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Yeah, this can’t be stressed enough. Even when we had a game which should have been easy (Villa in a season where their manager gets sacked) it ended up being difficult (new manager bounce)I didn't expect us to get top 4 and still don't because of our obvious lack of goals. Expected us to be better going forward but we create very little.
On the other hand the fixture list hasn't favoured us. No away games are easy but we have 12 of the 'bottom 13' (including Chelsea) still to play at home where you would expect some more comfortable wins.
And tonight one of those reasons reared its ugly head.The results are about where I expected them to be after the transfer window, but better than where I expected them to be after pre-season and then the first two matches. I predicted 6th at the start of the season and thought ETH would do well just to keep his job for a couple of reasons, despite thinking he was the right appointment. The manager was backed more than I expected in the transfer market and I thought those signings would help a lot
8/10 overall. To be 5th from where we were last season and where we were at the start of this season with no signings, I think ETH has done a brilliant job. We’ve had a tough run of fixtures and only 6 home games from 14.Now that we're (sort of) at the mid point of the season with the league breaking for the world cup, what's your assessment of ETH's time here thus far?
I'm particularly interested in knowing:
1) What were your expectations for the season before the season started and why?
2) What are your expectations for the season now and why?
Feel free to give the season thus far a rating out of ten too.
Great post on ETHTen Hag has been pretty close to perfect IMO.
Very excited for the second half. Even more so with no Ronaldo. Hope we bring in someone like Gakpo to add depth in attack, but I think we're the 4th best footballing side in the league (City, Arsenal, Liverpool are the top 3 for sure), with clear potential to push into that group. Even in individual games, can compete with Arsenal or Liverpool's best form, but more City is still on an island IMO.
- Ronaldo situation was always going to be a tricky, uncomfortable situation, with a past it out of his depth player still thinking he is anywhere near good enough, yet Ten Hag handled him perfectly. Ronaldo is now making himself an embarrassment and is dragging us down a bit, but it's resolving itself
- Maguire situation handled perfectly and now United's captain is our 4th choice CB and at least he'll look to find a club for himself soon enough without any disrespect
- System implemented way more than I would have thought. Very impressive defensively and off the ball with our pressing, on the ball up and down but very good signs
- Recruitment, player development, all excellent as well IMO. A lot more to do, but I think if he's backed properly then we are ahead of schedule
- Player atmosphere and collectiveness seems hugely improved, with those who try to dissent very swiftly being punted to an unimportant role and not able to actually influence the others now which is nice