Man Utd crisis: ‘Dutch Ole’ Erik ten Hag has ‘lost his bo**ocks’ and lacks ego for job
The fall-out from the latest Man Utd defeat is absolutely brutal. Erik ten Hag gets a massive paddling after that Newcastle defeat.
This is a massive Mailbox. Enjoy it and then send your own views to theeditor@football365.com.
Sacking Ten Hag would be ludicrous
The stupidest thing MUFC could do right now is sack ETH.
The players are obviously declining (Casemiro) or look like they’re not trying. They need to support the manager and tell the players who have issues with him to GTFO. Else we will see another pattern of the new manager bounce, then players get upset, and the manager changes again.
Ryan B
Actually, it’s time for Ten Hag to go
Not only have Man United played hopelessly this season but the way and manner of the losses are an embarrassment, disgraceful and, frankly, appalling. A clear case in point is today’s 3-0 loss to Newcastle United.
It is now categorically clear that Man United is too big for Erik ten Hag. It is, therefore, becoming increasingly imperative for the United hierarchy to give careful thought and due consideration to ending Erik ten Hag”s managerial relationship with United. His tactics, team selection and substitutions have all failed and we have been reading about unrest in the dressing room.
More importantly, it goes without saying that he has no solutions to the club’s issues on and off the pitch. Enough is enough, ten Hag must go to save United.
Professor (Dr) David Achanfuo Yeboah
READ: The leading contenders to be next Manchester United manager if they sack Erik ten Hag
…I put a lot of stock in what he did at Ajax, especially in the Champions League but I just had to Google the name of Monaco’s manager the year they stormed Europe. It was Leonardo Jardim and what’s he done since?
There’s been a LOT of 3 goal plus hammerings under him. Martinez apart, his signings all look shite. Eriksen and Casemiro had a few good months but they’ve been predictably in decline all year and Casemiro especially looks finished. His persistence with underperforming players and doing things like sticking Bruno on the right suggests he’s lost his bollocks as well.
That last one is the main reason I wouldn’t cry about it if he was sacked. A job that size requires a big ego and maybe that’s not Erik Ten Hag. Yes, it’s only been a 3 month period of shiteness but 7-0 to pool, 3-0 to Sevilla, Casemiro, Antony and Mason Mount are all very big red flags to go along with the loss of his bollocks. A club with United’s aspirations can only wait for so long.
Someone who does have a big enough ego is Antonio Conte. I wouldn’t say no to him getting it till Paul Mitchell shows up. He’ll obviously fall out with everyone in the end but at least there’s a chance of Champions League football next year if he was to take charge tomorrow. It doesn’t look like there’s any chance of that under Ten Hag.
Eamonn, Dublin
…I’m telling you, it’s the manager and his coaches. I’m serious, it’s that bloody manager and his coaches.
If you don’t believe that then please, explain how we played against a Newcastle side who made 8 changes and they just d###ed us?
We used a total combination of 16 players who looked like they had never played with each other….ever, let alone trained together.
That’s on the manager. I know you Man Utd melts don’t wanna hear it and wont accept it, but that bloke is the worse we’ve had since Ron Atkinson.
I said a few weeks ago that I would lay off the players a little bit and that manager needs to go. I can’t even bring myself to type his name, he’s totally, f***in useless.
Just pay him off, get rid of him. The bloke has already f**ked us for at least another 3 years by sploshing 400 million on his cluster f**k, scatter gun signings.
I know we have been crap for years and I can accept being crap, if the club were paying Brentford range transfer fees and Brentford range salaries, but it’s not. No offense Brentford, you actually play far better football than we do. Man Utd pay Bugatti Transfer fees for Ladas along with Lambo salaries. Man Utd proclaim to have the wizard, second coming of Pep as a manager, when in all fairness, he’s the managerial equivalent of William Prunier. What’s his next idea? Take them on another 10k run? And we laughed at Ole.
Honestly, not surprised by the result or the performance. Are we expecting anything more against Fulham.
Hugo (just gonna drink wine on the balcony because that was hilariously woeful)
Will Sancho get the last laugh at Man Utd?
