I think that we are entering unique territory here. Because in our new structure, the manager is not responsible for scouting and recruiting players. They just have to manage the players that they are given. Everything else is taken care of by others. People who are experts at finding the right players.
BUT, and this is really important. For this entire structure to work, you need to settle on a footballing philosophy. A way that the team is going to set up. A style of play. This underpins every other decision.
As things stand, we have no idea what Ten Hag's style of play is. Either he is naively trying to implement something that the players are unable to adopt, or don't understand. The most damning thing is that we have been wide open from the first game of the season. And we are still wide open seven months later. We are conceding on average 22 shots per game. We have scored less goals than Luton Town. We are rubbish up front, and at the back.
Some of it is proper schoolboy stuff, you are sat watching in total disbelief. We can go 2 nill up, and then concede 3. We can't string 3 passes together without giving the ball back to the opposition. We are hanging on in every game. Even again Luton Town. Newport County put 2 past us. They had 17 shots. Let that sink in. Newport County had 17 shots. Only ten less than Man City on Sunday.
You can blame the players, you can look at the injuries. But after that Wolves home game in August, you would be back at training the following day and you'd be trying to fix all those red flags that you witnessed. You'd be looking at the gaps in midfield, the runners not being tracked. An opposition strolling into your box, a simple pull back to an unmarked player. You would look at that and try to fix it. But still we see it. Every week, every opposition, the same move. The same goal conceded.
You can only look at that and come to the conclusion that Ten Hag is not the man for this job. He is not learning from mistakes. He's pushing everyone up for an unconvincing press. And even with a high press, they are not scoring from it. And then the opposition are having a field day with all the space in behind. It's a mess. The whole thing is a shambles.
BUT, and this is really important. For this entire structure to work, you need to settle on a footballing philosophy. A way that the team is going to set up. A style of play. This underpins every other decision.
As things stand, we have no idea what Ten Hag's style of play is. Either he is naively trying to implement something that the players are unable to adopt, or don't understand. The most damning thing is that we have been wide open from the first game of the season. And we are still wide open seven months later. We are conceding on average 22 shots per game. We have scored less goals than Luton Town. We are rubbish up front, and at the back.
Some of it is proper schoolboy stuff, you are sat watching in total disbelief. We can go 2 nill up, and then concede 3. We can't string 3 passes together without giving the ball back to the opposition. We are hanging on in every game. Even again Luton Town. Newport County put 2 past us. They had 17 shots. Let that sink in. Newport County had 17 shots. Only ten less than Man City on Sunday.
You can blame the players, you can look at the injuries. But after that Wolves home game in August, you would be back at training the following day and you'd be trying to fix all those red flags that you witnessed. You'd be looking at the gaps in midfield, the runners not being tracked. An opposition strolling into your box, a simple pull back to an unmarked player. You would look at that and try to fix it. But still we see it. Every week, every opposition, the same move. The same goal conceded.
You can only look at that and come to the conclusion that Ten Hag is not the man for this job. He is not learning from mistakes. He's pushing everyone up for an unconvincing press. And even with a high press, they are not scoring from it. And then the opposition are having a field day with all the space in behind. It's a mess. The whole thing is a shambles.
. Gosh, I hope bayern snatch up Alonso. He seems to be the real deal but I guess on the flip side, anyone following Klopp will have a near impossible job. 