Every man and his dog can see that the current crop of Manchester United players have a mentality issue.
The 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray summed up our season to date. One step forwards, two steps back. On two occasions United took the lead, but lapses in concentration across our defence cost us yet again.
For the first time as Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag is feeling the pressure. United have lost six of their first 10 games this season. It’s not good enough.
There are multiple factors behind that form such as problems on and off the pitch. Injuries haven’t helped and, as things stand, we don’t have a recognised left-back available for selection.
One of the questions now is how does Ten Hag change things to improve results. I know quite a few fans would like to hear him tear into the dressing room, but it sounds like he is reluctant to do that due to too many players not being able to take it.
According to ESPN, Ten Hag doesn’t feel he can be as harsh in his criticism of the players as he’d like because there are concerns about the mental fragility of the squad.
Ten Hag has also raised the issue of having the right body language when setbacks happen in games, which is something quite a few players need to take note of.
The report adds Ten Hag will push to sign a new central defender in January, but first he needs to sort a plan for his team to beat Brentford when they visit Old Trafford on Saturday.
Hopefully that is a sign that Harry Maguire might take the hint and leave to rectify his career ahead of the European Championships.
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It’s been clear for several years that the core of successive Utd teams has been soft. We have some top class talent who sagely do not possess elite mentality – they go missing when the chips are down. Ten Hag needs to be brave and decisive. Rashford needs taking out of the firing line, Fernandes put on report and Lindelof/Dalot completely banished from the first team as soon as possible as they are not nearly tough enough. They’ll get ETH sacked, just like Ole and Mourinho.
It’s looking like there’s now very few players can handle the pressure of representing the World’s biggest club. We’re not saying “ee, he’s a nervous-looking bugger; let’s buy him” but time after time, these days, players come to OT to die. Or, at least, their reputations do. Confidence is a funny old thing: when you have it, you believe you can still win Champion’s League finals even tho’ by the time a kettle’s boiled the match will be over. When you have it not, you’re a Sanchez, a Sancho, or a Rashford ( present form only ).
Maybe a hypnotist could sort it: you ARE a good player. You CAN play football. You WILL win away to Galatasaray and you WILL win at home to Bayern mucking Munich.
( Pigs CAN fly. Tories ARE nice people )
Right: stop that – getting far too silly now.