Looks like my letters are getting more frequent than I was hoping for. Rereading my previous email before writing this one, and after watching us get smoked by Newcastle at home, I just want to ask all the United fans, pundits and media, can we write this season off and give ETH time?
Because, literally when I wrote last month on 6th October to now, the circumstances haven’t changed. We still have key injuries, we still look tired and ragged since the 8 game multi country sojourn for preseason. And obviously United players have dropped tools for another manager as things get heated.
Can’t the media, fans not realize that no matter who you bring in as a Manager, unless players are ready to change things, nothing is going to happen. They were onboard last season for the hard work and tough love but for reasons unknown they’ve decided that they can’t be bothered. If this stupid board has an ounce of balls, they will need to stick with ETH so that players like Sancho do not win.
Every pundit, every fan talks about SUFFERING, ripping off and starting from scratch, keeping our expectations low but the moment United loses 1 game, there’s pandemonium everywhere. Agreed that it is not the results it is the performances, structure, style of play that the manager can control, but if the owners give ETH absolute assurance that no matter what the club will back him, eventually it will have to improve.
I hate saying this, but Arteta with 3 straight losses 2-3 seasons ago was next on the media’s chopping block and their fans wanted his head too. Yet, their board persisted and, we can see today that their whole team, manager and fans are fully back to being annoying as it’s a team that is in ascendancy.
ETH even after winning a cup just like LvG is realizing that the pressure at United never relents unless it is the top prize. His body language shows that he’s being stripped away of his beliefs and back of his mind he knows that this club will always choose these overpaid worthless players over the manager. I say, it all goes back to the ownership but I’m tired of writing and increasing my BP over them greedy glazers.
Penultimate point before the non United fans write reams and reams about us (I don’t think I ever bothered for any rival, even the Plastic 115 FC, to write about) . I want folks like Andrew, Jim or regular contributors like LA gooner, John Matrix, etc. show when in the last few years have our fans got so giddy that we announced anywhere close to talking about winning EPL or UCL, we’re miles off and we clearly know that.
Even during last year’s decent runs, most of United mails were about we’re building and there will be hiccups, etc. but not one fan was talking about 21 is coming or any of other nonsense. We get it you hate United so much that you can write these novellas but we are not as delusional as some chap the other day writing about Spurs will do better than the invincibles lol.
Ultimate point, if ETH goes because of these results, we are literally telling players like Sancho that they just need to wait it out and they will eventually win. Not the guy who has to manage them all millionaires and constantly face the blood thirsty media pundits, fans on twitter, etc.
AVM, Phoenix (Good Luck ETH cos you will need it).
Ten Hag has not made a single successful signing
Antony 88 million
Hojlund 72 million
Casemiro 70 million
Mount 60 million
Martinez 55 million
Onana 47 million
Malacia 14 million
Bayindir (who?) 5 million
Pretty grim reading isn’t it? Not a single one of those signings could be said to be very successful. Antony is a disaster, Hojlund has more assists for City than United, Casemiro is enjoying retirement, at least Chelsea have something to laugh about, Martinez had a smattering of half-decent games leading up to the World Cup and has since returned to Oompah Loompah land, Onana is.. well.. Onana, and the other two I honestly can’t say I know but based on the trend are probably shit.
That’s over 400 million pounds of transfers. 400! For some context, by the time Klopp crossed that number, he already had a Champions League and league title in the bag. Pep was on his way to 100 points and a League title by the same point. Arteta had an FA Cup and plenty of the famed “progress” but actual progress, not the type United fans love to bang on about. All poor old Eric has to show is a fizzy cup and that unfortunate “eras come to an end” quote that is getting funnier by the day.
Other than the catastrophic signings, can super Erik claim to have genuinely improved a single player in the United squad that he inherited? The answer is a resounding no. The team plays terrible, turgid football and has done since the start. Let’s get it right, the only reason United ended up in a false third position last season was Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool all being a bit crap. It’s history repeating itself from the Ole 2nd place finish that occurred in similar circumstances and had United fans jumping in glee for the future.
In addition, the man flat out refuses to take any blame for his horrendous tactics, poor substitutions and baffling starting line ups. Instead, the Dutch Ole prefers to chuck his players right under the bus at any given opportunity. Great motivation for the lads.
