Erik ten Hag - Manchester United manager

[redsunited]

After the preseason, if this is how his team is going to play and can't keep the ball against wolves, he is not doing his job right.

Looked like Ole's team. Player always second to the ball with low fitness, when they have the ball, they don't know what to do with it. Disappointed with the performance. The soon they didn't pickup, especially the dreaded away form may pull the team down.

 

[sammyhol]

I think the pundits were right at half time.

seems very odd that ETH has just tried to clone peps system from last year.

I can’t think of a single person in the squad that the systems suits.

• completely isolates Casemiro, who needs legs round him. You can just walk straight through the midfield
• The two 8s just get in each others way. Bruno looked miles better when Mount went off
• Tucking Shaw inside completely nullifies one of our main attacking threats
• The wingers never have overlaps, meaning they are constantly doubled up on, and create nothing.

If we sign a decent midfielder (Amrabat??) who can lock down a place alongside Casemiro, I predict that ETH will persevere with this for a few more uninspiring games, before we settle down into our usual 4231 for the rest of the season, with Mount becoming yet another insanely expensive bench warmer.

 

[Garethw]

After the preseason, if this is how his team is going to play and can't keep the ball against wolves, he is not doing his job right.

It’s extremely worrying.

 

[OsloRed]

Jesus Christ this thread is a mess right now. Sure, we didn't play well today but it's just one game. I have faith that things will come together given time, games and work. It might not always look pretty, but it seems like some people forgotten that we played some great football last season with a worse squad.

Mount might not have had the best debut, but he made some great runs into the box that got ignored. Not that that excuses everything, but when the players around him gets used to that it'll be a big asset to the team.

 

[Lights Out]

Did you watch.. you know... us losing 7-0 to Liverpool last year?

I’m talking about at OT against like for like opposition - not away at one of our toughest rivals

 

[Appletonred]

If the only further signings this window are Amrabat and Pavard then by not addressing fully the striker problem i suspect that will probably come back to haunt him and I don't think new owners (Possibly Qatar) will be showing much patience if the season is a frustrating one.

 

[GMoore23]

Needs to take these losers for another 15 mile run tomorrow morning

It's his side now so he can go on the fecking run too. Shocking tactics tonight.

 

[ForeverRed1]

He'll need to light a hell of a fire under the players arses if we're getting anything against Spurs. Possibly the worst starting performance I've ever seen from United.

Last season the first two games were worse.

 

[cyberman]

It's his side now so he can go on the fecking run too. Shocking tactics tonight.

He famously went on the run last season.

 

[gaffs]

It really is baffling. We are so careless in possession, there is no structure and everything is so hurried. I am absolutely shocked by today's performance .

Feels like we are too eager to get the ball forward.

Its the player we have. They are counter attacking / transitional players.

Look at City and Arsenals midfield and forward line. Even Chelsea yesterday with Enzo. All players that value keeping the ball.

Rashford, Bruno, Garnacho - they just want to get the ball and run forward asap.

 

[The United]

These were the only two guys that showed some effort in the first half in my opinion.

I won't say they are bad or are going to be bad. But he signed players who showed effort, so that much is expected. Will they also have the necessary qualities to win? It remains to be seen.

 

[Lay]

Jesus Christ this thread is a mess right now. Sure, we didn't play well today but it's just one game. I have faith that things will come together given time, games and work. It might not always look pretty, but it seems like some people forgotten that we played some great football last season with a worse squad.

Mount might not have had the best debut, but he made some great runs into the box that got ignored. Not that that excuses everything, but when the players around him gets used to that it'll be a big asset to the team.

Are you confident in the way the team is set up that they’ll have a better away record?

 

[Van Piorsing]

Like Wolve's manager, you mean? Who outplayed us? Who had no reinforcements, only departures. (His best players.) Right. Good excuse that.

He won despite thin squad, low form and lack of physical preparation. Nobody has to excuse him. Sancho sub helped massively. Good on Ten Hag.

If you want to go in the panic mode, go ahead. Get him players, he needs to compete with opponents who already signed more than 3, then judge.

