Ten Hag given vote of confidence after FA Cup glory as Man Utd eclipse Arsenal in 2023/24
The Manchester United fans want to see Erik ten Hag given another season at Old Trafford after his side upstaged Arsenal in 2023/24 with their FA Cup win over Man City.
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Avoid the circus, Sir Jim
Naturally, I am delighted about winning the FA Cup; it’s the first trophy I watched us lift in my lifetime and always holds a special place in my heart. However, I don’t think (hope) it has influenced the decision to keep or get rid of TH, and I fear a bad decision is soon to be made. It doesn’t take a body language expert to read the post-match way the manager, owners and players were carrying themselves.
I have agreed all along, and haven’t changed my mind, that Utd is a longterm project (which was accepted by everyone lest we forget) and sacking the manager after one poor season is short-term thinking of the highest degree. Almost all of the Utd fans I know agree – let him go again next year and if it’s not working by xmas then move on. Otherwise what is the alternative? Potter? Nope. Southgate? God no. McKenna? Not ready. De Zerbi? What’s he won and actually done? Poch? Maybe the only one I could get behind.
But rewind two seasons and Ten Hag was one of the most sought-after coaches in Europe. Now he’s what, clueless? Nope. He changed his approach in the face of massive (and frankly ludicrous) pressure to deliver in the short-term. Yet he knows what it takes to be successful at a club where winning is expected. And now we’re going to do what? Start again, while TH moves to a more stable club and is successful (I guarantee it, I bloody guarantee this will happen)?
Let’s take a breath, get the backroom sorted, get the injuries sorted, buy a few in the summer, and see what TH can do in a more stable environment. Please do not start the circus again before the ringmaster gets a proper chance to show what he can do. C’mon Jim, you know.
Garey Vance, MUFC
Ten Hag lacks ‘tactical intelligence’
Great victory, and if it wasn’t for the Onana blunder at the end, United would have won that game 2-0 against a City team who have just come off the back of winning 4 domestic titles in a row. Having watched the game in a fan club in a hotel bar, the atmosphere was popping and safe to say I probably high fived 25-30 random fans after the final whistle, a really good win for United fans and those who travelled to Wembley especially too. Its been a tough season, but they managed to finish it on a high winning a trophy.
Maybe not the trophy United fans and former players expect United to be competing for, but one thing Ten Haag has done is turn United into a competitive domestic ‘Cup’ team at least. With Ole, United were getting to semi-finals and finals but losing over and over again lacking belief when it mattered. With Ten Haag, it has been 3 finals in 2 years, and its 2 wins out of those finals, so Ten Haag has done his part and so have some of the players.
But does Ten Haag deserve to keep his job now after that victory? Yes, many injuries have happened, but some of the losses this season & performances have been terrible, if that happens again next season, what progress is being made in terms of getting closer to the top of the table? I personally think after yesterday, the club will stick with him and maybe Ferguson will have his say in that, but there is a LOT of work that needs to be done. Not to shit on their victory yesterday, but Ten Haag and the players need to remember they lost 19 games in all competitions this season. To almost reach the 20 mark with losses, when the minimum should be 10 all season in all competitions, does ask a lot of questions.
Tactically I don’t think Ten Haag has the best level of intelligence, I think some other current managers out there that can do a better job, but one thing he has done well to improve youth players such as Mainoo, Garnacho, Hoijland, and a few others as well, which is only beneficial for the long term. With that, he has gotten a lot of fans on his side and given the clusterfuck mess regarding the ownership since last summer, he managed to bring home a trophy. I think Ten Haag mentioning yesterday that he has won trophies all his career and he could do that elsewhere perhaps paints the picture he has been told it will be his last game managing the club, maybe shouldn’t have said that and getting a bit carried away too, but it all depends on who comes in now. It has to be a manager who is 100% capable of improving the team and comfortably finishing in the Top 4 each year, eventually challenging for a title. Could it be Zidane, Tuchel or Poch? I don’t think Poch will happen, but would be kind of cool seeing Zidane take charge (He is definitely waiting for the France job to open up though)
Once Pep leaves, may be interesting how the league goes, it could be back to the United vs Arsenal title challenging rivalry, but only time will tell, so much work for United to do and hope cockiness doesn’t come into play after yesterday, the team did finish 8th this year. But one thing is for sure it was a sweet victory yesterday for the fans, and I also have a bit of a hangover too. City probably were half arsed about the game yesterday after making history winning 4 league titles in a row, but would be great if they get a point deduction now effectively meaning they finished the season with no trophies, but doubt that will happen, they have been amazing again this year on the pitch.
