Man Utd blame lies mostly with Erik ten Hag and his ‘donut formation’

Kobbie Mainoo should not be Man Utd’s best/only midfielder. The Mailbox mainly talks Man Utd but also Spurs, Lewnadowski and more.

If you have any views on these subjects – or maybe Jose Mourinho to Newcastle – mail us at theeditor@football365.com

Ten Hag is chipping away at Man Utd optimism
I’m generally an optimist but as I’m also a Man United fan my optimism is often strained to the point of breaking. I really like Ten Hag and though I was a little wary when he signed due to his relative inexperience in the limelight he quickly won me over with his decisiveness and tactical nous.

This season I’ve been relatively upbeat despite the many many losses and poor performances because there are so many extenuating circumstances with club ownership, players discipline, and injuries etc.

I’m now finding it hard be optimistic about Eric.

His continuing decision to cede the midfield is really starting to get to me. To leave an 18-year-old on his own to deal with the entire Spurs midfield is abhorrent and this is quickly becoming a theme for poor Mainoo. The lad has been handed the entire burden of control and build up without any support. When Ten Hag said after the game that we needed to be more controlled in midfield I wanted to punch the tv. Are you f***ing serious?

The tactics against Spurs were very clear, as soon as possession was gained play the ball into the forwards with reckless abandon. He literally coached no midfield control then moans about not having it. I get the desire to expose Spurs high line but if your plan is to bypass midfield then at least own it afterwards. Maybe if you do want control in midfield don’t play a f***ing donut formation with a gaping hole exactly where you want the control.

It’s not like getting injured players back could solve this issue as the squad is so unbalanced. Casemiro was great and was sort of an all rounder last season but his legs are gone and he cant keep up or stay fit, Eriksen is a number 8 who isn’t fast enough to be a number 8 so plays deeper but this means he isn’t fast enough to track runners either and thus a complete liability, Amrabat is just a loan but can’t handle the pace in England anyway, Mount is a number 8 who should be a right winger and has played fewer minutes in red than Kobbie, McT is absolutely not a midfielder but I’m not really sure what else he is, and then there is Bruno whom I love but has all the discipline of a hyperactive toddler.

The only player in the squad capable of consistently starting in central midfield and performing at an acceptable level is Kobbie Mainoo, an 18-year-old with fewer than a dozen pro games under his belt, and I’m sure the intensity and pressure of this responsibility will damage him if it continues.

I’m still holding onto a little hope, a slither of optimism that Ten Hag will do better next season. Though if things don’t at least start to get better, if the team still looks so disjointed and reckless at the end of the season, Ratcliffe will clean house and the cycle starts anew.
Dave, Manchester

READ: Man Utd next manager: If Ten Hag can’t bring Ratcliffe his ‘razzmatazz’, which coach can?

Ten Hag out
I understand the issue you are raising about Fergie seemingly hindering progress due his his great record. I believe Man U deserves a manager who is humble enough to recognise what Fergie has achieved for the club and take lessons from him on how he achieved that. I strongly believe ETH isn’t that guy. For me his treatment of Ronaldo, De Gea and lately Sancho says a lot about his incapability to walk in Fergie’s shoes.

The guy has zero respect for people (players) who has contributed to what Man U is right now. If a man marries a wife and the first thing she does is get rid of what the former has achieved shows lack of humility. That’s ETH.

He has taken away all cream in the team he found and brought vinegar in form of Anthony. Letting Elanga go for 15m and bringing Anthony? Man am sick of this ETH, l personally want him gone so we can find a manager who can explain his tactics to players and improve them. He has done nothing like that to any player he found or brought for that matter.

Rashford was at fault last season for carrying the team which made it look like ETH had some substance.

It’s time ETH goes.
Margaret

Still some Man Utd positivity here
I’m a bit caught off guard by the coverage of the Utd- Spurs game. Going by the media, it was an absolute swashbuckling, very much David destroying Goliath. I felt Ten Hag set up his team to sit back, worry little about possession, and hit on the break against a team notorious for playing a high line and leaving space behind? It appears he did, and one Scott McTominay header could have made it an shrewd tactical plan.