I reckon Erik thought about that Eras quote and figured it would be his nice little “I am a special one” moment. I bet he day dreamed about lifting the Premier League title and that quote going viral afterwards. Well Erik mate, it probably will go viral. Best stay off the phone when that happens lad..
AngePoch
The Man Utd players aren’t alright
I watched 20 minutes of the Man United vs Newcastle game and fell asleep on the couch. When I frightened myself awake it was the 2nd half and we were 2-0 down. I summarily switched the TV off and slid into bed next to my girlfriend. I honestly did not have the energy to attempt to find out how the goals went in and what could have gone wrong.
While polishing my shoes for work I watch the highlights and see Dalot jogging back for the first goal. Almiron, meanwhile, was running full tint just behind him trying to get into the space. Predictably, Dalot only begins to sprint when he belatedly sees Almiron entering the space. It’s too late. Goal.
The same player was at fault for the second. Dalot was marking Almiron and Casemiro came in to help him out. Joelinton, was on Dalot’s outside. Surely the reasonable thing to do would have been for Dalot to let Casemiro mark Almiron go and mark Joelinton. Nope! He half marks both players and let’s Almiron slip a pass to Joelinton on his inside. The rest is history.
I’m just as infuriated with some of Ten Hag’s calls as the next fan and I crave to see some coherent attacking play coached into this team but you cannot tell me those two goals are the coaches’ fault. No way!
Ralf Rangnick has been clowned by many news outlets (including this very site) but he called it. United need a player overhaul. Not because the players we have are not good, but because some of them are so inconsistent that I’m starting to believe they have the mentality of my three-month-old!
Stealing a living!
Buchule Fulanisi, East London, South Africa (The land of the Rugby World Champions)
A Man Utd solution
So it’s a good old punch in the gut tonight, which was preceded by a bitchslap in the face on Sunday. What a week it has been at the Theatre of Dreams. I could try to defend the team and manager but nobody really wants to hear that when the chips are down.
My favourite David Brent-esque mantra is: stop bringing me problems, start bringing me solutions. Along that vein, and to take my mind off the post-Halloween horror show I just witnessed, here is my solution to get us firing against a tricky Fulham side; or at least making us hard to beat. Let’s close that gaping chasm through the middle by playing a box midfield with two up top; I suppose one would call it a 4-2-2-2.
The players to fill those roles is up for debate, but clearly the 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-2-3 is not working at the moment. Stick Hojlund up top with Rashford/Garnacho, Bruno and McTominay behind them, with Casemiro and Eriksen sitting deep. The FBs and front 2 can provide width as required. Bish bash bosh, 3-0 to Fulham.
Finally, well done Newcastle – some cracking goals tonight and hope you go on and win the thing.
Garey Vance, MUFC
From a Newcastle fan…
You know why 7500 tickets for today’s Carabao Cup were available to Newcastle supporters at Old Trafford? Because their supporters didn’t want to watch THAT. Through 90% of the match, I heard the Geordies in the stands, not the Mancs. And the empty seats as the end approached were absolutely delightful.
They’re wiser than the pundits, all of whom hilariously picked MUFC to win against the weakest side Newcastle had fielded in at least a year; one that didn’t even feature any center backs or strikers. The fact is, Manchester United are never favorites these days.
Nearly every player in MUFC’s squad is a clown, whether they made tonight’s squad or not, and their supporters know it. Fernandez, whatever his talents, is probably the worst captain I’ve ever seen. Antony matches him for petulance, if not for talent. I don’t even know what Onana is doing; his positioning for Willock’s goal was terrible. Dalot could be salvaged despite tonight’s performance, but won’t be while he plays for Manchester. Martial is a perpetual non-presence; I wonder what his wages are.
Mount should have gone to literally any other club. Casemiro just looks done; I wonder if he’s ever been substituted at the half in his entire career. Garnacho is talented, but obviously more worried about his hairstyle than his game. I could go on about these guys.