Bring on the summer, and hopefully it isn’t a repeat of poor business as United fans have seen time and time again over the last 10 years. A lot of players (Around 6-7 need to be shipped off) with 4-5 top players coming in, but who is going to carry on that operation is the big question.
Rami, Dubai (If only Varane and Martinez weren’t made of glass, could have been a much better season)
READ MORE: Manchester United get everyone laughing with them for once with FA Cup final triumph
Ten Hag > Kompany
If relegated Kompany deserves a chance at Bayern Munich simply because his Burnley players were not good enough for his ideas, what does cup winner Ten Hag deserve for a season full of injured players and backups not good enough for his ideas?
Gaurav MUFC Amsterdam
Ten Hag to Chelsea?
For all the abuse and insults to his management acumen, Erik Ten Hag apparently takes his bow with 2 trophies in 2 years.
Sacking him might be right for the club, but he’s proved he’s a good manager. With all the vacancies this summer, he might land a better job, and I genuinely hope he does so. Maybe Juventus, Milan, or Chelsea will take him.
Jayraj, MUFC
Man Utd had a better season than Arsenal
So now we can get to it at last. Who had the best season?
I assume we can mostly agree that this is the order of trophies / achievements?
CL title > League title > FA Cup > Top 4 > Europa League > League Cup > Europa Qualification > Conference qualification.
So on that basis:
#1 Man City
#2 Liverpool
#3 Man United
#4 Arsenal, ahead of Villa by league position (although with less improvement from last season, so you can debate that)
#5 Spurs
#6 Chelsea
On the match itself, what a game. Too much to say but the players showed they wanted it for a change, like they have in only a few games this year. And we had a nearly full strength side which made a big difference. Rashford looked hungry and other than a heavy touch, looked good. I understand all the arguments against, but he should be on the plane; few defenders have Walker’s pace.
And finally, Ten Hag, the man the media are literally obsessed with being sacked. He matched and defeated Pep’s four-time champions with a worse side filled with players who came back from injury layoff to play. Two trophies in two years.
Sack him? Get in the sea
Badwolf
MORE ON MANCHESTER UNITED’S FA CUP TRIUMPH ON F365
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👉 Roy Keane ‘happy to be proved wrong’ by Man Utd star as Scholes hails ‘prime Gattuso’
👉 Man Utd ‘exactly where we want to be’ insists Ten Hag amid sack talk after FA Cup triumph
What about the ‘generational’ manager?
First off: a thorough congratulations to ManYoo. I thought they played that final perfectly, and the tactics were spot on. You see, you are allowed to actually beat Citeh, you are allowed to take the game to them and yes, money doesn’t win on the pitch.
Also…Imagine a world where the fiercely critiqued and seemingly (rightly) soon-about-to-be-sacked ETH, is winning a major trophy by beating Pep Guardiola in a final? Meanwhile, certain “generational” managers who are apparently doing “Amazing” things, are being given eulogies for winning…..Oh right: Nada! 🤣🤣🤣But yeah, If I Speak….So ETH who has been a disaster, walks away from ManYoo with two domestic trophies in two years. 🤔🤔
Stewie Griffin (we’ve reached the stage where some Gooners are using Atalanta’s European success to diss another Invincible League champion team. LMFAO)
16 Conclusions
1. Well done United. Against the odds. Against the consensus. Against it all, they’ve leave as FA Cup champions, and will be in Europe next year. A fantastic send off for Varane, Evans and potentially Amrabat and Ten Hag.
