the busby babe 
16-04-2024 20:56
16-04-2024 20:56
The look on Erik ten Hag’s face said it all, time is running out
The abject, forlorn look on Erik ten Hag’s face, as the camera panned to him at the full-time whistle, told two thousand words.
Minutes in the season are wearing thin, there are only seven matches left before INEOS take over the shop and decide whether he’s the employee they want front and centre at the counter.
He seems to be the only man shocked when United end up not winning these matches.
Since the international break, United have drawn thrice and lost in a hectic end at Stamford Bridge.
Going into the break off the back of a last-minute comeback win vs Liverpool breathed life into the season.
Despite it’s few ups and many downs, United managed to reach an FA Cup semi-final and still had games left to catch up on Spurs ahead of them still having difficult fixtures till the end of the season.
What’s becoming clearer however is United, for the whole season, has not had any semblance of being a competent football team on a consistent basis.
Even if Tottenham were to lose against Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool, it’s becoming harder to see United win all of their games like you’d think they would have to.
It could be the injuries.
It could be this mad scientist experiment to embrace the chaos to try score more goals.
It could be miscommunication between the players and manager leading to poor execution on the pitch.
It could be a combination of all those things mentioned. Regardless the table is starting to resemble a more realistic outlook on just how bad United have been in the league this season. Faint hopes United can build on the flickers of positivity and scrape a Champions League place are deservedly fading.
Games are running out and so is Ten Hag’s time to show what can be salvaged from this season that has had a dark cloud hovering above it since matchday one.
Is it FA Cup or bust? Possibly. Winning some silverware may be able to prove to INEOS that even in a testing season, he’s managed to keep the squad largely on the side and win a domestic cup.
But there are just so many examples of so many issues that haven’t been addressed throughout the season that may be too salient to ignore.
The lack of goals. The abandonment of attacking principles amidst an injury crisis. The giant space in midfield. The avalanche of shots conceded.
Nothing the Dutchman has tried in response to these issues has stuck for long. You can’t really point anything out and say ‘Hmm, looks like he’s onto something’.
There is some method to the madness of encouraging transitional football since the turn of the year, as it unlocks United’s ability of fast breaks. The downside, however, far outweighs the good.
On many occasions, there hasn’t been a response to the issues.
A big reason United got 3rd last season was because of their ability to dismantle the ‘lesser’ teams. Even with the odd injury, in-possession when tasked with having more of the ball they broke those teams down.
The bigger issue was beating teams higher in the table. But when you think of playing Nottingham Forest away, Bournemouth away, and Sheffield United away, it feels like they’ve forgotten how to do that.
It could be that the missing Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez have contributed to that. Or, more alarmingly, whilst trying to do three styles at once, maybe the players are out of practice in getting the ball smoothly from defense to attack using automatisms.
I lost count of the number of times the ball was questionably launched long vs Bournemouth.
The summer of change will soon be upon us and a Manchester United team under new ownership may look clearer in a debut transfer window.
What players will go in and out will give us some indication of what INEOS envisages a Manchester United team looking like in the 24/25 season.
Prepare to pore over your screens as news and rumours filter through. Currently, the manager market is devoid of variety.
INEOS will be looking at the current United manager and weighing up whether the football we’ve seen this season will continue or whether it is just a bump in the Ten Hag road.
If we’re getting towards the end of the journey with the Dutchman at the helm, I’m not sure any of this is being enjoyed by anyone. The players, fans, and even the manager must be sick of the same old, same old week in and week out.
Even with a trip to Wembley on the horizon, everyone will feel better once the season ends.
Perhaps Ten Hag was visibly worried as the Bournemouth result appeared to be the nail in the inevitable Champions League qualification coffin.
It could also be indicative of the former Ajax manager’s own as United boss.
Minutes in the season are wearing thin, there are only seven matches left before INEOS take over the shop and decide whether he’s the employee they want front and centre at the counter.
He seems to be the only man shocked when United end up not winning these matches.
Since the international break, United have drawn thrice and lost in a hectic end at Stamford Bridge.
Going into the break off the back of a last-minute comeback win vs Liverpool breathed life into the season.
Despite it’s few ups and many downs, United managed to reach an FA Cup semi-final and still had games left to catch up on Spurs ahead of them still having difficult fixtures till the end of the season.
What’s becoming clearer however is United, for the whole season, has not had any semblance of being a competent football team on a consistent basis.
Even if Tottenham were to lose against Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool, it’s becoming harder to see United win all of their games like you’d think they would have to.
It could be the injuries.
It could be this mad scientist experiment to embrace the chaos to try score more goals.
It could be miscommunication between the players and manager leading to poor execution on the pitch.
It could be a combination of all those things mentioned. Regardless the table is starting to resemble a more realistic outlook on just how bad United have been in the league this season. Faint hopes United can build on the flickers of positivity and scrape a Champions League place are deservedly fading.
Games are running out and so is Ten Hag’s time to show what can be salvaged from this season that has had a dark cloud hovering above it since matchday one.
Is it FA Cup or bust? Possibly. Winning some silverware may be able to prove to INEOS that even in a testing season, he’s managed to keep the squad largely on the side and win a domestic cup.
But there are just so many examples of so many issues that haven’t been addressed throughout the season that may be too salient to ignore.
The lack of goals. The abandonment of attacking principles amidst an injury crisis. The giant space in midfield. The avalanche of shots conceded.
Nothing the Dutchman has tried in response to these issues has stuck for long. You can’t really point anything out and say ‘Hmm, looks like he’s onto something’.
There is some method to the madness of encouraging transitional football since the turn of the year, as it unlocks United’s ability of fast breaks. The downside, however, far outweighs the good.
On many occasions, there hasn’t been a response to the issues.
A big reason United got 3rd last season was because of their ability to dismantle the ‘lesser’ teams. Even with the odd injury, in-possession when tasked with having more of the ball they broke those teams down.
The bigger issue was beating teams higher in the table. But when you think of playing Nottingham Forest away, Bournemouth away, and Sheffield United away, it feels like they’ve forgotten how to do that.
It could be that the missing Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez have contributed to that. Or, more alarmingly, whilst trying to do three styles at once, maybe the players are out of practice in getting the ball smoothly from defense to attack using automatisms.
I lost count of the number of times the ball was questionably launched long vs Bournemouth.
The summer of change will soon be upon us and a Manchester United team under new ownership may look clearer in a debut transfer window.
What players will go in and out will give us some indication of what INEOS envisages a Manchester United team looking like in the 24/25 season.
Prepare to pore over your screens as news and rumours filter through. Currently, the manager market is devoid of variety.
INEOS will be looking at the current United manager and weighing up whether the football we’ve seen this season will continue or whether it is just a bump in the Ten Hag road.
If we’re getting towards the end of the journey with the Dutchman at the helm, I’m not sure any of this is being enjoyed by anyone. The players, fans, and even the manager must be sick of the same old, same old week in and week out.
Even with a trip to Wembley on the horizon, everyone will feel better once the season ends.
Perhaps Ten Hag was visibly worried as the Bournemouth result appeared to be the nail in the inevitable Champions League qualification coffin.
It could also be indicative of the former Ajax manager’s own as United boss.