will be years in the making.
That was some clever psychology to attribute and motivate the team as one.
Next stage of development. Clearly, this isn't the way that EtH wants us to play in the future, but it suits us at the moment. And as that video highlighted, we show glimpses of what we can do. It's going to take a while.
Arsenal are way further along in their development.
Ye this is completely different to Solskjær style. We can actually see a team well organised and playing as a team rather then waiting for individual brilliance to bail them out again. I love the fighting spirit and the winning mentality that Ten Hag is drilling into them.
He's a great manager but his playingstyle does take time. I would wait till EOY. If you guys can end up in the top 4 that would be already amazing after last year. Next year I expect you guys to truly dominate teams.
Another good quality tactical breakdown of the Arsenal game from United View. Highlights some of the key changes that EtH has made to the team in a short peiod of time.
Second this.
I expect it before the World Cup starts. There are a lot of games before it for the team to adapt to the play style.
This is what he did with Ajax. Overload one side of the pitch with an opposite fullback tucking in making the pitch smaller. If the ball is lost there is instant press and often successful one because there is so many players commited on that side. If there is no breakthrough quick transition to the opposite side where the winger is isolated 1v1. In any case, it is clear we are starting to see the benefits of his coaching in the training ground. Not to mention team spirit, morale and aggression which is through the roof.
Fecking hell, he gave me a reason to smile this whole week. There will be some bumps along the way (probably rough patches because the intensity with which we play atm is hard to sustain especially in the first season), but... It feels damn good to see us playing quick, structured, modern football after all these years.
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I am 100% behind this man, I can feel something building at the club. Having momentum as a club is a hugely underrated thing.
Not sure if there is a trend, but i now notice that we commit fouls when there is a counter or a risk of being over run. Something Man City and Liverpool do in abundance and I always wondered why we can't stop a run at the goal with a foul.
He won his first four games, but then lost two against Leverkusen and Gladbach in the league. I guess that counts as a setback. But after that they went on a 34 matches unbeaten run (33W 1D, including he CL win and on the way the legendary 8-2 against Barcelona). Or in other words, his first 40 games were 37W 1D 2L (in all competitions).
But in his second season they couldn't keep up that absurdly high level and there were more and more issues of the pitch (power struggle between Flick and Salihamidzic etc)
The tactics will take some time, but you can already tell that they are a miles better direction. Right now we are seeing the glimpses before we will see the (hopeful) consistency. I could not be more pleased.
What I truly love is the actual management. Authority and management I feel are often conflated with dictation. But true managers know how to get buy in. Mourinho is a perfect example of a one dimensional dictation specialists. He demands things a certain way and seemingly punishes for those that refuse or are unable to meet his demands while constantly supporting "his guys" and historical performers. This creates discourse and issues in the dressing room between his preferred people and his discards. He also threw everyone under the bus publicly which is a whole other issue.
The non-dictators can have great relationships with players, but when things go south there is no structure to fall back on...and often that leads to massive issues and breakdowns. There also tends to be favorites.
ETH SEEMS like that perfect balance. He's fair with players. He makes them work. He rewards their work with time on the pitch. Those that don't buy in have trouble making the pitch, but instead of being malcontent...they are motivated to be a part of the system. The system is everything. They actually want to play for the team because there is an actual plan and steps that are easily defined. Its amazing how people don't realize that most subordinates dont care about bad decisions (because those always happen) as long as there is direction and a plan. They crave stability and order (even someone like Ronaldo).
It seems clear with his team choice.
I have been thrilled that he seems to simply pick the best fit for the first choice team at any given moment. No adherence to historical performance or stature. Thats a winning way to manage and makes players happy because it makes everyone buy-in. Its a brilliant way of managing and takes enormous balls. And he doesn't seem a d**k about it which is key. Its clear, and its up to the players to do the work if they want their spot. It reminds me of the Patriots dynasty in the US...there would be head-scratching line up changes often, but they would make sense and seem to motivate everyone. Players know who work in practice, and when those players are rewarded...surprise...everyone works hard in practice.