As Gareth Southgate seems to understand, Harry Maguire might actually be their best player, and every time he plays, Ten Hag seems that much more humiliated by his earlier judgment. I said on the weekend that he’s a dead man walking; I didn’t think United would sack him in the next few weeks, but he could hardly appear more ineffectual, and the axe is surely being raised.
I was very, very pleased by the performances of Lewis Hall, a childhood Toon supporter, and Tino Livramento, who looked like a more dribble-y, more defensively able Trippier. Krafth and Dummett, too. Howay!
Chris C, Toon Army DC (Didn’t y’all say Moyes out? Maybe not, eh?)
16 Conclusions on the Arsenal and Man Utd games in no particular order
1. There absolutely will be a lengthy Stewie Griffin missive at the head of Thursday morning’s mailbox won’t there?
2. It seems Declan Rice can’t actually turn a game around on his own. Who knew?
3. Can anybody recall, in recent times, a player more intent on getting himself sent off than Hannibal in that first half? The original Hannibal was, literally, Great. It would be more accurate to describe this one as United’s Sideshow Bob 2.0.
4. The manager refusing to face the press before the game is always going to fill supporters and players alike with supreme confidence, isn’t it?
5. Ten Hag’s team selection was wrong. Ten Hag’s tactics were wrong. Ten Hag’s substitutions were shockingly ineffective.
6. Ten Hag has spent £411 million since summer 2022. Only Chelsea have spent more.
7. Chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” although it was unclear whether this was being sung by the home fans or the away contingent.
8. Boos at halftime ringing around Very Old Trafford. Oh dear.
9. Looking forward to the Arsenal mails of the “Didn’t fancy her anyway” type and the “I’m glad, ‘coz now we can concentrate on the League” variety. Because Arteta clearly just fielded the kids didn’t he?
10. In the same vein, am also looking forward to how the eternal optimist Garey Vance (no disrespect meant) puts a positive spin on two 3-nil gubbings in four days. Or indeed, how, or why the ‘biggest club in the world’ can turn this around.
11. How many ‘Ten Hag out’ mails will we see in Thursday or Friday’s mailbox?
12. Kai Havertz. No words. Just none.
13. ETH still in post at Christmas? God, I hope so. Even if not, I’m really looking forward to the inevitable delusional mails about how hiring Nagelsmann, De Zerbi or the like will make any sort of difference. You know, just like Moyes, Giggs, Van Gaal, Mourinho, OGS, Carrick, Rangnick and now Ten Hag have done? And how telling is it that Rangnick had arguably the best handle of the problems at the club of all of them?
14. I said on Monday that I have never seen a United team less likely to score in any Manchester Derby than on Sunday. Ditto last night against The Toon.
15. What’s the betting that Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton will get points against this Man U team/manager?
16. Wins against Fulham and Copenhagen, which they should absolutely smash, will not a fundamental turnaround of fortunes make.
Mark (#TenHagIn) MCFC.
Heeeeeeere’s Stewie
* Is there genuinely any Arsenal fan out there still trying to pretend that the Kai Havertz signing is anything but a monumental shambles and a huge waste of time and money?
* Or can someone please explain this legendary “unseen work” (unseeable by the naked eye outside of some special super-Sayans’ abilities)
* Nicolas Pepe was considered a huge flop at Arsenal despite a record of 26 goals and 19 assists in three seasons. Considering that Havertz definitely won’t even hit 5 goals or assists over the next season…does Havertz “need time”?
* It’s weird how we were hearing from a few Arsenal fans after the usual flat-track stroll that Eddie Nketiah definitely had the ability to lead a title-challenging side. Some of us realised that a hat-trick against what may be the worst ever PL side, was an illusion. So imagine my surprise to see Nketiah plodding around, second to every ball, unable to link up play, hold up the ball or stay onside (copy-pasted from Spurs game)…it’s almost as if the Championship is his natural level?
* Is Mason Mount a worse signing than Havertz? Very close one this.
Stewie Griffin (Good thing Arsenal got thrashed in a cup so they can concentrate on finishing 3rd and a last 16 CL elimination!)
A mail about VAR but really about Arsenal
We’re all bored of VAR discussion but in a backhanded way this mail is to prise VAR. Last night we were told VAR is not in use in any league cup game because it isn’t in use at teams outside the premier league. The reason being is to create a level playing field and fairness.
