Erik ten Hag named new United manager

[jsp]

These interviews are pointless, let's not forget they all came out and loved Ole, now they are slagging him off.

Nobody is going to come out and say they don't like his methods are they.

I get what you are saying and it may not be a dig at Ole it may be more of a dig at Rangnick as discipline seemed to totally go out the window last season. We obviously don't see what happens on the training pitch and how the managers take the training sessions but ETH seems right in the thick of it and when he doesn't see what he wants from the players he lets them know it.

Your second point is really important though before now within a few weeks we've always heard rumours about players not being happy with a new managers methods in training or quality of coaches and journalists don't make these things up someone is always giving them that line. Since ETH came in I haven't seen one negative whisper about any of the training or his coaches everything coming out either directly like this or from lines fed to journalists is the place is buzzing and everyone is enjoying the new training style.

Now a few dodgy results early on could totally knock the wind out of us but from what we see everyone is buying into this now and it would seem that the manager has established himself as the top dog and not to be messed with.

 

[Justin Cider]

Your second point is really important though before now within a few weeks we've always heard rumours about players not being happy with a new managers methods in training or quality of coaches and journalists don't make these things up someone is always giving them that line. Since ETH came in I haven't seen one negative whisper about any of the training or his coaches everything coming out either directly like this or from lines fed to journalists is the place is buzzing and everyone is enjoying the new training style.

You're very naive if you think journos don't make stuff up, player 'A' comes out of training looking miserable because his wife has just rang him after training to say her Mother has been gazumped on her new house so she will be staying on with them for the foreseeable, so obviously he's gonna be friggin miserable - Journos sees him, mmmm, what can I run with, the players are unhappy with the Manager, the Coaches, the Tactics, their teammates ....

They never have to back it up so they can spout nonsense.

 

[jsp]

You're very naive if you think journos don't make stuff up, player 'A' comes out of training looking miserable because his wife has just rang him after training to say her Mother has been gazumped on her new house so she will be staying on with them for the foreseeable, so obviously he's gonna be friggin miserable - Journos sees him, mmmm, what can I run with, the players are unhappy with the Manager, the Coaches, the Tactics, their teammates ....

They never have to back it up so they can spout nonsense.

Well a proper journalist not a gobsh*te with a twitter account and a few followers wouldn't put his name to something that is totally made up because it will mean he's cut off for the club and so are his employers when it comes to access for interviews.

The ones who right about disharmony at the club have normally had a tip off from the players agent or someone they know is close to him (family member/close friend) that all is not well and the good ones will wait until they've heard it from more than 1 player before they stick their name on the story.

Not every journalist is one of these transfer gossip clickbait idiots who just retweet or rewrite someone elses rumour (with an acknowledgement) for a few cheap clicks. Truth really doesn't matter to these people it's all about interactions.

 

[Justin Cider]

Well a proper journalist not a gobsh*te with a twitter account and a few followers wouldn't put his name to something that is totally made up because it will mean he's cut off for the club and so are his employers when it comes to access for interviews.

The ones who right about disharmony at the club have normally had a tip off from the players agent or someone they know is close to him (family member/close friend) that all is not well and the good ones will wait until they've heard it from more than 1 player before they stick their name on the story.

Not every journalist is one of these transfer gossip clickbait idiots who just retweet or rewrite someone elses rumour (with an acknowledgement) for a few cheap clicks. Truth really doesn't matter to these people it's all about interactions.

I know the job has got harder over the last decade what with all the 24hr stuff but there is not one journalist I look forward to reading their report now, not one, back in the day there was 3 or 4, most who couldn't hide their dislike of everything United but understood the game.

And you can't ban journalists from pressers these days.

 

[jsp]

I know the job has got harder over the last decade what with all the 24hr stuff but there is not one journalist I look forward to reading their report now, not one, back in the day there was 3 or 4, most who couldn't hide their dislike of everything United but understood the game.

And you can't ban journalists from pressers these days.

There are a few I don’t mind reading but fast news online has pretty much ruined the profession. Some of the damage is self inflicted tabloids who were out to get footballers meant many have their guards up to journalists now and refuse to do any media that isn’t heavily controlled.

You can certainly make sure they don’t get one on one access to your manager or players though which is where they can make the most money.

 

[Justin Cider]

There are a few I don’t mind reading but fast news online has pretty much ruined the profession. Some of the damage is self inflicted tabloids who were out to get footballers meant many have their guards up to journalists now and refuse to do any media that isn’t heavily controlled.

You can certainly make sure they don’t get one on one access to your manager or players though which is where they can make the most money.

Martin Samuel is a very good read along as he isn't talking about United, and Emily Bishop(Coronation Street)'s Son Oliver Holt who can/could never hide his loathing of all things United sometimes does/did a great piece on United probably prompted by his editor to tone down his hatred for for all things United, after complaints no doubt.