2. City fans doing the Poznan before the game had even started. Hopefully it’s that fun in the Championship. I heard odds of that have dropped to 25/1.
3. Laughable penalty claims in my opinion.
Pundits on ESPN keep going on about them, and no mention or repeat of the offside goal or the foul on McT in the box. This seems like manufactured jeopardy and outrage. The big Haaland floored by the little Martinez and Mainoo? Get off it.
4. United seemed to be set up in a flat 4-2-4 with McT man marking Rodri and Mainoo KDB. Both have to go out wide to get on the ball as the first half progressed. City only got their second shot in the 36th minutes. Neutered.
5. Calamity at the back and it’s 1-0. To Manchester United. Lots of luck in that but Garnacho will take it. Maybe City’s back up isn’t as good as their first choice pick? Who’d have known.
6. Not sure why, but Martinez and Varane look more capable than Evan’s and Cas at cb. Only their second appearance together since September. Great performance from two player clearly not match fit.
7. Curious that the offside goal wasn’t looked at more closely. Garnacho seems off but still don’t get why it’s not checked as it was close. Don’t know why it’s not been replayed or mentioned by ESPN either.
8. Hot dam. What’s a goal. Kobbie is king and it all started and ended with him. Smashing cross field ball from Rashford, and what a first time pass from Fernandes. Such a tidy finish from a youngster to win his first ever final. Ended the game as man of the match at just 19. Those saying he doesn’t deserve an England spot have no idea what they are talking about.
9. Half time: United had been the most dangerous, and despite having less of the ball, were far more in control. All of City’s stars haven’t had a moment to do anything. 2-0 down, bereft of ideas and a goalkeeping error? Prematch you’d have laughed had someone said you were talking about City. Me included.
10. 10 mins into the second half and City’s new strategy is to go down the wings. It’s where there is space, but United’s narrow shape leaves little else to play with. Pot shots from range and hope Doku can make something happen is Peps master plan it seems. They looked very average.
11. Amrabat looks solid again. He looks like exactly what we expected him to be. Not sure what took him so long to get up to speed but he certainly has what it takes now. AWB was phenomenal at the back as well.
12. A bit of saltiness with Walker and Martinez. Oh how we have missed him. On came Evan’s in his place due to cramp. 30 appearances and a FA cup final victory certainly wasn’t what he or any of us imagined last summer, but he has done very well, and I wouldn’t be upset if he stuck around.
13. 83 minutes in and City don’t seem to have an idea of what to do. Pep looks tired and bereft of how to save it. Then, out of the blue, for the blues, Onana lets a Doku shot squirm in that should be saved. Onana had a great game up to that point and it turned out that was as close as they would come to beating him.
14. 2-1 is how it ends, and a disastrous season ends with silverware and a place in Europe next year. That’s now 2 trophies in two years for Ten Hag. 3/4 finals being reached during that time too. Pretty good for the worst coached team in the league. The rusty reds beat the boys in blue.
15. Predictably, some of the post match pundits have said “yeah but they didn’t dominate the game” despite an excellent game plan enacted excellently. If it’s good enough for Real Madrid to win this way, it should be fine for United to win this way. “Where has this been from United all season?” The physio room.
16. Last word on the coach. Stay or go, he can hang his head high. He’s faced massive challenges this season, and despite some failures in the league and Europe, he earned his trophy and place in Europe next year. He has constantly shown this team’s ability when his preferred team is available, and his tactical nous without many of them. He is a winner. I hope he stays but regardless, thank you Erik and the boys for today.
Calvino (How’s that Poznan going City?)
READ MORE: Why Man Utd glory puts Todd Boehly and Chelsea in the FFP mire amid European ban claim
Checking on the City narrative
City fan here. Firstly, congratulations to United (I mean that). Excellent tactical plan from Ten Hag (who knew?) and carried out to the letter by the United players. First goal was down to Ortega, but the second one was quality. Young Mainoo looking quite the prospect.