I watched the game, and corners and running a lot aside, there was not much to be worried about. Timo had a weak shot go wide, and Bentancur scored having been given the freedom of Britain by Fernandes and Eriksson. The three other major chances? Corners! One hit the crossbar with a header, One off the line and another scored from a header – two with the minuscule Mainoo marking them.

So in order for Spurs to score, they needed two mistakes from the United defense to do so. Yes, United shouldn’t have Mainoo marking Richarlison, and yes, Eriksen and Fernandes should have done better, but there isn’t anyone else to play that position due to the ‘non-relevant’ injuries. People forget no team played as many games last year (with a WC in between) as United, but that is also ‘non-relevant’. (LFC fans know the feels but can only recognize them in the mirror).

A fit Casemiro, Martinez and Shaw would have made 0 impact to United’s performance, but you can guarantee Maddison and Son would have made a big difference for Spurs. The poor sods only had the league’s most in-form forward, a lightning quick 47.5M pound winger and a lightning quick 27 yo German international with almost 100 PL appearances upfront.

Apparently, Ten Hag needs to dominate and beat Spurs at home – Like City did? – or they need to dominate possession at home vs Spurs, like Arsenal did? Or perhaps they just need two Spurs red cards and for them to stick with a highline and win – Like Chelsea did? No team has been able to convincingly beat this Spurs team this season- home or away. But, according to pre/post-game previews/reviews, United should have (While also standing no chance – Can’t lose with those predictions 😉 )

You guys hit part of the issue on the head in your article today: “No manager could be reasonably expected to out-play Manchester City and Liverpool, and perhaps even Arsenal and Tottenham, with this squad.”

Man Utd have at best, the fifth best squad in the PL this season, and that is not down to their coach. Yet, Ten hag is expected to be as good as year 7 Pep, year 8 Klopp, year 5 Arteta, and ignores all he has achieved so far (5 points behind Klopp’s LFC since he joined/two finals/ 1 cup success). But then you say he should be potentially replaced by Brighton’s coach – who has so far proven nothing but stylish football, Brighton’s old coach who has proven he cannot even do that, and some European coaches who are just as likely to succumb to the same media BS as ETH?

Even Ange for all his bluster and glory, hasn’t proven anything yet, mate. I for one do not think they will win anything under him either. Not out of spite but out of control. This ‘awful’ United team were literal whiskers away from beating them twice this season, and that’s not to mention what we are seeing with injuries to their team, and that’s with no European football, low expectations, and extra time on the training field. Teams will eventually suss their tactics out too. (For all of the above, see: Eddie’s Newcastle this year).

Yesterday I saw one of Rashford’s better performances this year, not amazing, but he is on the road back to where he should be. Hojlund scored a belter, assisted the other and linked much better with Rashford. Mainoo gave another measured performance, and Martinez was back and Spurs did little once he came on. Garnacho almost set up the winner in what would have been a very professional performance, despite the team’s chaos and mistakes. Had that goal gone in, Ten Hag would be the Manchester United record holder for most wins as manager*.

United have a squad coming back from injuries, a schedule wide open, and a good chance of finishing the season strongly. With The Euros and Big Jim’s first summer upon many in the squad, the time for performing is now. This should work to ETH”s benefit, and will sadly leave the media ecosystem struggling with a serious Schadenfreude withdrawal.
Calvino (That or it is more of Gary and Roy telling the world their supreme management opinions and how it’s really done)

Man United: Conclusions, Questions, Ponderings
Allow me to present some conclusions after the United Spurs game. I’ll restrict myself to just 8, since I’m talking about one team. Some of these are actually questions, and some are patterns go well beyond one game.

1) There was a lot of chatter about Rashford being ‘back’. He scored a goal. He ran a lot. My view is that Rashford is a long, long way away from where he needs to be. Not for want of effort, but the kindest thing I can say is that he was guilty of probably trying too hard, running down blind alleys, shooting when he could have passed, and in general, seeming to be unable to beat his man. Half a dozen attacks ended at his feet in the first twenty minutes of the second half.

