Ten (Cafe) Hag's at the wheel

[Nineteenx]

Well he's here, and the good news is he wants his team to dominate possession, just like his Ajax team do in the Dutch League with much better players than all the other clubs

They've been here with Van Gaal, City were there with much better players than the filthy have or could afford to bring in and they had to change it as more teams adopted a pressing game and were better coached to set traps for them and nick possession off them to counter - Sure City still dominate possession against most teams, but they adopted being more direct and put a lot of work into their game without the ball

I don't think a team looking to dominate possession in the style that Cafe Hag's Ajax team played in the Dutch league will be successful in the Prem, too many teams who are very good with their passing and very good at pressing and counter pressing and too many experienced top managers with better squads ahead of him

I think they have to set top him four as a target, I don't see him finishing above Our lads, City, Spurs or Chelsea next season

Let the games commence

[faridtoxteth]

I think the deciding factors will be his personality, how much is he able to dominate those egos in the dressing room, which was a problem for Ragnik who also had a high press high work rate philosophy, and knew what he was talking about tactically. But also how much he is backed financially. The powers that be at utd do put their hand in their pocket, but make stupid purchases like Maguire and Wan Bissaka based on the flavour of the month rather than real football knowledge and a high quality of scouting.
Also of course Ten Hag doesn't know this league and its intensity. It was even a shock for Guardiola when he first came.

[teesred]

Top 4 will be a stretch. They are a few players away and that means you have to get every transfer bang on if say they bring in 4 new recruits. Never happens.

[Insidious]

Steveo is going to absolutely love that this thread was created before a Champion's League Final and is preparing "I know it was you Fredo" line rehearsal in Nineteen's mirror as we speak.

[scientificred]

He apparently intends to knock man city and us off of our perches somehow
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10846995/Manchester-United-Erik-ten-Hag-vows-end-Man-City-Liverpool-dominance-English-football.html

Heard that before somewhere.
He does however have Steve McLaren as one of his top assistants.

[Taksin]

Should it go wrong for him, God forbid, then they literally will not know what to do next and the wise guidance of Ralphy Rangnick will also come under scrutiny

[Daffydd]

The BBC's reputation for factual reporting has been in doubt but at least some of their employees aren't afraid of telling the truth.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-61563153

[teesred]

Haha, I've literally this second just forwarded that on WhatsApp to people.

[Insidious]

Siiiiiiiiiuuuxth.

[Insidious]

Top 4 will be a stretch. They are a few players away and that means you have to get every transfer bang on if say they bring in 4 new recruits. Never happens.

Trying to think who will be leaving - they'll find a lot with wages coming off the books anyway, which is good for them if they recruit well - but to say that's a massive "if" is an understatement and (money aside) they're not the most attractive prospect for a player wanting to join - 5 years now without a trophy already.

Pogba, Matic, Lingard, Mata, Jones will all be going by the look of it? Then you'd think Cavani and Bailly won't be far behind them in terms of not seeing a future there. That Greenwood fella likely doesn't have a career anymore (rightly so if the girl's recordings are anything to go by) and then Martial will likely want away if he can get the opportunity.

Wan-Bissaka I think I saw being linked with a nice away for £15m or so, so they're potentially willing to sell having realised his shortcomings.

Rashford looking like a shadow of the potential he showed (they over-hyped him certainly, but he was a reliable finished for a good spell, just hasn't pushed on) and then you look at lads like Shaw and Maguire - wouldn't want to build a possession-based style of play with Maguire as your centre-back certainly.

There's a lot to fix. Getting a lot of wages off the bill is the first step and that list of 5 players at the start will certainly be over £1,000,000 per week off the bill (crikey!) but their recruitment is generally not their strength these days.

34 points they finished behind us. 9-0 on aggregate in the two League games. If they want to finish 4th (assuming the top three remains the same, though Chelsea aren't guaranteed) they have to be better than Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham and Newcastle, none of whom will aim to "stand still" - their best bet of Champion's League football might be to win the Europa again if they get a fortuitous run.