04 Oct 2024 12:12:33
Boy, do we miss Luke Shaw. He was often criticized for being out of position but I'm beginning to think that, just maybe, the problem was that he was let down as often as not by Rashford failing to play his part defensively. As ETH reportedly pointed out, last night, a left side of Dalot, Eriksen and Rashford was constantly being exposed and exploited. When fit, Shaw was often very good going forward, overlapping, linking with Rashford, and was one of the team's best crossers.

1.) 04 Oct 2024
04 Oct 2024 12:29:07
Of course Utd miss Shaw. Shaw's problem is that he can't stay fit.

Ericson and Casemiro are lightweight and get bullied in midfield. Having Dalot push up and slot into midfield, causes too many issues for the defence.

MdL looks completely lost in a Utd shirt. Even Martinez has been poor this season.

Sunday may well be EtH last game, but it feels like the cycle will once again repeat itself.

When will things actually change for the better at Utd?

2.) 04 Oct 2024
04 Oct 2024 20:06:40
This is my concern Mad Hatter. People can say ETH has coached the team to these defeats etc but let’s not forget he’s also coached the team to winning positions in matches, last night and Chelsea last year off top of my head, I know there’s plenty more. It’s unacceptable for players to allow a 2-0 lead to disappear just like that last night and then hide behind the manager. Sadly when your winning, players get the credit and when your losing the manager takes the flack.

I get the ETH out argument, genuinely. But we’ve seen it all before. Someone will come in and we’ll improve, end up doing well and probably getting top 4. But in 12 months we’ll be having the same discussion IMO. At some point players HAVE to take responsibility for their performances and attitude in a game and not hide behind managerial faults for their excuse. Dalot and Rashford were at fault last night for mistakes you wouldn’t except at grassroots and that’s nothing to do with coaching or management.

ETH has his faults and believe me he has made it VERY hard to defend him but at the same time I, personally will always back a Manager over players when I feel like the effort is not there from players or they take no responsibility. The clubs standards have nose dived since SAF left as he had a stranglehold on the whole running of the club and INEOS need to get that back.

If I thought there was a manager that could really come in and change things that would bring succes over a long period of time not just the odd season here and there I’d hold my hands up and say absolutely but sadly I just can’t see a manager changing the standard of the club until the football people that SJR spoke about today have made their impact so why not back the manager above the players and remove that player mentality that I believe is in place of them knowing they will outlast a manager. We need consistency at the club and that doesn’t come by keep changing manager. But, I appreciate it is really hard for fans at the moment to accept, myself included. But I’m just bored of the same cycle at the moment.

{Ed025's Note - i agree with a lot of that Ports but there are too many players with poor attitudes at the club that its virtually impossible for ETH to stay mate, what does he do? drop them all and play kids?...that could well get you relegated, for me he has lost the dressing room and thats the beginning of the end, i cant give you any answers as to how you move on but its not a quick fix thats for sure..

3.) 04 Oct 2024
04 Oct 2024 15:09:53
Just read that 7/ 8 goals against us the the Prem this season have come from sides crossing from our LB position. You bet they’re targetting that side. Let’s hope Leon Bailey has a bad day.

4.) 04 Oct 2024
04 Oct 2024 15:12:05
Could he not have swapped them?
Cant mazraoui not play Lb when dalot is not playing well.

Eth needs to leave.

5.) 04 Oct 2024
04 Oct 2024 21:13:26
Yeah I agree Ed. Was thinking about it today as I’m sure a lot of fans were and for me, I’d love him to walk away rather than be sacked but I know no manager would ever do that but I don’t think a United manager has ever come under as much scrutiny, criticism and pressure as ETH on top of everything he’s had to deal with. Again, I know he’s been his own worst enemy at times but the fella handled and faced up to everything.

If/ when the new manager comes in, for me they have to absolutely ruthless and sell Rashford. I’m, personally ok with Fernandes but maybe sell Fernandes. Maybe 1 or two others. We talk about getting rid of deadwood, but I think we need to make some statement sales too.

{Ed025's Note - i wish i could offer a solution Ports but i cant mate..

6.) 04 Oct 2024
04 Oct 2024 21:38:51
I think Ten Hag is trying far to hard and asking his team to do to much to cover for deficiencies.

Bruno cannot play.

7.) 04 Oct 2024
04 Oct 2024 22:03:53
Opps sent too early.

I think Ten is trying to do too much tactically and is confusing the players.

Bruno cannot play as part of a midfield three, he is best suited as a 10 with a free role and little defensive responsibility or a false 9. The false 9 worked with Jim in because it moved him away from defensive responsibility and allowed an extra man to be brought into the middle.

To counter Brunos deficiencies we are bringing the FB to play inverted to prevent us being overrun in the middle.

However Rashford doesn't get pressing and defensively is incredibly weak/ lazy. This then creates a big hole down the left side of midfield and defence meaning someone from the midfield or The LB playing inverted has to cover, you leave a hole to exploit with through the centre or down put left.

So you can't play Rashford and Bruno together if Bruno the midfield.

You can play Rashford with Bruno if Bruno is playing the False 9 role, as you are then putting Rashford higher up the pitch asking him to run and attack space behind the defenders to stretch the opposition, this role and this system is the one best suited to Rashfords skillset.

You cannot play Zirkzee with Bruno as they operate in the same area.

With our Squad, I think playing three at the back, Ugarte in front, to in CM, a combination of our wingers/ fullback out wide and Hojlund up top with Bruno or Zirkzee operating off him is the most effective we can be. Where you play your wide men (how high) dictates how high your midfield operates but Ten Hag isn't getting much out of his players trying to squeeze square pegs into round holes and then trying to ask them to do a bit more to cover for others weaknesses. The players don't seem to know what they are supposed to be doing for good reason.

