20 Jan 2025 10:27:16
This is so frustrating.
We show heart and desire against Liverpool and Arsenal, and then look utterly useless against Southampton and Brighton. We did the same straight after a solid performance against City, optimism rose and then we fell off a cliff again. RA doesn't pick his words carefully, he talked about relegation and now he suggests this is the worst team in our history.
There are a couple of things bothering me.
RA is going to persevere with his system come hell or high water. It clearly isn't working yet he insists we will stick with it. Of course, it could be the players aren't good enough or able to adapt, but what if the system simply won't work in the EPL? No other team is playing it, so either RA is the next guru, or he is being naive thinking he can drag and drop a system that worked in Portugal which is a massively different league to the EPL. I'm not sure I really understand the system, 1 up front with 2 No 10s seems a luxury in the EPL where we will regularly get overrun in the middle. I like his style, I like the way he speaks, he feels like a people motivator, but if he is insisting there is only 1 way, then I worry he is simply being pig headed.
The second issue is character and attitude. If the players can step it up for the big games, then why do they go missing in the 'smaller' games? We stood firm against Arsenal with 10 men for over an hour, awesome performance, and yet Newcastle, Southampton and Brighton made us look like a League 1 side. I simply don't get it.
My head hurts!
20 Jan 2025 12:07:18
Ajh, you said a few weeks ago. Deer in the headlights.
We will hear the usual, blame it on ERH etc etc. but his loss rate so far is terrible.
20 Jan 2025 12:42:12
''I was stood next to Alex Ferguson, the manager of Manchester United. He said son, 'Now you know why we win on a Saturday. We win on a Saturday because we have the mindset to train every day. ''
This is why AJH. It's not just about what happens on Match Day, it's what happens everyday on the training ground. There's not enough players who are going to drive standards. Like him or not, Fernandes does but people moan about him and his attitude, behaviour. Managers have tried but the reaction is they're treating players unfairly.
And, IMO, this is a result of this; I just browsed at the premier league wages, we have 5 players in the top 25 highest earners, 4 of these players don't even start if they can get in the squad! Rashford, Mount, Casemiro and Anthony. Liverpool have 2 in the top 25, Salah and VVD. The club has no standards and no desire to drive standards. Until this mindset changes then I can't see much change anytime soon.
20 Jan 2025 12:56:25
I don’t see much where I think it’s entirely the system to blame.
Our creation and goal scoring has been an issue for 2/ 3 seasons now. A lot of the goals we concede are silly errors.
I’d be concerned about set pieces so far under him. The reality here is that this is a very poor group. No doubt they’ve a bit more individual quality to be higher up, but I guess the table doesn’t lie.
He needs time and his own players.
20 Jan 2025 13:35:24
Of course it's the system, overrun in midfield every game. Tell me why no other team in the EPL plays this formation.
20 Jan 2025 13:41:16
How many excuses about the system need to be thrown out before everyone realises these players unless it’s a simple instruction cannot fit into any system
You think pep ever thought about changing his system to fit the players he inherited, no! He replaced them with players who can.
The moment another manager changes his way to fit these overpayed pretenders (not all of them) but the vast majority of this squad are useless
We still have players here from when ole was manager, let that sink in.
20 Jan 2025 14:10:32
The system is not the issue. It’s the personnel. Yes, you can argue the manager should adapt to the players he has but we’ve been there and done that. The system works with the right profile of players. I think the manager is lucky that we had already been so bad under ETH. He gets to say we stick with my system and expose the players for what they are - bang average, because there’s minimal expectation for United to achieve anything this season. Why are managers able to come in to other clubs with new ideas and their players are able to adapt? Are our lot a thick bunch? The 352/ 343 works well but I don’t think the system matters much. If we’re being overrun in the midfield, can he add another in there and change the “system”? Course he can. Why can’t our players on the pitch figure it out though? Bruno can clearly do the job when he feels like it. Why’s he so inconsistent? Surely the number 10s need to work much harder to make the system work? I just don’t think we have the energy/ legs, mindset and work ethic to perform consistently under ANY system and that’s been the case for many years now. On another note, anyone think Casemiro might have a move lined up? Not been involved at all. I would like to see Collyer start some games too. We need his energy. I think he could be a top player.
20 Jan 2025 15:36:38
If its the system as you say, why can that same system work against City, Liverpool and Arsenal? Ill tell you why and it was said in an interview with RA "its nothing to do with the system its to do with application" these players turn up when they want been doing it for years.
20 Jan 2025 16:10:23
AJH so we bin off yet another manager, this one after 2 minutes.
Sounds good.
20 Jan 2025 16:54:36
Not sure he said that at all caolan. I think we can have some worries though. 7 defeats so far into his tenure isn't great. I thought he was brought into make this bunch better. They are all very capable season internationals.
20 Jan 2025 17:04:59
I agree that the system isn't working, our points return is a clear indicator of that since ruben has come in.
I haven't a problem with him sticking to his philosophy and approach to footbal but I do worry he is a one trick pony.
The Brighton manager summed it up when saying he knew exactly how we would set up and could plan to counter it.
Ruben needs to learn to tweak things otherwise I think we'll be in the market for a new manager soon let rather than later.
They sacked ashworth after 3 months so sir Jim won't be worried about pulling the plug.
20 Jan 2025 17:36:23
Jeez Caolan, read my post again, you clearly didn't read it properly. I like him, I like the cut of his jib, but I think he is being pigheaded and here is my main point, why is no other team playing this formation?
20 Jan 2025 19:47:38
One view could be that RA has set his system, the players don’t like it, so don’t try so it fails and they can go back to less hard way of playing. If RA gives up now and changes his system the players know they have won, he will do it again, next time they don’t like something.
It’s time for a change, the club brought him in knowing what he woukd do, there can be no weakness now.
20 Jan 2025 19:49:56
Didn’t Conte and Tuchel use this formation while at Chelsea and they won both the EPL and CL between them, Alonso has also been using it to some success.
20 Jan 2025 21:08:48
Isnt Inter using it?
21 Jan 2025 08:22:33
We got overran in midfield under ten hag playing 4231 so I don’t think it’s the system so much as the personnel we have are just not up for the job. No true wingbacks, not true CF and we need to get a set back 3. We’ve a keeper who i'd not have on the park on a Sunday, it’s a mess personal wise on the pitch and it’ll be a few windows before we get who we need and see the system flourish. I’m all for Ruby not changing, we’ve had enough player power at this club, they need bringing down a peg or 2. Just to touch on what feels like asset stripping of this team, Garnacho looks likely to be sold, now he’s not been in the best form the last couple of months but generally over his time here he’s been a creative/ goal threat whatever you think of him personally, he’s still a kid and we struggled to score with him out the team, boggles my mind we’d sell him at all never mind to Chelsea, it reeks purely of FFP. The leeches the Glazers and their stooge Sir Jim have a lot to answer for, please god Qatar make another bid, we are an embarrassment on and off the pitch with news of further embarrassing issues on a daily basis, if I was Ruby I’d get out while I could. But while he’s here and until the players step up regularly and we churn this club around I hope he keeps calling out the dross for what it is.
21 Jan 2025 08:30:44
AJH why should every team play the same way? Go and watch Southampton for example and how many goals they ship playing out from the back.
If this is his way- then he should stick to it as he was hired based on how he sets teams up.