Its a true system top to bottom with a real chance at long term stability. Not a aimless feel good Ole period (that comes crashing down at the first sign of adversity), or a cold tactics driven Mourinho period (that ultimately becomes miserable)...a real system where players know where they stand, are supported by the manager to succeed, and need to use their own self motivation to truly succeed.
What I truly love is the actual management. Authority and management I feel are often conflated with dictation. But true managers know how to get buy in. Mourinho is a perfect example of a one dimensional dictation specialists. He demands things a certain way and seemingly punishes for those that refuse or are unable to meet his demands while constantly supporting "his guys" and historical performers. This creates discourse and issues in the dressing room between his preferred people and his discards. He also threw everyone under the bus publicly which is a whole other issue.
The non-dictators can have great relationships with players, but when things go south there is no structure to fall back on...and often that leads to massive issues and breakdowns. There also tends to be favorites.
ETH SEEMS like that perfect balance. He's fair with players. He makes them work. He rewards their work with time on the pitch. Those that don't buy in have trouble making the pitch, but instead of being malcontent...they are motivated to be a part of the system. The system is everything. They actually want to play for the team because there is an actual plan and steps that are easily defined. Its amazing how people don't realize that most subordinates dont care about bad decisions (because those always happen) as long as there is direction and a plan. They crave stability and order (even someone like Ronaldo).
It seems clear with his team choice.
I have been thrilled that he seems to simply pick the best fit for the first choice team at any given moment. No adherence to historical performance or stature. Thats a winning way to manage and makes players happy because it makes everyone buy-in. Its a brilliant way of managing and takes enormous balls. And he doesn't seem a d**k about it which is key. Its clear, and its up to the players to do the work if they want their spot. It reminds me of the Patriots dynasty in the US...there would be head-scratching line up changes often, but they would make sense and seem to motivate everyone. Players know who work in practice, and when those players are rewarded...surprise...everyone works hard in practice.
Its a true system top to bottom with a real chance at long term stability. Not a aimless feel good Ole period (that comes crashing down at the first sign of adversity), or a cold tactics driven Mourinho period (that ultimately becomes miserable)...a real system where players know where they stand, are supported by the manager to succeed, and need to use their own self motivation to truly succeed.
What the feck
Those 40 games included winning the Bundesliga, Champions League, DFB Cup and UEFA Supercup. @mav_9me isn't wrong to call that "The most dramatic impact of a manager I've ever seen "What the feck
I disagree with not having midfield. Casemiro played with Kroos and Modric so he is ideal for possession style. Eriksen and Bruno are both technicaly skilled to do it. Antony and Sancho on the wings the same.
And our whole back line is skilled enough to play it.
But it takes time. I didn't expect that we will play like that after few months. But in a few months, i have no doubt about it.
Both don't have the ball retention skills needed for a possession-based system, they are nothing like Kroos and Modric in that regard.
Lucky cnut
4 wins in a row. I’m excited what to come after the squad finally able to play the way how ten Hag wants to play in much longer minutes.
He earned his job with a third and second place, before players downed tools and the inevitable happened. Don’t pretend we are in a better place now. It’s very much deja vu at this point. We have a few new players to take us forward, but not out of any woods yet.
I still don't like the "freedom" that Bruno seems to have or utilize in the pressing shape as he roams which leaves us short in the midfield at times
i can't think of any team that presses 4411 and it's effective
i can't think of any team that presses 4411 and it's effective
You can see why we were desperate for De Jong. We need to keep the ball better.
Ole had 1 plan ( or generously viewed 2 in total). Counterattack against sides dominating the ball , which worked, sporadically, against City, through a combination of Bruno/Pogba long-ball, playing off the shoulder/on the halfway line using split strikers, and McFred haring around. Then, for the first six months, 'go out and express yourself' (0.5) , where after Mou, the release and 'vibes' helped players elevate their games, but the comedown hit hard: or 'give it to Bruno' which, again, worked somewhat for the first 6 months. Neither of the latter two constitute a full-fledged plan though, surely.