2) On the other hand, there’s a lot being made of Hojlund’s meagre goal return, but in yesterday’s game, the number of chances he got from a decent pass was by my calculation, zero. Both his 2 league goals have come from favourable bounces off a defender rather than actual passes. Hojlund can’t be judged till he actually gets some actual scoring opportunities on a regular basis. Right now a through pass on a plate for him might just catch him completely by surprise!

3) Surely the point of coaching at this level is that the team needs to have a collective intelligence that exceeds the sum of individual capabilities. Which means an instinctive level of coordination, understanding and ultimately a shared ‘hive mind’ for the best teams. Currently each player at United looks up, ponders options, and invariably makes the wrong pass, or puts the wrong weight on it, or tries a Hollywood pass… There’s really very little cohesion. I’d say right now this is the fundamental difference between Spurs (and by extension with any top 6 team) and United: which manifests itself in how poor United are currently at ball retention. Or passing. Or how quickly after recovering possession they tend to squander it (often in something like 0.6 seconds).

4) When they finally do get the ball up to the last third, the final ball is atrocious more often than not. Too long, too close to the keeper, wrong side of the player, too easily cut out, take your pick. How long has it been since we scored a goal from a corner? Is there any tactic apart from playing it deep to the second post and heading it back across goal? Why does nobody attack the near post? What instructions are given to the wingers about choosing between crossing and shooting across the duration of a game?

5) Our defensive organisation is shall we say non-existent. Again, we rely largely on the individual capability of the Wan-Bissakas, the Dalots, Mainoos, and the Martinez’s. There’s little cohesion, planning or structure evident. We remain woefully susceptible to the pull back because if there are 6 defenders they are all rushing back to cut out the cross. Knowing full well that Bentenceur would run past Eriksen, what was the plan to have a second person on alert? Teams like Forest and Bournemouth (who despite their form of late are bottom-half teams at present) are able to play through United with ease. From the halfway line to inside the penalty box, there is almost zero resistance offered by United in most games. Opposition players find space at will.

6) Some of these points are quite damning for the manager. But here’s a different question. ETH is 53 years old, in managerial terms he is maybe a third of his way into his career at most. I would assume that as a manager he can keep improving for another 10+ years comfortably. He obviously has a good track record prior to this year. So how do managers improve? What support do clubs give managers? Is there an arm around the shoulder? Is there a team of experts on hand to help and guide him? Or is it left to the manager and his team to find their way out of any dips and loss of form or confidence they might find themselves in? Why do we assume that managers are the finished product, and they either deliver or they go? Why can’t they be improved at a club just like a player? This is a general question but one that is extremely pertinent right now at United, with Ratcliffe, Brailsford, and co (partially) taking the reins.

7) One of the most curious things about United in the last few years is the complete destruction of form that is displayed by the highest earners at the club. Alexis Sanchez was the highest paid player in the League. De Gea’s form plunged when he started drawing his 375K / week salary. Pogba was pants for most of the time. Rashford’s form has gone through the floor since his last pay rise.

United’s other top earners are Casemiro, Sancho, and Varane. It almost feels like this magic number of £300K/week above which players become useless. Maybe they just stop trying or it messes with their heads in some way. Ronaldo’s probably the one exception I can think off, but we all know he’s a freak of nature.

8) My last point is not unique to United, but why do fans turn against players who are deemed ‘not good enough’ for the club? United have had many of them. Maguire, McTominay, (and earlier Fred, or even Fellaini) and many others fall into this category. My point is, if they’re not trying (Pogba/ Sancho/ Martial) then by all means have a go at them, or get them out of the club. But when players are genuinely doing their best, where there’s no shortage of intent, effort or ‘pride in the shirt’, then it’s not their fault that they are getting into the team. That too is on the club and the manager.

If the manager thinks Maguire or McTominay should be in the first team, then the only thing those individuals can do is give a hundred percent of their effort and focus in training and on the day. I don’t know which of us would do our job better if the people supposedly on our side kept telling us we were sh*t and not ‘good enough’. It must require superhuman wells of courage and resilience to play through that barrage of friendly fire and keep performing, so kudos to them. But for the fans, this is an own goal.
Ved Sen, Man United (Warning: Football makes you philosophical)

Bestancur?
​I understand and agree with the point you were making in winners and losers about how long Ange has had compared to ETH to build a team, but one of you comments led me to write in on behalf of the most underrated player in the PL.

