Erik ten Hag - Manchester United manager

[NK86]

We've been in executive limbo all season (even last season), because of the takeover negotiations and then ownership change machinations. That is why ten Hag basically had a free ride all season despite underperforming woefully all this time. It will end soon, let's not worry.

We were not in executive limbo. Ineos decided to clean house without having anyone lined up or in place who could take the necessary decisions. That was negligence and maybe they didn’t think it could get so bad that they would need to take a managerial decision before the end of the season.

No company gives up revenue for a whole year, yet here we are as Manchester United writing off seasons after seasons as if it’s nothing.

 

[Beckham77]

It's time. The entire set up is broken. Going into a game against a team in form with Casemiro & Evans and CB and you don't put any protection in front of them with Mainoo & Eriksen being instructed to play high? Should be a sackable offence on it's own.

No idea who you'd give the next 4 games to though. Ole for vibes?

 

[NotChatGPT]

The majority were signed under Ten Hag. 7 of the 11 starters.

Because context doesn't matter.

 

[santeria13]

mourinho as caretaker till end of season, who says no?

 

[lilcurt]

Which players? Because 7 of the starters were ETH signings. 2 have only started under ETH (Mainoo and Garna).

So who you putting this on? Dallot and AWB?

I'm talking about the squad collectively, not just tonoght. When you look at the starting 11 tonight do you honestly think any of the managers we've been linked with could have got a result? It was ravaged by injury.

In terms of players who shouldn't be at the club, it most of them but if we are talking players that could demand a decent free or clear the wage bill I'd have the below out straight away.

Rashford = on form or off form, he doesn't warrant the drama that comes with him and has a weak mentality.
Shaw = no fit enough to be relied upon
Casemiro = done
Eriksen = done
Evans = done
AWB = not sure he is a premier league level fullback, offers nothing going forward
Anthony = awful
Sancho = similar to Rashford but never even done it here
Martial = gone anyway

 

[hobbers]

I feel like you’re making progress to be fair. You’re at least acknowledging that we need to accept the position this team is actually in. We’re really not in a great shape and so sometimes I agree it would make sense to take your medicine so to speak.

We were never playing Evans and Casemiro at the back with AWB at LB and not having a defensive error leading to a goal. So I agree we should have tonight perked the bus and just been shit to play against.

But that would get Ten Hag sacked. I’m not sure that this result does.

I am not trying to be an arsehole here so please don’t now all pile on with tags calling me a WUM or whatever other mean names. I just don’t think INEOS will look at that performance from Casemiro in defence and blame Ten Hag to the point of sacking him given what they have already seen.

.....

You think parking the bus and a narrow result either way would get him sacked, rather than setting up the team in a brainless suicidal way and getting smashed 4-0??

Does just seem like you dont understand football at all when you come out with things like this.

I'm not progressing my view at all. I knew Ten Hag was finished after Bournemouth humiliated us, my opinion on his failings as a manager haven't changed one iota since then.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

Probably won’t even be a peep from the British media in the next days

They’ve been very very light on Erik

 

[Stobzilla]

mourinho as caretaker till end of season, who says no?

Me.

 

[Raw]

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Fecking hell man

 

[Moiraine]

What about these bunch of jokers (players), surely they can’t get away with this with every manager.

 

[Robbie Boy]

He is if he comes in and plays the exact same way. This team, which played a different system last year, managed to finish 3rd and get to two cup finals. I refuse to believe that was solely on the back of having a fit and available left footed CB. Get a manager in who knows how to get the best out of people and we'll improve ten fold. We won't win the league but we're not this bad in reality.

Well, it's looking likely that last season was indeed an anomaly and we were bailed out by an in form Rashford. I detest the vast majority of this squad and can't wait to see so many of them fecked off. There's some players who'll improve in an actual system, but there's plenty of utter charlatans.

 

[Revan]

How is he so bad.

Some managers are bad. They find themselves at our club. Our club has a negative IQ and promotes the manager to God-emperor with sycophants everywhere. He starts believing that shit himself and refuses to think that anything he does could ever be wrong, becoming in process a deluded arrogant prick. It happened to every manager we have had except Rangnick. It happened to Ole who looked to have once been a genuinely nice guy.

The best we can do is sack the next 5 managers within 2 months and call them head coaches. Change this sick mentality that is at the root of our problems.

 

[Ajr]

Probably won’t even be a peep from the British media in the next days

They’ve been very very light on Erik

Imagine if it was solskjaer

 

[crossy1686]

Not a good look at all

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Is it not painfully obvious to all that he doesn't want to be here and just wants the payout? He's been talking about how shit it's been to be the United manager all week. He's done two interviews absolving himself from all blame in the last 9 days.

 

[lilcurt]

Why do you think Ten Hag should stay, what qualities has he shown so far this season that gives you confidence in him?

I have said a few times I'm not convinced by him. I think given the squad, he over achieved last season and under achieved this season.

It ultimately comes down to not believing we can definitely get better, and the worry that changes managers gives most of the pretenders in this squad a clean slate.

