News: The 2024/25 Season (P)Review Thread [R]

Some select quotes from ETH today:


"Not scoring goals. That's the problem, it's the key area," said Ten Hag ahead of hosting Tottenham, live on Sky Sports this Sunday.

"We have to score more goals as a team. I think we have players across the team who have the ability to score. It's clear. You see all the opportunities we are creating. We're not scoring enough."

Ten Hag criticised his players' effort after their draw with Twente and wants to see more hunger.

"We should be, that is what we demand from each other and that is what we have to bring in on a consistent basis," he said. "That is what we are striving for. Successful teams have this.

"When you play 60 games, there will be games where you are not happy with the performance but when you are not happy where the opponent wants more.

"I think that is always the psychological side of top football where any team is hungrier than the other. The team who can manage this the best is the most successful. We are ambitious so you always demand from yourself that you are more hungry than your opponent."

"I think you have to assess the situation, Still we are working, we are in progress.

“We have to sign players. We also made a choice to sign very young players. Like last year (Rasmus) Hojlund, like this year (Joshua) Zirkzee and Leny Yoro – players we believe in them in this moment but also for the future. We have to build them.

“When I started we spoke about more, we have to make a switch there in the dressing room and I think we turned a corner.

“Now we have to work with the squad and that takes time and of course I am also – it’s not a good behaviour from me – impatient and I want to go straight forward.

“But also, to be fair, we had success in the last two seasons and we have to work very hard to bring another success.”

https://www.skysports.com/football/...ns-previews-and-fantasy-football-live-updates

 

Last two games couldn't have gone much worse.

The draw at home to Twente felt more like a defeat as the view from players, fans and manager were that they wanted it more than we did.

Then today we were back to the team of last season where we are so open we concede huge numbers of shots against (24) and are so abject at defending we have a huge xG against too. So the 0-3 scoreline actually flattered us ...

We are in some deep sh1t.

Tottenham registered 4.67 expected goals against Manchester United today.

It's the most they've ever had in a single Premier League game on record.#MNUTOT pic.twitter.com/Hys7zUDDsI

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) September 29, 2024

 

The way it should be.

 

Very early morning news is that Ruben amorim as our next coach is imminent or verbally done. He was singled out by Omar berrada,and Ruben was in Citeh plans if Pep would leave in 2025.

 

Very good choice, but timing is far from ideal for him if he joins now.

 

He has 75% or so, of the season left and its free money. If anyone expects Europe at the end of the season, youre smoking crack. He has however many months to get to know the players and see who needs replacing.

As long as he's not a shit coach, the squad is good enough to not continue a downard spiral

 

Agree Benni. Ideal timing. He gets 30 off league games with mostly a free hit. He can figure out exactly what he wants for next year recruitment wise, and gives us plenty of time to plan it out.

 

Assuming Amorim joins and we do try to play a 3-4-3 system, what do you feel would this be our most likely starting 11? Do we go with Yoro (once healthy) alongside Martinez and De Ligt?

 

Think the CBs are actually quite easy.

Gets more tricky with the #10s and wing-forwards - as from what I understand they are essentially two AMs in his system ahead of two DMs. Though for sure the terminology is debatable but they are deffo too narrow to be called wing forwards that we are used to in a 4-2-3-1.

Some players can play multiple positions in his system. Against weaker oppo for example he could have Bruno deeper in one of the DM spots. Mount for example could be also be either as could Eriksen.

Left fullback for sure an issue. Have thought we could try Antony there given a wing-back doesn't need to excel at defending with a LCB and LDM to also cover. Antony defending is actually ok (about the only thing he has done ok for us). However unsure if he can play on the conventional un-inverted side and cross etc.

Maybe something like below (first team starters and second team their immediate subs).

Hojlund
Shaw - Bruno - Garnacho - Dalot
Mainoo - Ugarte
Martinez - De Ligt - Yoro

Zirkzee
Amass - Rashford - Amad - Mazraoui
Eriksen - Casemiro
Evans - Maguire - Lindelof

Though can easily consider him mixing these up a lot.

 

One thing I’ve been thinking is the discipline style ETH tried to implement doesn’t work with his broody/moody attitude. It may have worked with Ajax because most of the players were academy and outside players may have bought in a little more, especially since they were successful. But as soon as he went outside of that with all manner of international players with different backgrounds, he wasn’t successful with it. If he wants to be successful he’ll have to edit his attitude imo, and I’m not sure he’ll do that effectively. A lot of people saying he’ll be fine or successful outside of this job, but I’m really not so sure.

 

I would attribute a lot of that to player egos/Player FC. Players should show deference to the club and management, not be allowed to stroke their ego and think/act like they are bigger than the club.

More players need to learn they're lower on the pecking order than the manager.

 

FootMercato (not sure how credible, but do seem to have a lot of reports on Sporting) have written that a “total agreement” has been reached “a few minutes ago” for Amorim and two of his assistants – Carlos Fernandes and Adelio Candido - to move to United

 

I don't think this is the correct view on it. By all accounts, Sir Alex was a disciplinarian, but also was loving and would smile. He had a good balance, so it wasn't always doom and gloom and distancing. I'm sure some can be put on the players, but that also doesn't track because he brought a lot of his own guys in.

Edit: I don't think I saw ETH smile once.

 

I think there is a bit of recency bias in there - there was not much to smile about for a while . He seemed cheery enough at the start.

I get what you mean though - from a charisma point of view, EtH was for sure a bit serious and dry at times. Not that uncommon among a lot of managers, maybe a certain breed of dutch managers in particular to a degree.

Hopefully we get more of a motivator / charismatic leader in addition to a tactician.

 

I don't need a charismatic or cheery manager. I'm just speaking to being an effective disciplinarian if you're broody and distant. I think more Vladimir Lenin when I think of ETH. Not sure that's fair though.

 

Amorim is easily steps ahead of EtH in the charisma and charm department.

 

Fun fact, Lenin did make ribbit sounds when the proletariat demanded baguettes. It wasn't so fun when most then starved to death, but it was fun at the start.

 

The damage done in prior games too for sure, but Ruud was brought in before the season to help the strikers and bottom line is that whatever the manager and striker coach there is just not the quality in the attack to get the desired goals and that is really hurting this season more than anything.

Some would like to just blame Erik and ignore culpability of others, but there is plenty of blame to go around.

Garna is still really greedy, Hojlund still gets far too few shots per game for a #9 (on both him, team and coaches) and our RWF position broken for years with poor recruitment.

Whatever the manager, just no chemistry between the front line.

With just 12 points won, this is Manchester United’s worst return after 10 games of a league campaign since 1986-87 (8).

Meanwhile, their total of nine goals is their fewest at this stage of a league campaign since 1973-74 (also 9).#MUFC

[@OptaJoe] pic.twitter.com/kXKpc1V2cz

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) November 3, 2024

 

Agree with Gaz Nev about lack of off-the-ball workrate from Garna & Rashford vs workrate from other teams wing forwards.



Not just work rate but thinking of the team.

So glad Casemiro ripped into Garnacho here.

Best thing about a new manager is there’s nowhere to hide for these players. You got the last guy sacked so if you don’t give 100% you’re getting exposed. https://t.co/tW9IshWmbL pic.twitter.com/EqtnD15nr9

— Davo 🇱🇸 (@David_Mapheleba) November 3, 2024