At the same time, can I just check that I’m still in tune with the current narrative? You know, the one where English top-flight football has been reduced to a farmer’s league by sterile, unrelenting robotic dominance by City? It’s just that I’m confused as (checks notes) I thought Liverpool won the League Cup, City pipped Arsenal to the PL by a whopping two points and United just won the FA Cup. That can’t be right, can it?
Oh well, will just have to console myself with four titles in a row. Honestly, being a City fan is rubbish!
And I genuinely can’t wait for the inevitable OTT knee-jerkery in the next mailbox. United are back! Give him more time! They’ll be challenging again next year and so on.
Mark (Should’ve put Doku on the right early doors. Hey ho.) MCFC.
The worst goal to concede
The ball over the top played through, where a goalkeeper and central defender miscommunicate and a lurking attacker benefits, is in my opinion one of the worst goals any team can concede. It’s ugly and unsettling. Often times it shakes the backline enough they go on to concede again shortly thereafter. When we see it as a viewer I always conclude it’s a bumbling mistake good teams can train for. Like, how can that happen ? But then I think on it and realize when it occurs in real time, you can’t always replicate nor account for exact trajectories or all the variables involved, which is why it looks so silly and stupid when it plays out.
I felt it when Alisson and Van Dijk couldn’t get out of each others’ way against Arsenal earlier this year, and today I saw it offer an inferior Manchester side the platform to spring an upset against all rationale, over much stronger, better led, better drilled opposition. But that’s football and the unpredictability is what we love.
Speaking of Arsenal their fans will probably look to take the most from City’s dullness at Wembley today and believe they’re now better positioned for the title next season; they’re wrong, this was a one-off.
Eric, Los Angeles CA (Loved the customary comedy of Biscuithands biffing near post to offer hope late on)
De Bruyne not the best
Is de bruyne one of the best ever midfielders? No. Here’s why.
If you want to make the argument he’s one of the best of this generation I won’t argue. But best ever? No chance.
If he were guardiola wouldn’t be subbing him off on 53rd minute of an fa cup final.
Could you imagine fergie taking off Giggs, scholes, Keane ? Wenger with viera? Jose with lampard? Or Gerrard?
In addition to that he doesn’t turn up when needed that often by comparison to the others I’ve mentioned (and I was kind and kept it to premier league only). Hes quite often anonymous in big games for club and country. None of the players I mentioned are like that.
Is he skilled? Obviously but football is more than just the tools at your feet. Gotta have the right mentality too just ask ravel Morrison or Jose Baxter. Then there’s the fact he requested to come off in a champions league semi final against Madrid. Who does that? Someone who doesn’t want to take a penalty that’s who. Even pep seemed annoyed at that when he threw him and haaland under the bus after and made it clear he wanted them to stay on but they requested to come off.
It’s 70th minute in the fa cup final and united have fully earned this probable win playing pretty much the same way they did against Liverpool. Congrats United fans (assuming you win it) but you should also be ashamed of the farce around ten hag sacking, dirty laundry in public is never a good look
Lee (the one who everyone gets really annoyed by 😂)
F365 will ‘have a think’
Has there ever been such a stark difference of opinion between media and fans on a topic?
F365 and the media in general have been pushing for ten Hag to be sacked all season, because you’re bored.
The comments section here is absolutely not in agreement, which I put down to the readership here being more discerning.
But on the BBC live reporting the comments are universally unhappy at ten Hags position being threatened, and a vote posted resulted in 17,257 votes for him deserving to stay and 2580 for him being sacked.
Social media is likewise.
I can’t remember a situation where the chosen media narrative has been so roundly rejected.
Have a think
Tim Sutton (if you get clicks but they mean people subsequently lose interest in your opinions are you winning)
Ten Hag out
The next thing Ten Hag lifts will be the cardboard box containing his personal belongings as he is escorted from the stadium.
Niallo, Dublin