8.) 04 Oct 2024
04 Oct 2024 22:24:08
It’s ok Ed, we’ll be ok. Just got to stick together. On the bright side, I always hated international breaks but I cannot wait for this one ?.

{Ed025's Note - all i can advise Ports is...temper your expectations mate, top 8 would be realistic, anything higher is pie in the sky at this point but i do wish you well, unlike Liverpool and Arsenal supporters who are reveling in the fact that Utd are not the force they once were..

9.) 04 Oct 2024
04 Oct 2024 22:40:22
I was okay with just Bruno cannot play!

10.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 02:50:35
Only my humble opinion but I think we will see a different Bruno with a new manager both in deployment and mindset.

I think ETH has sucked the mojo out of a few players.

11.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 06:48:02
Nothing will change. We are an entitled fan base and a toxic environment that is designed to fail rather succeed. We spend 90 percent of our time on this page criticizing a player, manager or something. Even when we win we find more time to criticize the win and find flaws with it than actually celebrating it.

If they make a change and Tuchel comes in I reckon Rash and Bruno start most games. I will not be surprised if he start Maguire too. He has publicly raved about what he thinks of rash so if people think a change of manager will bring about their wish list of selling rash or Bruno and or playing them, never going to happen. Buckle up and enjoy the ride lol.

Personally okay with whatever they decide and if they make a change even though I think its too early to make that call.

I will back the next guy and have no interest in spending the rest of the season analyzing every word that comes out of his mouth, team selection, tactics etc etc. I recognize whoever is managing the team is miles more qualified than me and privy to many things that I am not and maybe the rest of the fans should take a similar view and let them do their job.

12.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 06:56:15
Ports,

I agree with your reply, along with ED25.

EtH has lost the dressing room. I think the club should try and sell Bruno in January.

The managers position is a poisoned chalice.

13.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 08:31:48
Ports, I think you have it bang on.

14.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 08:33:39
Mad

We just extended Bruno's contract, people miles more qualified than all of us did that. Not just one person but a structure that is in place now. I am sure eth had input in terms of wanting to keep the player but nothing to do with how much and how long. that's not his department. Its the players agents and Dan Ashworth and others who do that stuff.

He divides opinions and personally not a fan of some things he does but realize my opinions does not matter. If you listen to other players and managers our won players he is very highly regarded.

15.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 08:57:31
What does ‘losing the dressing room’ even mean these days?

16.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 10:35:21
ETH spent the entirety of last Sunday wandering the corridors of Old Trafford, at one point he thought he heard Bruno laughing, but when he opened the door, it was a just another utility room. In the dark hours of Monday morning he exited the stadium in tears, his only relief that the next two games are away. He prays that he’ll be sacked during the international break because the alternative is to return to that maze of corridors searching, endlessly in vain, for the dressing room.

17.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 14:24:06
I think that's a pretty accurate post Ahmad. When we do win we'll, this page becomes very quiet.
Also I think at least 80% of Premier managers would all play Bruno.

18.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 15:07:31
I think they would banjoe and I thing they would ask get more out of him and I think they would have him playing better for the team.
The players are not the problem.

19.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 15:28:53
Bruno has his flaws like many footballers but in these guys eyes who are professional managers his qualities far out weights his flaws. We see some the flaws and focus on them only and that's the problem and given our results currently we want to lay the blame at something or someone.

20.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 15:55:47
Pretty easy to lose our dressing room. Maybe they need to put some signs up in OT. Seems it happens to every manager.

We won't be successful until the rashford bruno generation is over. We can spend another 3-4 years figuring that out, or we can do something about it now.

We also need to develop the young players we bought, but how do you think hoyland develops with rashford and bruno in the creative roles in his team?

21.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 19:07:49
Ken, you said the other day that until all the players who played under Ole, the club can’t move forward. This included Fernandes along with, Rashford, Maguire, Lindelof and Shaw. Now you’re saying the players aren’t the problem in a conversation regarding Fernandes. Can you clear up which it is please. Thanks.

22.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 20:59:11
Ports with the players we have I think most managers could get them performing as a team better.
We can't or probably can't sell them this season. So eth or anybody coming in need to work with what's there.
I think all of them are too badly affected to change from years of doing things badly and wrongly that they won't improve until they go elsewhere. A change of habits is easier in a new environment than it is to change them in the same place. Just my opinion and experience albeit in a very different business, but human behaviour isn't altered adversely by those circumstances and follows certain patterns in high percentage of the time. One or two will survive but they need to show they can change their habits and behaviours.
We have good players including some of those guys and we should be doing a lot better than we are.

23.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 21:30:34
I think we’ll go for Antonee Robinson in Jan.
We can’t rely on Shaw.
Not even sure if Malacia was good either way.

24.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 21:54:06
While a change of club can revitalise a player, you make it sound like they have ptsd. I don't think we need to discard every one who played under him.

25.) 05 Oct 2024
05 Oct 2024 22:03:32
I certainly don’t think Bruno is the problem but the way he is used. He is clearly a very good player and thrives on confidence over and above his never give in attitude. And he has a cracker of an engine!

Get those two factors correct and he will have a great run of games. Of that I am confident.

26.) 06 Oct 2024
06 Oct 2024 09:15:47
Where do Portugal play him? Always selected. Why? Plays well for them!

27.) 06 Oct 2024
06 Oct 2024 10:45:14
Comes down to coaching and set up ours is is all wrong.

28.) 06 Oct 2024
06 Oct 2024 12:32:30
The great man Brian Clough once said

"Players lose you games, not tactics. There is so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes"