Ten Hag won’t last the season at ‘sh*t’ Man Utd and ‘what a f*cking change’ at Tottenham | OneFootball

Erik ten Hag during his side's 2-0 loss at Tottenham.

Erik ten Hag won’t last the season at Manchester United after ‘utterly abysmal’ Red Devils are defeated by a rejuvenated Tottenham. Plus, Manchester City vs Newcastle, Ange Postecoglou, longings of a Chelsea fan and more…

Get your views in to theeditor@football365.com…

Tottenham vs Manchester United Fun first half from both United and Spurs. United looked much better than they did against Wolves which is good to see. Onana showcased his ball-playing abilities while also being a comfortable goalkeeper in this half. Shaw seemed to have a hard time with Kulusevski as most of Spur’s chances came from that side. There were chances United should have scored which is something we need to improve on as it nearly cost us as Spurs hit the bar twice in ten seconds and had some good counter-attacking chances. For the most part, United looked more comfortable than we did against Wolves with Mount seeming to be a bit deeper which helped make sure Casemiro had some support in the midfield as well as the full-backs having some good overlaps with the wingers. Wan-Bissaka was my player of the half as I felt he looked so comfortable with the ball which is such an improvement from where he was less than a year ago. He was also very solid defensively and if he can keep this form up then he’s got that right-back position on lock.

United fell off a cliff in the second half. Spurs scored quickly with Kulusevski being given so much room down the wing to run and put a cross in which Sarr gets on the end of. It was a silly goal to concede early in the half with poor defending. The rest of the half was the exact same as the Wolves game with United just looking off it. Spurs get a second with a weak goal that deflects off Martinez. The only positive for me was that when Pellistri came on he looked lively and I would not mind him starting a game as Antony is not offering anything going forward for me and at least with Pellistri he will take on his man and put in crosses from the right.

Overall, This game started positively and ended negatively. The second half was the exact same as the Wolves game its just that Spurs were able to score their chances. I hope this game can show the board that we need to get in Amrabat for the midfield as Mount just is not adding anything to the team he just feels like a cover for Bruno. We also should look to get in an experienced striker on loan to help as until Hojilund is fit and with Martial being injury-prone Rashford does not work as a striker and Hojilund is young so it would be silly and could affect his growth to force all the pressure on him. Hopefully, this result causes United to react in both the Transfer market and on the pitch. Max of Whitegate

Another week, another no effective performance from Garnacho and Antony. Antony at least made some defensive contributions, Garnacho seems the best way to give the opposition the ball. Both need to play from the bench.

Rashford looked bright in the first half, before slowly fraying into unanimity. Again, he’s not the solution for upfront.

Another strong performance against United this week. Like Wolves, tenacious, organized MF willing to put run United. Vicario, son, Sarr and Bissouna played very well.

Bissouma was some steal for £30M.

That said, both goals needed luck for them to go in. It’s part of the game, but also part of why United lost this week. It did save them last week. (Also wouldn’t surprise me seeing Spurs lose 4-1 to Bournemouth next week)

Casemiro, Varane, and Martinez. They are the only players in the United team I’d consider reasonable at heading the ball. Yet, for some reason, pinging in crosses seems to be a method we use far too much.

Defensively, it’s the opposite, it’s such a weakness and they can’t seem to stop it from coming in.

How to beat United? Run more, give them loads of space on the wings, attack them from the wings.

It’s early, but Mount isnt working so far. With him, the team lacks control, defensive stability and not much is added going forward. All-in-all, a net negative. Much like Rashford up front and Garnacho starting.

Pretty sure Casemiro is the lead shot taker for United, followed by Varane. United’s attacking 3-1-6 isn’t made for these players.

So, another away loss vs a top ten team. It could have been very different had a United player been able to place a header either side of the goalie. Playing their most potent goal threat out of position and focusing on crossing was a predictable way to lose, but lose they did.

Let’s hope they learn their lesson. Calvino (sad to say, but United need another midfielder and a striker that’s able to actually play)

I wrote in last week and, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I feel compelled to repeat some of my post-Brentford points. After actually beating a ‘big’ team, I’m sure there’ll be plenty more mails on Spurs this time around.

First off, I appreciate United were shit against Wolves on Monday and were pretty shit against us today (although still carved out a fair few chances). So it’s not like we’ve just beaten Madrid or Bayern, however, what a f*cking change.

The hyper-focused attention on an individual who doesn’t even play for us – with a narrative that we are kind of pointless now – always seemed utterly mental. Kane grew with Spurs, so I won’t suggest we were lucky to have him but it’s not the profile of player we’d ever buy. An established, globally elite player. So it was nice we had that. But it’s not everything is it? How about an identity. A style of play. Hell, how about even having a manager that is happy to be there not looking down their nose at a football club that dare had the temerity to pay them £15m+ per season?

When we signed Ange, I was thinking ‘wtf’, as a lot of people did. He very quickly made a great impression on (what sounds like) every single person at the club. An impression that can only come from a place of authenticity. What he’ll ultimately deliver, who knows, but he’s proud to be at Tottenham and has a laser focused approach on how we should play which, evidentially, is the ‘Tottenham Way’ ™️

VDV – signed just last week, with very little high-level experience, looks tremendous already. He’s 22. Udogie – 20 years old and looks like he’s been playing PL football for years. Sarr – just 20 years old and was brilliant. Romero – who started to become a liability last season, is a World Cup winner and just 25. He already looks 10x better in this team. Bissouma – is like a new signing and was the best player on the park. He actually did some Mousa Dembele type work and that is the highest praise I can give. Maddison – looks like a leader and has slotted straight in seamlessly. Vicario – some great saves, although a couple were offside (he wasn’t to know) and already makes me feel far more comfortable than what Hugo ever did. Was never a fan.

Even Sonny and Kulu were loads better than last week. Richy still looks questionable but let’s give him a run.

We’ve got Bentancur to come back too. That Yves x Rodrigo x Maddison is a naughty prospect.

The squad is still in need of some surgery. A couple of transfer windows for Ange and 12 months on the training pitch, instilling a style and mentality; it’s a future to salivate over.

Final point; this is 2 competitive games into season. New manager. New players. Young players. New style. Kane-less. You can see the difference already. There’s been more enjoyment in the 200 mins we’ve played this season than the entirety of last season. Even when we won last year, it was mainly horrible. The atmosphere seemed like it’s done a full 180, that’s the feeling through the TV so I imagine it was amazing being there.

We will qualify for CL? Probs not. Will we win a cup? I dunno. Are we gonna have fun watching this team (whilst shipping a few goals on the way against the best teams), having a go in the cups and seeing a unity that’s not been apparent since 2019? Hell yes. Glen, Stratford Spur

I do enjoy the mailbox, It doesn’t matter if we agree or disagree, it’s good to get opinions out there, in general it’s good hearted banter and nothing more.  Bit disappointed with Saturday’s mailbox, not because mine wasn’t published (I really didn’t think it would be) but because if they decide to publish something but shut off the comments section, that’s not free media. That’s a form of censorship, if you don’t want comments then don’t publish the articles/emails.  Anyway… moving on.

ETH won’t last the season.  I don’t care if he does or doesn’t, but after another shocking game and calls from Neville saying he needs to buy in Midfield, how much more should Eric be allowed to spend? I would understand if the performances were let down by 1 or 2 but it’s almost the entire team every game. Not just early doors this season but most of last. The football is dire, there is no system, no obvious plan, nothing. It’s players who look like they’ve never seen each other before. How long is it going to take for people to realise Antony is just not very good, neither is Garnacho and Rashford is feckin woeful.  Sancho is no better, Pellestri shouldn’t be anywhere near first team and how the hell is Martial still there falling around? That’s 6 forwards there who wouldn’t get in the Spurs team. Stop kidding yourselves utd fans, you’re embarrassing yourselves.

Fernandes, ffs, it’s now become hilarious watching him, the bloke is a falling over missed pass meme. Casimiro, looked ok last season,  has he aged 20 years? Mount, I had high hopes, but now question if there is a parallel universe. Defense is fecked because the 6 in front of them haven’t got a bloody clue. They struggle to put any passes together. There’s no rhythm, everything looks scrappy, final 3rd is awful, Midfield is none existent and yet we still need to spend more money! Let’s just chuck another 60-70 million at another midfield abject performer and drop who? Mount, Casimiro or Fernandes? Not gonna happen, that’s our midfield now 😂 I’m not angry, too old for it, I find myself laughing at just how bad we are and how mental any Utd fan is to say otherwise.

It’s not kneejerk, we’ve played crap football for years.

Have a good week Hugo

Well, given how utterly abysmal Man U were in that thoroughly undeserved victory against a Wolves in utter turmoil, can’t say I’m surprised to watch them get totally outplayed by a Spurs team still adjusting to life under a new manager and without Kane. Total shite ball by Man U. Antony (90m pounds !!!) once again providing his staple output i.e lolz. Mason Mount, wow. Dreadful. And to save the best for last, how about chubby, disinterested, huffing and puffing past his best Casemiro making a barely passable impression of a footballer? The guy has clearly spent his preseason gobbling down Big Macs. How much did United sign this guy for from Real Madrid again? Was it 70m? Hilarious. The guy is finished, Man U have once again had their pants pulled down in the transfer market.

Ten Hag has spent an enormous amount of money, racking up a higher net spend since arriving than klopp has at Liverpool since 2015. Man U fans like to bang on about Artetas spend at Arsenal. Arteta has actually developed a quality team, not a pathetic group of ultra expensive duds like this United team. Comical stuff from Man U. Ten Hag needs to deliver something big this season otherwise it’s Ole at the wheel all over again. Angeela, Burlington

I gotta say, this is a blow to United’s quadruple hopes this season. Martin

Lads, it’s Tottenham. Adam

Dictionary365 – W We’re talking about here, This is Manchester United football Club – Go-to phrase for pundits who haven’t come to terms with the decline of the North-West’s former finest, insinuating that the current omnishambles on display at Old Trafford would be understandable at any other club. Martin M

Man City’s Phil Foden dribbles past Newcastle winger Miguel Almiron.

Manchester City vs Newcastle As much as I hate to admit it, Ian Watson’s analysis seemed pretty spot-on to me. Phil Foden was undeniably excellent – he usually is against us — and so was City’s midfield. That was a rather good performance from Newcastle this evening, and City absolutely smothered it. We couldn’t do anything we wanted to do, despite the commitment evident in the card count. A couple of underhit passes from Almiron, a rough first touch here and there from Isak, a few bad final touches from Anthony Gordon, and we were out of chances. City are a phenomenal football team, damn them.

I can’t argue with any of the cards the Magpies got, and it’s likely a matter of my bias, but I did think that City players got away with cynical fouls that got Newcastle players bookings. On the other hand, Anthony Gordon could well have been sent off, so I got no real beef. My 17yo son, finally taking an interest in football, was watching with me, and he was awed when I drew what to most of you would be an obvious conclusion and said “we need to get Harvey Barnes on for Gordon,” and it happened within seconds. It’s lovely how sport can a parent moments like that.