 

[BarryWinks]

I did not watch the game, but I will say it now in case it hadn't been said before, he's a horrible manager. Worse than Moyes, and definitely worse than the likes of LVG and Mou. Oh, and while he has more pedigree than Ole, he has shit luck to go with it. Genuine clueless coach who's been elevated above his station due to his one fluke ajax season.

I don't care that Bayern wants him, Bayern also hired Kovac who has since disappeared off the surface of the earth, so let them take him off our hands please.

 

[crossy1686]

Imagine if it was solskjaer

I'd fear for his safety if Ole was still in charge now.

 

[gaffs]

Rinse and repeat, you cannot give up the number of attempts against every game and expect better results.

This is it. We are weak at the back with Evans and Casemiro, but the manager does not setup the team to protect them.

First thing we should do with 10 players out is to set up to be hard to beat. The game was lost in 10 mins.

 

[Oldyella]

We've been saying this all season, Ten Hag would have gotten us relegated without the likes of Bruno bailing him out. However, the season ends in May so I'm not sure why he's saying that like it's only December.

I think he means the opposite. Its a terrible stat, and we are nearing end of the season, not at its start.

 

[Counterfactual]

Seven teams have positive goal difference, but not us. We're eighth. It's our position, and it sucks.

 

[Bocca9978]

mourinho as caretaker till end of season, who says no?

No.

 

[Stobzilla]

Not a good look at all

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Should be RT'd far and wide. Absolutely unacceptable.

 

[Baxquux]

All this talk of structure is just them dithering over pulling the trigger. Ultimately the owner/CEO has to take accountability. If they feel they need ages before they can get the right people in permanent positions to sort the mess out, they should have proper interims in place to take the necessary calls.

I have never seen such dithering from any organization, let alone one who are the size of United.

They're clearly gun-shy because the squad (though tellingly half the 1st team squad is totally his) has seen manager after manager sacked, to no great effect, and are inclined to think any manager is bound to do worse under the old and even interim system before things have chance to bed in over the Summer under Wilcox and the CEO (Ashworth quite obviously not going to be there until Sept the earliest) and wary about investing more money in finding a coach who also might not fit into a system that they've barely begun to establish.

I agree though that, even taking into account all the mitigating circumstances, he's just shown awful judgement this season when trying to execute what we're led to believe is his 'real' style, from recruitment to setting and continuing to set the team up. So many of his worse tendencies were covered over by playing slightly more conservative style with more limited overloads last season, having Eriksen be less crocked, Casemiro less burned out and Rashford going on his bi-yearly streak. I agreed with selling Fred because I presumed we were getting a higher-grade replacement, but the team also misses his energy combined with snappy passing and better positioning than McT shows when he's played in CM.

Now that Wilcox is in and presumably has a plan, they just need to identify a good young coach who's happy to do just that and committed to playing a style and with personnel who suit the PL. Not easy but not impossible: with the system there, it should be more about avoiding red flags (naive, stubborn, no track record of coaching patterns/beating teams of equal quality (which is why Southgate shouldn't get it); negative rather than pragmatic footballing philosophy etc ) than agonizing over the perfect choice.

 

[Dec9003]

I have said a few times I'm not convinced by him. I think given the squad, he over achieved last season and under achieved this season.

It ultimately comes down to not believing we can definitely get better, and the worry that changes managers gives most of the pretenders in this squad a clean slate.

But if you’re not convinced we can definitely do better, you must think he has some qualities? Please, name them.

 

[Longshanks]

An how many of those players did he pick out of choice tonight, an not due to injuries?

Casemiro = His signing played out of position.
Evans = Manager wanted Kim but we couldn't raise funds, club signed Evans on a free.
Onana = 100% on the manager (awful call in my opinion)
Anthony = On the manager in terms of the player, fee on the club for being incompetent.
Garnacho = Youth prospect and promising
Mainoo = Youth prospect and promising
Mount = I don't know if this was the club or the manager but seems a poor signing at the moment.
Eriksen = Good 6-months, got injured and looks like he lost his legs. At this point he is done in this league. Free signing.
Rasmus = Good signing for the future, manager went on record this week saying there was meant to be a proven striker coming in.

I don't see this as a overhaul, for me a overhaul is when you see the bad eggs moving out the club and we haven't had that. We still have an abundance of players who have proven not to be good enough yet stick around on massive wages relying on their mates in the media and PR departments.

5 of his big signings played tonight Casemerio/Onana/Anthony/Mount/Hojlund
Over 300 million worth of talent. They were probably the worst 5 players on the pitch. Casemerio way over the hill and the other 4 look out of there depth.

He chased Amrabat all summer just to sit him on the bench behind Eriksen who would look more at home in a retirement home. Another player bought in by Ten hag that his way out of his depth.

Noone is denying that a squad overhaul.is required. But based on ETH'S record with players bought in, he should be nowhere near it.

 

[Berbaclass]

Is it not painfully obvious to all that he doesn't want to be here and just wants the payout? He's been talking about how shit it's been to be the United manager all week. He's done two interviews absolving himself from all blame in the last 9 days.

I don't understand what difference in terms of money what difference it makes to sack him now or wait though? Both will be "mutual consent" so all that's stopping INEOS is presumably just sitting him down and getting it done.