 

[RVN]

I used to enjoy Sunday Supplement on Sky.

 

[Justin Cider]

Yeah, but it went to the dogs when Brian Woolnough left.

 

[jsp]

Martin Samuel is a very good read along as he isn't talking about United, and Emily Bishop(Coronation Street)'s Son Oliver Holt who can/could never hide his loathing of all things United sometimes does/did a great piece on United probably prompted by his editor to tone down his hatred for for all things United, after complaints no doubt.

Saw Martin Samuel at Euston station a few weeks ago.

Andy Mitten and Laurie Whitwell are worth reading on Utd stuff.

Daniel Taylor very good as well.

Sunday supplement was good but became dated once social media kicked in the days of the big Sunday splash story are over you can’t keep the story quiet for that long anymore.

 

[Justin Cider]

Saw Martin Samuel at Euston station a few weeks ago.

Andy Mitten and Laurie Whitwell are worth reading on Utd stuff.

Daniel Taylor very good as well.

Sunday supplement was good but became dated once social media kicked in the days of the big Sunday splash story are over you can’t keep the story quiet for that long anymore.

I've always felt the press in this country are ABU's in general ever since I first started going regularly in the late 70's, a view I still hold.

And there was one episode of SS that basically confirmed it, when they were discussing the time United got beat by Barcelona the first time in Rome 2009, and the English journalists on the way to their end of season party(organised and paid for by UEFA, Man Utd and Barcelona)were celebrating Barcelona's win drinking champagne and singing and dancing on the coach the second they left the stadium to the venue the gig was.

Can't remember who was on the show that day, but 4 of the 5 were laughing about it, there was one known United fan(whose name escapes me) who looked as though he was gonna explode, Brian Woolnough was more guilty laughing because he knew, as they probably all did, that what happened on the coach that night and later at the venue(some got thrown out for being so drunk) was an embarrassment to English journalism.

Never watched the show in full again after that episode.

 

[RichH2016]

If you're Ten Hag at this point you have to be rather disappointed with the transfer market thus far. No midfielders added, a lot of issues to address and not a lot of outgoings. Just over a week until their first PL game and their midfield is going to be the same as last year and lacking even more options. It has to be said that's very disappointing and worrying. Once again they've failed at a really important position. They needed 2 CMs this year and they've not got 1 yet and I'm not sure they are going to.

 

[jsp]

If you're Ten Hag at this point you have to be rather disappointed with the transfer market thus far. No midfielders added, a lot of issues to address and not a lot of outgoings. Just over a week until their first PL game and their midfield is going to be the same as last year and lacking even more options. It has to be said that's very disappointing and worrying. Once again they've failed at a really important position. They needed 2 CMs this year and they've not got 1 yet and I'm not sure they are going to.

I think he knows how tough it is to buy and sell players I suspect he will judge it at the end of the window still think we could see up to 3 come in and quite a few out. The guys we are trying to sell are likely plan B or C for clubs so they are always likely to go late.

he has been backed with players he wants he hasn’t had players forced on him by our recruitment team and it seems like it’s him holding on for De Jong rather than look to other options.

IF we land De Jong then we’ve signed the perfect centre mid for him and added Eriksen.

Regardless of signings he will be judged by performances and results he will need to get more from the players he has Inherited and the early signs are he will be able to do that.

 

[RichH2016]

Look I agree with you ultimately the sales will come later in the window as teams start to get desperate.

But there's no denying that their failure to add any CMs is a catastrophic issue at this point. The midfield they had last year wasn't good enough and they've lost players at CM. Ok sure not much argument for those players leaving but they had to add. Right now they haven't added anyone and I can't see the De Jong one happening. At this point it's gone on so long I think it's pretty clear he wants to stay.

Yes Ten Hag needs to get more out of the players he has but Fred and McTominay are just not good enough. I don't actually think Fred is that bad but he's not a DM and he's not a connecting player which is what Ten Hag wants. For a Ten Hag style to work they need to control games and that midfield is not up to it. I just think he's being set up to fail.

 

[Mr C]

I imagine he was given the choice, and he chose to wait for the player he wants

 

[O-Dog]

I just think he's being set up to fail.

Seriously? By whom? And for what purpose?

 

[jsp]

Look I agree with you ultimately the sales will come later in the window as teams start to get desperate.

But there's no denying that their failure to add any CMs is a catastrophic issue at this point. The midfield they had last year wasn't good enough and they've lost players at CM. Ok sure not much argument for those players leaving but they had to add. Right now they haven't added anyone and I can't see the De Jong one happening. At this point it's gone on so long I think it's pretty clear he wants to stay.

Yes Ten Hag needs to get more out of the players he has but Fred and McTominay are just not good enough. I don't actually think Fred is that bad but he's not a DM and he's not a connecting player which is what Ten Hag wants. For a Ten Hag style to work they need to control games and that midfield is not up to it. I just think he's being set up to fail.