It was clear that the coaching was barely existent - a few spontaneous patterns, flickering relationships, but no real team goals beyond the long-ball counterpunch .... a primitive version of our pre-strike moves on Sunday. There were endless reports about the low-level tactical prep otherwise: in the Europe League final we faced a palpably inferior team partly made up of Spurs rejects, but had no way of managing our lead or breaking them ground - we didn't even create many 'pre-chances' in terms of cut-out final balls.
The signings were chaotic too - we've obviously spend heavily this Summer and a more efficient recruitment team would have brought in similar profiles at half or even in some cases 1/3 of the cost (except for Eriksen/Malachia/GK), but there's a more discernible logic in terms of balance of experience and potential, a mix of craft, grit and pace, and consistent baseline top-level technical expertise.
Neither signings or recent games conclusively make the case for us securing Champions League, but all the indications in-game around building a (n adaptable, but more fluent and lateral, and gradually more possession-dominant as well as) style, as well as noises from the unofficial briefings re. training, are that Ten Hag's coaching and tactics are well above anything Ole was doing except the 'one neat trick' against high-line sides...
I reckon another transfer window should do the trick.
Next season we should be well oiled machine.
Next season we should be well oiled machine.
Impressive! Look at the players he had to his disposal. Got teared a new one every time he tried to play football. Ten Haag is doing the same, to some extent. As for coaching, it’s a nice stick. Only player I’ve seen complain is Shaw. And we all know where he is at the moment..
Top GK, MF snd striker and we play for titles again
Great article for those with access…
https://theathletic.com/3566727/202...antony/?source=freedailyemail&campaign=601983
https://theathletic.com/3566727/202...antony/?source=freedailyemail&campaign=601983
My take on him so far:
* He's bald.
* He's not a fraud.
* Let him stick to actual coaching/squad management. Do not force him into some kind of "manager" role where he becomes heavily involved with player recruitment.
* He's a sharp fecker tactically. He knows his business.
* He's in a difficult position player wise. Nobody should freak out if the current winning streak turns into something more choppy. He clearly needs time - and very likely another window or two - before we can see a genuine top team emerge.
* We should definitely stick with him. I believe he's the real deal - but the job is a monumental one.
* He's bald.
* He's not a fraud.
* Let him stick to actual coaching/squad management. Do not force him into some kind of "manager" role where he becomes heavily involved with player recruitment.
* He's a sharp fecker tactically. He knows his business.
* He's in a difficult position player wise. Nobody should freak out if the current winning streak turns into something more choppy. He clearly needs time - and very likely another window or two - before we can see a genuine top team emerge.
* We should definitely stick with him. I believe he's the real deal - but the job is a monumental one.
4 signings away IMO from a title challenge, and being competitive in Europe again.
Even if Ronaldo just wants to stay to pad his CL numbers next year (if he stays) he can get the CL matches, but I think it's very close at this point.
United could get some nice sales next summer from moving on some "squad players" for upgrades too, exciting times.
I personally haven't felt this way since SAF, I was dismissive of Moyes, Van Gaal, not Mourinho (I think the board fecked up), Solskjaer I was thinking no immediately and he had a surprising star. With ETH it was an immediate yes.
ETH is the man to get us back to the top 100%
Moyes I think would have done better if he got 2 years, because he had deals arranged with the likes of Kroos which would have avoided the shit we got under Van Gaal and would have thrown us to Mourinho with a better squad.
Looking forward to the next 3 years.
So if Ten Hag comes 2nd will it be a miserable failure?
Was Alex Ferguson a slight failure?
Has there ever been a good manager?
I fear this will happen, especially if he has a good first season. I think the board may gift him more control on those aspects