The reasoning is illogical. It is basically saying because we can’t correct obvious refereeing mistakes in some games we’re going to make sure we can’t correct them in all games. How can the use of VAR in one tie affect the non use of it in another? Surely if your goal is fairness you use VAR wherever you can to weed out the awful decisions.
So last night Ramsdale very clearly had his shirt pulled on the first goal, a decision clear enough that it’s a surprise the ref didn’t spot it anyway, but would have surely been ruled out by VAR. how has that helped ensure the competition is fair to the Exeter v Boro game the night before? And I read that VAR WILL be used for the 2 legged semi finals. One of Port Vale or Boro will be in those semi-finals so will there now be a max rush to install all the necessary cameras at the ground of whoever wins that tie?
Anyway, fair play to West Ham they were more clinical and deserved to go through. With the Arsenal squad a bit stretched with injuries it is not the worst thing to avoid a tough QF and possible gruelling two legged semi, but a marked improvement is needed v Newcastle at the weekend.
Rich, AFC
Joe Willock > Kai Havertz
That’s it, actually. Allow that to sink in.
MAW, LA Gooner (Arteta must know by now it was a massive mistake…apologies to Declan Rice, btw. Well worth the money.)
Happy Hammer
Great email from Aman about his experiences visiting Old Trafford last week. Overseas supporters often get a bad press but he is clearly as much of a Man Utd fan as anyone from Salford and I am genuinely pleased for him that he got to see a win.
On to West Ham’s great win vs Arsenal. Yes, they made a few changes, but that line-up had enough quality to beat a lot of teams. Neither side did much in the 1st half and we were lucky to be ahead at half time, but 2nd half we started brightly and got the goals before seeing the game out comfortably.
I must say that I was disappointed with the reaction Rice got. He worked his nuts off for us and without him we wouldn’t be enjoying our third consecutive European campaign with a nice shiny cup in the trophy cabinet.
There was a fair number of people applauding him, maybe even the majority, but a significant number booed him when he warmed up, when he came on and at every touch. Just seems like a lot of fans have a Pavlovian response to boo a former player without actually stopping to think about what they did for you.
Kudus looks special. The touch for his goal was beautiful and used the right way (hopefully Moyes can do this) he could be very good for us this season.
After three defeats on the bounce it was nice to get back to winning ways and have a positive performance. Tough game at Brentford on Saturday, especially with Paqueta and Alvarez suspended, but things are feeling much better than they did on Sunday evening.
Andy the Hammer
Darwinian
How can a player so quickly (and repeatedly) fluctuate between ridiculous and sublime?
Aidan, Lfc (he must be taking the piss)
…Not sure I’ve ever seen a goal that so clearly summed up the strengths and weaknesses of a player than Nunez last night. Positioning good, terrible touch, lovely burst of pace and a sublime curler past the keeper. Classic type of player where his flaws actually make him more loveable (although I’d be happy if he ironed them out).
League Cup is now nicely set up if the gods are kind to us. Newcastle v Middlesbrough and Liverpool v Everton would be a great pair of ties. (West Ham and Chelsea in particular though will have something to say about that).
From a Liverpool point of view, a good chance now for a trophy. A tricky QF opponent, but a home tie and a lot of the big guns eliminated. Newcastle will also fancy it as the ideal way to end their trophy drought and I’m sure Poch is thinking if they can get past Newcastle, it’s a similarly good opportunity for themselves.
The league cup is the classic “I didn’t fancy her anyway” trophy. Teams that are eliminated always claim not to be bothered. Winning is always fun though, and the fans of all 8 teams would relish a trip to Wembley.
Mike, LFC, Dubai
The Kurse of Kane
I just wanted to warn any esteemed readers of F365 who enjoy a bet, that the Kurse of Kane is very much alive.
The evidence is irrefutable. Do not by swayed by juicy odds.
Bayern dumped from the DFB Pokal by Saarbruken, a third tier team best described as ‘limited’. Meanwhile a Kaneless Tottenham are confounding all while sitting undefeated and top of the league.