Well he's setting himself up to fail then because as far as we can see he's picking the players the money is there to spend he's picked his target and he wants to wait until the very last minute before changing track. The issue he probably has is his perfect signing is potentially within his grasp the plan B options probably won't be anywhere near as good as De Jong is so he's got to wait as clubs aren't normally willing to sell players of that quality.

We don't really know what his plan is for Eriksen who is a midfield player there's quite a few suggesting he may play a bit deeper than his previous role as a number 10 but I agree a proper holding midfield player is key.

The worst thing he could probably do is do what Moyes did and snap under pressure and over pay for a player he didn't really want which is essentially what happened with Fellaini.

There's a month to do lets see where we are then if he doesn't get more players in he's going to have a very big challenge on his hands.

 

[RichH2016]

Look the midfield has been an issue for a few years now. In fact probably longer than that. I just don't understand why they overlook the position every year. Fred is an OK player if he is used correctly but that's not as a controlling player nor as a DM. McTominay just isn't a good player and then there's nothing there.

I really don't understand why they haven't just gone and signed another midfielder. They needed 2 really anyway so why not go and sign someone like Neves who instantly upgrades the midfield. Doing nothing is going to bite United hard.

 

[Mr C]

De Jong is the player he wants, he's 70m or something, we've already spent a load, I don't think two more is an option.

We already have 3 new players, a 4th would be pushing it for me.

I can see with De Jong we have plenty of options, Donny, Eriksen, De Jong, Mctom, Fred, Garner, maybe Savage and Martinez can play there.

 

[jsp]

Look the midfield has been an issue for a few years now. In fact probably longer than that. I just don't understand why they overlook the position every year. Fred is an OK player if he is used correctly but that's not as a controlling player nor as a DM. McTominay just isn't a good player and then there's nothing there.

I really don't understand why they haven't just gone and signed another midfielder. They needed 2 really anyway so why not go and sign someone like Neves who instantly upgrades the midfield. Doing nothing is going to bite United hard.

Well we have to assume Eriksen is going to be part of that midfield mix there's even a chance Martinez could be or possible even Garner but really it seems like he wants De Jong.

We don't know the plan he's not going to tell us that plan in public is he and signing the wrong player would probably be worse than signing no player given how much even average players cost now.

As it stands he's got Fred, McTominay, Garner, VDB, Bruno and Eriksen for his 3 midfield positions. We don't really know if he's going for the 3 man system or the 2 holding and a number 10 system. It looks from pre season like a 4-2-3-1 but if he gets De Jong it may be that he changes that slightly as De Jong can play that holding role to an elite level whereas others can't.

Does Neves fit the ETH playing style? I'm not sure he is as the teams he's featured in all play the traditional Portuguese counter attack style that is how Wolves play. This more expansive higher line pressing style might not suit him or it might be that players like him or Tielemens are the plan B options if the De Jong deal collapses and he decides to stay.

Doing nothing would be bad but doing something rash would be worse if the right players aren't there in this window then work with what we have and see if the right player is available in January.

 

[SuperRash]

Look the midfield has been an issue for a few years now. In fact probably longer than that. I just don't understand why they overlook the position every year. Fred is an OK player if he is used correctly but that's not as a controlling player nor as a DM. McTominay just isn't a good player and then there's nothing there.

I really don't understand why they haven't just gone and signed another midfielder. They needed 2 really anyway so why not go and sign someone like Neves who instantly upgrades the midfield. Doing nothing is going to bite United hard.

It’s not like we haven’t bought in central midfield over the last few years - the moves just haven’t worked out or came too late in the respective players careers.

Schneiderlin, Matic, Pogba, Schweinsteiger, van de Beek, Fred are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

No doubt it’s an area we haven’t filled well over the years. All our rivals seem to strengthen in this area over the years but we just haven’t quite got it right.

 

[jsp]

Fellaini, Herrera and Blind too in the last decade.

I really do believe the worst thing we could do is just panic and get someone in for the sake of it this early in his time at the club he needs every signing to pay off because the sad reality is the fans will be quick to turn as we've been starved of success and the ownership issue means fans aren't going to take much to turn.

 

[RichH2016]

I get the sentiment that you shouldn't panic and yes you're right they shouldn't. But that midfield right now is garbage. I mean there's teams below where united finished with better midfield players. That's a sorry state of affairs. The moves haven't worked out over the years but now isn't the time to hide away from stepping up and signing another.

I argued before the window opened that United needed at least 2. As things stand they haven't added a single one. And the De Jong saga is going to end in disappointment if you ask me. That's a dire situation for the club to be in and that's going to have a big impact on Ten Hag in my opinion. I wouldn't be surprised if as a result the team badly struggle and he is out in a year. I hope I'm wrong but that's how bad that midfield is and midfield is absolutely essential to the way he wants to play.

