I didn't see the game but I'm guessing we were ****e. Beaten by a Bournemouth side at home for the first time ever. This is what I mean about why Ten Hag can't get our players to play well even against sides we should be beating. It's not just about the bad eggs. We're going to get gubbed at home to a second string Bayern side. Then get battered by Liverpool. I want to stick behind the manager but have to be honest I'm finding it very hard to atm.
I watched the first half and had to leave. Never in a million years did I think we would lose by 3 goal. ETH is clearly a man flushed with resources but he is clueless how to use them. It is embarrassing to think we played at home and can’t score a fkin goal.
I think the next two matches are critical for ETH. Not many expect anything other than a loss to Bayern, but the manner in which we play and the result against Liverpool will, for me, decide his future. Dropping out of the CL (to the EL or out altogether) will affect the share price due to the loss of revenues, and I wonder if the JR deal hasn't been delayed in order to take that potential drop into account.
It isn't just the next 2 games though. Even if he survives those results (losses) we have West Ham and Aston Villa after. I can't see us winning any of the next 4 games. Personally, I think it's inevitable and he's a dead man walking.
He's not got much charisma, I can see why he would be uninspiring. The changes he made though, I just don't get. In the face of all the stick Martial (rightly) got after the Newcastle game, why pick him ahead of Hojlund, who needs a goal? It comes across that Hojlund was dropped, which will do **** all to help him. Sounds like Martial did nothing, and then Rashford came on also did **** all. Probably sulked too, although not yet seen any of it.
I think it must've been to save Hojlund for the Bayern game. Must be surely? Not that I think it was the right call because it wasn't!
Add to all of this, what part of 'win today and you go level on points with City' isn't basic inspiration enough for this bunch? Do they not get that? Well, clearly not obviously, and this is a huge problem. Not sure ten Hag gets it either.
ETH doesn't inspire does he, he doesn't seem to have a long-term view, every game seems to be taken on it's own, baby steps instead of a long term vision for the club. Every loss he seems to just brush under the carpet, make a few soundbites to the media and put it behind him, he doesn't seem to hurt like the fans do. Part of that is the culture difference between the UK and Holland, but like LVG, that abrupt, uncompromising manner doesn't always work with players. To me he is a small fish in a big pond, way out of his depth and the powers that be, now and in the future, will have serious concerns about whether he is the right man for the job. Why go out and spend big on players only to have them dragged down by ETH, Steve McC and the rest of our second rate coaching staff.
Yes, but you seem to be focusing on the idea of your own personal choice, Ancelotti. Is he even available or in United's thoughts? Ratcliffe (assuming this ever happens) might have different ideas. Apparently he fancies de Zerbi, who would also be a small fish in a big pond at United, and also has no more of a background/catalogue than Ten Hag, other than being the current flavour of the month. The only gilt edged certs as managers out there are Guardiola and Klopp, and they are taken.
That’s just it! There is simply no strategic vision for the team. To his credit, the team has truly learned to fk around with the ball at the back while trying to play it out. I saw so many of these instances in the first half and every time it was done, it was a useless risk to take. Just fkin stupid!! As much as I don’t think we should fall back to changing the manager yet again, I can’t help but think that ETH is wasting this team with enough talent to win 25 games in a season.
This really speaks to the bigger problem. Who do we replace ETH with? It is a tough one. Maybe try someone like Zidane? A character with big personality that can demand better from the players? But we’ve tried that before as well and it comes with its gamble. So what do we do?
Stick with ten Hag. And also any change has to be when Ratcliffe takes over football operations, if that's what is actually going to happen. We had two managers with big enough reputations to take on the job in van Gaal (always a myth in my opinion anyway) and Mourinho. And both couldn't work at the club. Well, it's not even a football club anymore, hasn't been for a long while. So that change needs to take place, above manager level, before any new one comes in.
Having watched his post match presser, one thing that strikes me is that the press pack are giving him such an easy ride. His stock answer to every question is that 'we must improve, this is not acceptable' etc etc - not one journo is prepared to say - ok, what needs to be improved and how?, how much of the blame for that **** show is on you, and how much on the players. He gets away with it every time, a few sound bites and off he goes to improve things.....
I highlighted CA because he is the best of the bunch, we've ****ed up with 'potential', as have the Chavs with Potter, now is not the time to experiment yet again. We need a proven winner at every level of the game, someone who will command respects from all the players - and for me, CA is the only one who can do that. He hasn't signed for Brasil, so yes, he would be available. Would he take the job, that's another question.
I agree with this. I wouldn't mind if it led to some free flowing football where we play it out, through the middle and open teams up... but it doesn't. It's endlessly recycled round and round from left to right and back again. Ending usually with a hoof up field for one of our players to get outmuscled in a 50/50 and giving away possession. The football isn't great to watch.
Exactly this, it serves no purpose when the outcome is exactly the same as the keeper giving it a good old fashioned punt to the halfway line. It invites pressure from the off and any mistake places the ball in our own third, any wonder teams press high. It's not as if , as you say, we drive the ball through the wings of through the middle, we don't, its side to side, pointless triangles - all the while any momentum has gone and the opposition defence has regrouped, any wonder we're finding it hard to penetrate teams these days. Chelsea was a different kettle of fish, both teams were playing free flowing football - the old 'you score two, we'll score three' type of game. Al this turgid, pointless 10ft recycling of passes is crap - it's so not Manchester United.
You know the funny thing is that Martinez is brilliant at bringing the ball out from the back. Maguire does a decent job of it sometimes but not as consistently as Martinez. Rio also used to be very good at it.