Matt Stead said Spurs were without their 3 best forwards (Maddison, Kulu and son) and ‘their two most effective midfielders’. Has he really not noticed Rodrigo Bentancur yet? I love Sarr and Bissouma, but seriously this isn’t close. If you don’t think Bentancur is one of the best 5 midfielders in the PL… you’re just not paying attention.
Phil, London

A done deal for Man City?
De Bruyne’s back and they’re going to do it again, aren’t they?
Graham Simons, Gooner, (Bored out of his brains), Norf London

The little things
Tell Will Ford for me that he would have loved all the little ways his column considering the proper buyers for NUFC’s squad wound me up. First off, the proper click-baity headline gave me sudden jab of anxiety that gave way to anger at the manipulation, and many of the destinations gave me the same anxiety and different causes for anger, particularly Sven Botman to Manchester and Tonali to Milan. Though tbh, I wouldn’t mind taking 50 million quid from Manchester United for Sean Longstaff. Well done, Ford you vicious b*st*rd!

Also, a moment during United-Spurs caught my eye. Since his arrival, I’ve considered Garnacho vain and selfish, though I will admit I’d like to borrow his cheekbones. But I liked it when he paused to help Micky Van De Ven with his cramp. When a player helps an opponent with a cramp – and it happens all the time – it always warms my heart a bit, and warms me toward the player. I prize those moments of sportsmanship and respect in sport.
Chris C, Toon Army DC

Love for Lewa
“He’s been bang average for Poland” – He’s scored 82 times in 146 games. He’s their highest ever scorer.

“The Poles used to be famous for coming 3rd at major tournaments” – They’ve come third twice. In 1974 and 1982. They didn’t even qualify for the Euros until 2008.

“Giving him the Ballon d’Or because of his Bayern scoring exploits is a bit silly.” He scored 15 Champions League goals in the year they won it. Not to mention 32 league goals.

“Even Harry Kane does it” – This statement says a lot about football knowledge

If you can’t recognise his talent, maybe football isn’t for you.
Mike, LFC, Dubai

…I understand that at Stamford Bridge they have very high standards for strikers, but Mike CFC is presenting a unjustly negative view of Lewandowski’s record.

Not “set the Spanish league alight” apparently, despite top scoring in it last season as a 34-year-old while leading Barca to a Liga title and the Supercopa. He is starting to show his age now, sure, but father time comes for us all.

Only Gerd Muller has scored more Bundesliga goals than him. Yes, a lot of these came for a very dominant Bayern side, but he was a big part of them being so dominant. He’s also delivered for a less dominant team, starring in two Bundesliga wins for Klopp’s Dortmund.

Only Ronaldo and Messi have scored more Champions League goals than him, and the nearest player currently active in the competition is around 40 goals behind.

He’s also scored 82 goals for Poland, with Puskas and Ronaldo the only European players ahead of him in the scoring stakes. Yes, Poland finished third in the World Cup in 74 and 82, but then failed to qualify for the entirety of the 90s, so it seems unfair to lay their struggles at Lewandowski’s door.
DHB CPFC

Szob lot
Just a quick point on Scott, Toronto’s email.

I agree that Sparky’s email contained some great observations too. But they addressed the all the new players in Liverpool’s midfield refresh, not just Gravenberch.

In fact, Sparky was referring to Szoboszlai, when he was taking about toning his ego down. I, too, noticed Szoboszlai is a bit wasteful and plays a lazy or ambitious pass that leads to an opposite break.

Liverpool play such a high line, and when all the forwards and midfield are pressing high, a certain amount of discipline is required not to play a sloppy pass and put the defence under strain. All of them have done it occasionally but Szoboszlai has been doing it more recently. Perhaps tiredness due to the intensity? He was not doing that early doors.

But let’s face it, Klopp has had to drop all the new boys into first team immediately, without the usual learning period, where they get used sparingly, as they watch and learn.
Paul McDevitt