 

[The Mitcher]

It's his side now so he can go on the fecking run too. Shocking tactics tonight.

He did last season tbh.

 

[Solius]

Responsibility falls more and more on him now he’s got so many of his players. To look that unprepared for the game is very worrying. Need to fix up.

 

[The Mitcher]

He won despite thin squad, low form and lack of physical preparation. Nobody has to excuse him. Sancho sub helped massively. Good on Ten Hag.

If you want to go in the panic mode, go ahead. Get him players, he needs to compete with opponents who already signed more than 3, then judge.

He's been given players and will get one more this window. All players he personally wants, btw.

 

[Mr Pigeon]

fecking hell, you lot are boring. If misery was a clean burning fuel then you folk could solve global warming within a fortnight.

We're one game into the season and yet the usual suspects have already started. Genuine criticism I can understand but some of you moan more than I do, and that's a fecking lot!

Now, excuse me. I have some sand that I need to put my head in

 

[BarstoolProphet]

Surprisingly positive in the post-match interview.

 

[LARulz]

Not exactly a great pre-season then a below average performance at home to relation candidates with what is on paper probably our strongest team

I am struggling to see any style of play at all. Us not conceding is down to luck most the time - we give away so many chances almost every game it's unreal. And good quality ones too, not just pot shots from 30 yards

 

[RetroStu]

He talks a good talk but i honestly dont see much difference under him. I mean to be fair we have been pretty shit under everyone post SAF, but the point still stands.

People on here were saying he has no excuses this season, so lets not start making them already.

 

[giggs-beckham]

I mean, it's pretty obvious at this point that this is quite close to his style of football, we have been playing same football with many different players for some time now, and his signings, opening game of the season show that we will continue to do it this season too.

Yep. I think many thought we would be getting a different manager to the one we've actually got.
The quote about looking at our history in terms of style worried me greatly to be honest.

 

[Superunknown]

Responsibility falls more and more on him now he’s got so many of his players. To look that unprepared for the game is very worrying. Need to fix up.

This is where I'm at. There's no more excuses now. It's his team and he's already had a season at this club.

 

[The Mitcher]

fecking hell, you lot are boring. If misery was a clean burning fuel then you folk could solve global warming within a fortnight.

We're one game into the season and yet the usual suspects have already started. Genuine criticism I can understand but some of you moan more than I do, and that's a fecking lot!

ETH did set the team up badly, they looked unprepared and unstructered.

 

[maximus419]

Knee jerk reaction but I think he's run out of ideas. He said in his press conference Friday that it wasn't about wolves, it was about making sure we do our thing and we have worked hard and are ready.

Well, if that is being ready, I'd hate to see what being unprepared looks like. Ajax fans said in his final season they were glad he was going, they said he made too many baffling decisions, playing a side with ageing players who were too slow and not rotating enough. Also said he waits too long to make subs and relies too much on some players and doesn't give youth a chance. Sound familiar?

 

[DutchSerb]

It's a good thing you guys don't speak Dutch or you would all be fuming at Erik's post game interview said he didn't like how they played today but was dodging negative questions and downplaying that Wolves were the better team, mostly being positive about keeping a clean sheet, being organized in defense and saying we're fine in a low block. Expected a bit more of a critical stance after tonights display but ah well.

 

[Plastic Evra]

Ah yes the usual "Please owners, buy me a couple players to save us" first match gambit. Master play as usual Herr ten Hag !

 

[GMoore23]

He famously went on the run last season.

I know and he can go on another.

 

[AltiUn]

If the only further signings this window are Amrabat and Pavard then by not addressing fully the striker problem i suspect that will probably come back to haunt him and I don't think new owners (Possibly Qatar) will be showing much patience if the season is a frustrating one.

We have addressed the striker problem though, no? Just because he’s injured for a few games doesn’t mean he doesn’t exist.

 

[Andycoleno9]

He needs squad reinforcements on time, just like any football manager.

This year he got them.

 

[Solius]

fecking hell, you lot are boring. If misery was a clean burning fuel then you folk could solve global warming within a fortnight.