 

[jsp]

I get the sentiment that you shouldn't panic and yes you're right they shouldn't. But that midfield right now is garbage. I mean there's teams below where united finished with better midfield players. That's a sorry state of affairs. The moves haven't worked out over the years but now isn't the time to hide away from stepping up and signing another.

I argued before the window opened that United needed at least 2. As things stand they haven't added a single one. And the De Jong saga is going to end in disappointment if you ask me. That's a dire situation for the club to be in and that's going to have a big impact on Ten Hag in my opinion. I wouldn't be surprised if as a result the team badly struggle and he is out in a year. I hope I'm wrong but that's how bad that midfield is and midfield is absolutely essential to the way he wants to play.

Are the players in the teams below us better than the players in the teams above us though?

Would spending £50m on Neves be £50m to stand still? I like Neves but I'd say in the teams that were above us last season he'd start at Arsenal and maybe Spurs but he wouldn't get a sniff at the others. Rice for me would get in most sides but that's £100m plus he's just to hard to get.

To sign players other players have to leave it's not just purely for the accountants that the books need to balance it's also a case of squad harmony the squad was way to big last season and it created a lot of problems which I think killed Ole's reputation with the players. He made promises he couldn't keep and slowly the mood turned on him. Ten Hag will have to avoid that.

For all we know he's seen something in training/pre season games where in his system the players he has will be much better.

Pogba/Lingard/Mata left and were replaced by Eriksen honestly that 1 signing can replace all 3 of them.
Matic also left we obviously need to replace him which is where De Jong comes in and I'm sure there will be a plan B if we reach a point where De Jong is off the table.

We can't just do another VDB where we sign a player because he's quite good and available we need to sign a player who can do the job that the new manager needs him to do to make the team to function.

 

[Panfc]

I was quite happy when he was announced, only to be very disappointed with the players he wants/got. Players that are missing the quality to give us a direct boost.
A Malacia, who has three left backs who are better then him, one being right footed. An Eriksen, with all respect, who hasn’t showed a lot since leaving Spurs. (Though I can see him as a Mata/Lingard replacement: fringeplayer who accepts he is a fringeplayer) Martinez who’s too small and slow and has been paid for way too much for him not to play regularly. Being linked with Antony who really isn’t any better then Elanga, Rashford, Sancho, but is a cheat and diver.
None of these are players that will be an improvement on the players we’ve got.
I love to be proven wrong, but I can see why Ronaldo has asked to leave…

 

[jsp]

Another new signing through the door.

Kevin Keij has left Ajax to join Utd as first team performance analyst.

 

[Justin Cider]

Another new signing through the door.

Kevin Keij has left Ajax to join Utd as first team performance analyst.

Could have told you that a month ago.

 

[jsp]

Could have told you that a month ago.

Did you know that Benni McCarthy was also joining the coaching team?

 

[Justin Cider]

Did you know that Benni McCarthy was also joining the coaching team?

Mentioned it a couple of days ago, probably in the Ronaldo thread.

Edit:

Ronaldo to Leave?

Saturday at 12:29 PM (#200)

 

[jsp]

Mentioned it a couple of days ago, probably in the Ronaldo thread.

Edit:

Ronaldo to Leave?

Saturday at 12:29 PM (#200)

You mentioned it after the news broke.

I thought you were the man with the inside scoop

 

[SuperRash]

Already looks totally peed off by our incompetence. Our players sure know how to throw managers under the bus.

 

[Mr C]

Don't think Poch will be taking a job anytime soon.

 

[boothstownred]

Didn't think we would be talking about a new manager after two games.

 

[jsp]

Until he’s got a team of his own players you can’t really judge him.

Maybe a touch naive yesterday going in against Brentford with such a small team they are one of the best on set pieces and they caused us problems all game with them.

I doubt he had Eriksen in mind for that deep role but it’s what he’s got because of the slow rebuilding of the squad.

He isn’t going anywhere and so far the finger isn’t pointing at him it is firmly at the owners and that is where it should stay pointing until they agree to sell up.

 

[IDFD]

He can't get a free pass on the Eriksen signing and playing him out of position though. It's £200k a week wasted on making us a poorer side. I'd have preferred we have the money to Mata. At least he gave a damn.

Get the Rabiot deal done and get Eriksen to the bench. He's not a CM.

It was criminal to play him in the work horse position in CM against Brentford. He's a player that should come on in the 60th minute at 0-0. He's one of the best passers of the ball in the final third in the world. Play him in the final third.

 

[SuperRash]

I think we will try and accelerate some new signings now. We cannot continue with this dross but until ETH moulds this team in his own vision, then he should be backed.

He has inherited a squad that is unbalanced, full of poor signings and has a weak mentality.