Manchester United have zero points in the group stage after two matches as Erik ten Hag’s side continue to make work harder for themselves. The pressure is mounting at Old Trafford and it suddenly feels as bad as its been for years after crumbling to a 3-2 defeat against Galatasaray.
I keep saying that the only way the team can get out of this mess is by winning football matches. The players are incapable of concentration in key moments and any momentum we build slips down the drain. The football at times was a joy to watch, but the result yet again flatters to deceive. One step forward is always met by two steps backwards.
Galatasaray came back on two occasions and left Old Trafford as 3-2 winners. Summer signing Rasmus Hojlund scored both goals for United, but was let down by our poor defence.
It’s time to admit this is a crisis situation we are watching unfold for Ten Hag and it will be intriguing to see what he does next to ensure his players get better results. They look spineless, unable to defend and Andre Onana looks like a goalkeeper that lives in a world of his own at times.
The leaks in our dysfunctional defence are worse than the leaks in the roof at Old Trafford
A viral video did the rounds at the weekend after United’s 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace. If watching us fail to break down Roy Hodgson’s side wasn’t torturous enough, several fans got drenched as rain pelted through leaks in the Old Trafford roof. I thought more leaked through our defence tonight as the Turkish champions scored three goals put on a plate for them. It doesn’t help that the defence is dysfunctional and missing key personnel, but Onana’s performance will be put under the spotlight because it was calamitous at best.
Marcus Rashford’s confidence is low
We discussed Rashford on the latest podcast following a social media pile on. I thought he performed well tonight and we struggled to create chances after he came off in the second half. His assist for Hojlund was second to none, however, I’m sure the agenda-driven mouthpieces on X will complain about his wasted chance on goal when he misplaced a squared pass to Bruno Fernandes. A confident Rashford goes for goal.
One silver lining
Tonight should be about our new 20-year-old striker. It was an exceptional performance from Hojlund, who showed his strength, pace and ability to hold up the ball. Instead people will focus on the collapse but we can at least take a positive from the fact the young Dane has 3 goals in 2 Champions League appearances for United. On top of that, Hojlund (20-years, 241 days) becomes the youngest player to score in his first two UCL appearances since Erling Haaland (19-years, 73 days) in 2019.
They look spineless can’t defend clueless up front only one player showing he’s the real deal rasmus hojland the rest are a waste of time players aren’t sticking to the game plan and putting there manager at risk of getting the sack
We can’t get rid of them all bar Hojlund 😂😂
Oh boy, what do I say now? Confident we’d lose this; backed Galatasaray and now have £200.00 profit. Some of which, I hate to admit, will be going on 15/4 Brentford. We’re 8/13 on, do these bookies never learn? So: as to the match. Well, no doubt my friend Dixon will be along to correct me, but I still think ETH is a good manager. Sadly, I’m now thinking he’ll prove that at another club.
For tonight’s match, and others for that matter, I blame the players. I mean, wtf? How many times are they planning to make the same juvenile never-played-football-before mistakes? There’s something deeply wrong at OT, and I happen not to think it’s all down to the owners. Since His Fergieship retired, we’ve seen off Moyes – did very well at Everton – doing OK with WHU. Van der Gaal – his record elsewhere speaks for itself. OGS: started well – players fell away. Jose Mourinho: serial winner. Even managed a couple with us; and then – yet again – it all went wrong.
And now this. Decent 1st season, then players doing unbelievably daft things, match after match.
If ETH can’t sort this, we’re gonna need a old-fashioned bar steward like Fergie was; and needed to be to get the right reactions. Dunno who tho’ – Diego Simeone, perhaps?
Not sure how I feel about betting against your own team. Kudos for making profit on your request to point score, but yes, agree problems are elsewhere. Need to come out of the managerial cycle we had with Dick’Ed and trust Ten Hag. Hopefully the Glazers go or we’re fucked.
Agree: it doesn’t feel right, but you’re pissed off by the performance and the result. So am I, but I have a trip to local wine shop to look forward to. It never means I’m hoping United lose, just get some consolation when they do, especially when the performances are so, so poor. I hate to say it, but I’d be an idiot if I backed us to win in our present state where players have been taking turns to screw up, but now seem to have decided to make it a team-effort.
After us Moyes managed to lead two clubs to relegation 😀
Simeone shouldn’t be allowed to go anywhere near Old Trafford
‘No’ to Simeone, Spail? Why do you say that?
And who would you want?
( Serious, friendly, question )
At this point I’m not sure that it would help if Guardiola, Klopp and Ancelotti joined forces leading United, so no idea. Things seemed to be better with Ten Hag, no idea why shit deteriorated so quickly over summer.
Because Simeone is a cunt, who trains his players to play the same way he did. Simulations, dirty fouls, spit in the face behind referee’s back, parking the bus all the way. This should never happen to United, even if we were going to Championship otherwise.
ETh will fail until he decides to actually instill some discipline, and i don’t mean in training, although that obv is needed also.
bruno and rashford need to be dropped (i thought rashford was semi decent last night, his miss aside) bruno has performed poorly for so long now and he needs dropping and frankly selling. he is of no use, and there would be no takers from the top teams. i am sure of that.
united need amrabat next to casemiro, not eriksen, bruno, mount or meijbri these players are of no use defensively. there are holes all over the pitch that need to be plugged. this is so obvious i can’t actually believe that ETH doesn’t see it. he needs to get creative with the backline – lindelof, varane, maguire, dalot – until injuries subside, amrabat and casemiro with mount in front. it is not working having bruno in his role, he is too indisciplined, we need deeper midfielders to help casemiro.
anyway ETH is certainly on this ice, united need a sporing director desperately, but he will only have himself to blame. plays faves, doesnt have a style either, tactically he is out-thought again and again.