Maybe with Blanc in now they will do it.

 

[Lay]

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So he's overachieving?

Lovely

 

[Jezpeza]

Should be RT'd far and wide. Absolutely unacceptable.

He’s gone in the morning thats why

 

[lex talionis]

It's over for ten Hag. I suspect the decision had already been made, but after what we all witnessed tonight there is no future for ten Hag at Old Trafford.

 

[Oldyella]

This is it. We are weak at the back with Evans and Casemiro, but the manager does not setup the team to protect them.

First thing we should do with 10 players out is to set up to be hard to beat.

They had us totally figured out style wise. Pressed when they needed to and we could do nothing about it.

There was a spell of play where Mount was exchanging passes with various defenders, but there was no out ball and we ended up lumping it, simply as the other half of the team were all pushed way too far forward. We are set up to fail, yes the players arent great, but they are not being helped by car crash tactics.

 

[lilcurt]

But if you’re not convinced we can definitely do better, you must think he has some qualities? Please, name them.

He has proven given the structure and players he can produce good football. He has a record of developing youth players. There is two for you, what would Southgate or Potter do better?

 

[Berbaclass]

Mate, you're the biggest WUM on this forum. Earlier you were claiming it's "lovely" or whatever when the tweet came out saying he wants to stay. Then not even 90 mins later you're telling us all he's gone. Your opinions are all over the place and you just wind everyone up with it.

You are the one resorting to personal insults.

Just block me if you dont like me pal, I shall do the same don't worry...

 

[NinjaZombie]

Not a good look at all

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He knows he's gone. Won't be surprised if he resigns tomorrow. We've done a lot of stupid things over the years so let's just get Keane in as interim to see what happens.

 

[crossy1686]

Well, it's looking likely that last season was indeed an anomaly and we were bailed out by an in form Rashford. I detest the vast majority of this squad and can't wait to see so many of them fecked off. There's some players who'll improve in an actual system, but there's plenty of utter charlatans.

I agree that some of these players aren't good enough and some are on massive contracts they don't deserve considering they'll never win a major trophy but whether we like it or not, if we sell Bruno and Rashford we're going to spend a load of money just to bring in players who aren't as good as Bruno and Rashford in the hopes they'll be as good as bail us out as often as Bruno and Rashford have. Look at Garnacho and Mainoo, great players but they haven't done more than Bruno or Rashford and might never, we don't know. So we need to clear out players like Eriksen who are old and clearly done at this level and bring in young players who we can at least invest in while keeping players like Rashford and manage him to maximise his consistency.

 

[Rightnr]

Seven teams have positive goal difference, but not us. We're eighth. It's our position, and it sucks.

It's crazy how well positive goal difference and general goals scored correlates with the final table position when all is said and done.

We might have scammed our way through most of the season but the chickens are well and truly home go roost.

 

[pocco]

You are the one resorting to personal insults.

Just block me if you dont like me pal, I shall do the same don't worry...

It's insulting to be told I'm enjoying watching us get beat. If you really cared then you'd understand.

Not saying I dislike you or anything, but you boil my piss at times.

 

[Matthew1972]

Must be watching a different Casemiro to me. He looks like arguably the worst player in the team.

Maybe, but he was one of the best last season. I think he's bailed on ETH, and is capable of much better.

 

[Client6]

I have never actively disliked a United manager until today.

A manager, first and foremost, has to be able to manage people, get the most out of their limited talent. He seems entirely incapable of doing that. Add to that some terrible signings, bizarre team selections, and stupidly rigid, and probably needlessly over-complicated tactics, and it's no wonder the season has come to this.

AWB is horrendous on the ball when playing RB but ETH played him at LB. Why? How?! Why not change later in the game?

Antony has not once been tried on the left whereas Garnacho has done well on the right before. Why not try and swap them for a few mins and see if things improve? Or if you have to play Garnacho on the left, why not try Mount on the right - I think that's where he has played for Chelsea before and done well?

Please leave, ETH. It's been exhausting watching your teams.

 

[crossy1686]

He knows he's gone. Won't be surprised if he resigns tomorrow. We've done a lot of stupid things over the years so let's just get Keane in as interim to see what happens.

There is absolutely no fecking way a man who is hours away from a multimillion golden handshake walks away with nothing because he 'feels bad'

 

[BenitoSTARR]

.....

You think parking the bus and a narrow result either way would get him sacked, rather than setting up the team in a brainless suicidal way and getting smashed 4-0??

Does just seem like you dont understand football at all when you come out with things like this.

I'm not progressing my view at all. I knew Ten Hag was finished after Bournemouth humiliated us, my opinion on his failings as a manager haven't changed one iota since then.

Well I think we still very likely would lose parking the bus (but I accept this is purely my speculation). So I think telling his players we can only sit back and counter against Palace would do quite a bit more damage in terms of messaging longer term than trying to be a bit more progressive and still losing.

It’s hard to explain when I’m on mobile and a bit tired to be honest so I’ll try and do a better job tomorrow because I think you’re actually being really reasonable with me tonight and I’m aware this response isn’t good enough.

I think tonight was a shocking performance, but it was understandable given the personnel available.