With Kane, Bayern will win nothing.
Dr Oyvind, Earth
A rare mail on the mess of Sheffield United
I’m here to talk about a team called United, struggling on the pitch, with a manager facing calls to be sacked and a board putting profit before the club and fans. I’m of course talking about Sheffield United.
To the casual observer (every Premier League fan and pundit seemingly) our problems on the pitch are a result of being rubbish, not bothered about being in the Premier League, and Paul Heckingbottom being the worst manager ever.
Now, we are rubbish admittedly. Worse than expected. In our last 5 games we’ve conceded 20 and scored 2. It’s not fun. But our Board (mainly the owner) have mostly brought this on themselves and are reaping the rewards for negligence.
Our owner may be called Prince Abdullah, but this is just a title given to anyone slightly related to a former member of the Saudi Royal Family. It’s like being 52nd in line to the throne and calling yourself Prince. So we don’t have the Saudi sportwashing money of Newcastle, only his modest personal wealth, which is small by football terms (£100 million). None of this has gone into the club. He is a businessman who saw an opportunity to buy the club cheaply and sell on for a profit. While he tries to sell the club, he doesn’t want to invest any more cash.
Money is generated from player sales and TV revenue – which is fine when you are in the Premier League, but a bit of a problem if not. Clearly, after finishing 9th under Wilder in our first season back in the ‘big time’, the board thought we would be here to stay, so invested further on transfers and contracts, using future TV funds. But, Covid stopped our momentum and we regressed to the level the squad actually was – Championship level – and got relegated. That meant no future investment on players, the training ground, the staff or scouting infrastructure. Oh, and a transfer embargo last season – while still receiving parachute payments. Where has that money gone as it certainly wasn’t in transfers?
We are probably the only newly-promoted team to start the season with a weaker squad than the one that ended the season before. Due to sales and expired loans that couldn’t be renewed, we lost our top goalscorer and top two assist providers. Our recruitment has been poor and late or both, with a summer of the Board claiming to want to keep our two best players (Ndiaye and Berge) but in reality they were just waiting until later in the window to extract more money from Marseille and Burnley. Before these sales, our signings were a bit-part player at Brondby, a left-back on loan from Ligue 2 in France and the top scorer in Sweden…who then had issues with his Visa so missed most of pre-season.
After the sales of Berge and Ndiaye, we’ve spent about 60% of that revenue on a number of players with zero Premier League experience – they might turn out to be great players but they were all bought so late it’s taken them too long to get up to speed, and confidence is shot.
We essentially forfeited our opening two games (winnable fixtures against Palace and Forest) as a result. We then came close to snatching a draw against Man City, and then even closer to snatching a win against Spurs, before the ref added 12 minutes of stoppage time (after the first half had 3 minutes, despite similar stoppage lengths…funny that). The crushing loss to Spurs was followed by the tragic death of Molly Cusask, a player for Sheffield United Women but also someone who worked at the club and knew all the players – and something which clearly had a bigger impact on the squad than initially realised, given the 8-0 humiliation to Newcastle in the following game. We seemed to have stopped trying after this, giving sides an easy 3 points. We even lost at home to Man Utd.
So coupled with this minimal and late investment in the squad and club infracture, we are also hit by a crippling injury crisis. We have 13 players out injured, including our first choice back 5 and two others that would be in the first 11. I don’t think any club could cope with this, but it means we have zero options on the bench. When Spurs brought on £160 millions worth of talent in the 80th minute, we brought on Tom Davies, signed on a free after no-one else wanted him. He’s now also injured.
Heckingbottom will likely get sacked soon. He built his success on a strong defence which is no longer here (injuries haven’t helped but we’ve still been poor) and without Ndiaye to press from the front and score a goal from nowhere, we look devoid of ideas in attack – which is why selling Ndiaye was so short-sighted, you can’t replace players like that. Even if the next manager is a Ferguson/Pep/Sacchi hybrid, it still won’t matter. We need new owners, not someone who just wanted to maximise his investment at the detriment of the club and fans.
Yes, we’re getting relegated, but it is the future of the club beyond this season I’m most concerned about.
Jim “The Championship is better anyway” O