We're one game into the season and yet the usual suspects have already started. Genuine criticism I can understand but some of you moan more than I do, and that's a fecking lot!

Now, excuse me. I have some sand that I need to put my head in

Last season I’d have been complaining about the moaning but I think it’s warranted now. He’s had a season and to look this unprepared for a game against a team in disarray is alarming.

 

[TsuWave]

Might have to load up on De Zerbi stocks

 

[Mr Pigeon]

ETH did set the team up badly, they looked unprepared and unstructered.

Oh absolutely. I'm directing what I said to the "I told you so" brigade. Now let me get back to my sand, dammit.

 

[Drainy]

It's a good thing you guys don't speak Dutch or you would all be fuming at Erik's post game interview said he didn't like how they played today but was dodging negative questions and downplaying that Wolves were the better team, mostly being positive about keeping a clean sheet, being organized in defense and saying we're fine in a low block. Expected a bit more of a critical stance after tonights display but ah well.

Sounds spot on to me.

 

[Van Piorsing]

He's been given players and will get one more this window. All players he personally wants, btw.

We won, and yes, he should get his players. Despite shitty performance, he gives Pellistri a chance without a fear. This is what I wanted to see, and I'm quite happy about it. Not everything was super tragic today.

 

[Baxquux]

Yes it is. By all reports he wanted to go there whether we pushed harder or not. You can see with the Caicedo and Lavia deals when players want to go somewhere they will go. There was a reason for it and all reports at the time said that.

Caicedo is a united fan. Regardless, it's quite solidly reported that his agent/entourage essentially run his career. Caicedo doesn't get much of a say either way. It's slightly bizarre to think an Argentinian with no attachment to Liverpool would have a strong preference either way when presented with two clubs of similar stature and with similar odds of making top 4 (united if anything should be slight favourites, although today's showing has complicated that). He'd probably have gone to Chelsea at that if they'd come in, exceeded liverpool's offer and given him an extra 40k on top per week. They're professionals- its not like having doubts about the saudi league despite being potentially offered more money or something.

 

[Bebestation]

People don’t need to get so worried.

The Transitional play thing he wants to play gets built up as a tempo game to game.

We want to put pressure on more and more until the opposition gives up including when they attack - we saw too many players were rusty today like Garanacho who struggled to control the ball and apply that pressure from certain angles when it opened up to them.

This is when players like Mount comes up to play - when everyone is able to play in a system holding a tempo & pressure.

 

[cyberman]

Knee jerk reaction but I think he's run out of ideas. He said in his press conference Friday that it wasn't about wolves, it was about making sure we do our thing and we have worked hard and are ready.

Well, if that is being ready, I'd hate to see what being unprepared looks like. Ajax fans said in his final season they were glad he was going, they said he made too many baffling decisions, playing a side with ageing players who were too slow and not rotating enough. Also said he waits too long to make subs and relies too much on some players and doesn't give youth a chance. Sound familiar?

Do you realise how many subs came on and changed the game / scored for us last season?
Why are you all throwing random criticisms in as if this one performance justifies every shit theory that gets posted on here? Your not giving youth a chance point is simply an outright lie.
We will get better, calm down.

 

[Kag]

This year he got them.

He needs more.

I actually think some of the criticism is justified, especially around the decision to pursue the midfield as it is, but the squad is still quite poor, and any coach would still need reinforcements.

We still have a lot of really thick players at the club, sadly. This includes some of our best players.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

He won despite thin squad, low form and lack of physical preparation. Nobody has to excuse him. Sancho sub helped massively. Good on Ten Hag.

If you want to go in the panic mode, go ahead. Get him players, he needs to compete with opponents who already signed more than 3, then judge.

Are you even listening to what I'm saying? You said it's not fair on ETH because he didn't have all his signings for the opening game.
The opposition, who outplayed us despite losing, had no signings, not only that he had his two best players leave. And no preseason. No panic mode, just being honest nad not blind.
(Oponent hasn't signed more than 3. He has signed 0)

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Hopefully we play well vs Spurs and get a win.