I’m still digesting Tonali’s performance; he seemed excellent despite a more defensive role, and he popped up all over the pitch, but Howe dragged him off for Anderson before he really looked to be slowing. Does Howe think that much of young Elliot, or did he see something I didn’t? It did look like Guimaraes just had to much work to do; maybe that was it? Kovacic and Rodri more or less bossed our midfield three, and I thought Joelinton was the weak link; Longstaff and Anderson may have an opportunity if he’s injured. I was also bemused by Livramento’s replacement of Almiron. Is Howe thinking of remodeling him (and/or Almiron), a la Joelinton? Surely Murphy was a likelier option following his work-rate and assist last week? Then again, wouldn’t Miggy’s workrate and pace make him a pretty useful right back? Chris C, Toon Army DC (Eddie Howe is probably way the heck ahead of me)

The longings of a Chelsea fan How will you explain,How will you tell, The smart, The deft, How will they understand, The genious that is, Mason! Nkuku is injured, James is leaving me devastated, Mason where are you, How did the owners not see, The intellect, How can they doubt, The quick of mind, How will we illuminate, The genious, You now wear red, Like how my heart bleeds, Betrayed but still infatuated, Porto! Forever in my heart I will cherish, The joy that you wrought. I still love you Mason :’/ Vashow, the heartbroken Chelsea fan

I’m conflicted… In all honesty, as a Utd supporter and a reasonable human being, I have been totally confused and conflicted about the Mason Greenwood saga. On the one hand, I heard what we all (allegedly) heard and assumed guilt. It’s a normal human reaction. Totally disgraceful.

On the other hand, I also believe in the mantra ‘innocent until found guilty’, which he hasn’t been. I can make assumptions and feel ashamed by association, because I happen to support the club he plays for. But I don’t know the full background and have made those assumptions like the rest of you.

There’s obviously a right and wrong here. But who am I to judge? As someone who has f**cked up more times than I care to think about, definitely not to that alleged degree and there’s no excusing that alleged behaviour, it’s difficult; mostly because the charges were dropped, and I have refrained from commenting or thinking about it before now because of this (or my?) lack of conviction.

Should a hypothetical footballer be totally ashamed of an alleged offence if it happened as we heard it? Absolutely. Hang your head in shame for the rest of your days. Should he never kick a ball again and be made to wear a sandwich board in public for the rest of his life? Well, he will metaphorically do the latter because it comes with the territory. This incident will follow him for the rest of his life. But as for the former, it’s a job and he arguably hasn’t allegedly done something that should leave him unemployed and without a future. What’s the end game here? Even if Utd get rid, which club takes him on and therefore will be perceived to condone this alleged behaviour? Why should we let him play elsewhere if he is to be given a second chance?

Had it been an opposition player would I have been so confused? I would like to think not, and be in the same headspace, but I can’t hand-on-heart say that. Had it been a friend or a colleague, I would try to give the benefit of doubt but honestly would struggle.

All of this is based on an audio clip and me filling in dots that I’m not certain of. So for once, I can understand why this has all taken so long for the club to address. However, and this really irked me reading the mailbox, what I can say for certain is that anyone who uses the term “woke” in a serious and derogatory way is a complete tit. Look at me, I am woke because I care about other human beings. FFS. Garey Vance, MUFC

Court of Public Opinion Oh boy, another poor, lazy article from Ian Watson.  I know it’s an opinion piece but they are usually based around citing facts, evidence and actually producing quotes that helped form and support that opinion.

He hasn’t really done any of these things.

Without the luxury of being able to counter-argue with my own article on F365, I was going to write a long email pulling his article apart.  After drafting this, I realised that Ian’s entire reasoning came down to “I want someone who was accused of something, who was never tried or convicted of this accusation but that doesn’t matter, throwing to the wolves to satisfy MY perceived wrong so I can appear virtuous.”.

“Why are Manchester United…so willing to stake their name and reputation on one individual?”.

As it never made court, are you saying they should stake it instead on an Instagram model who made her accusation on that platform to her c250k followers and not the police?  Yes, that sounds exactly like the sort of person everyone should idolise.  The real answer here is, clearly, they are not staking their reputation on any individual at all otherwise it would have been done and dusted either the moment he was accused or when the CPS dropped the case.

“Would they be tying themselves in grubby knots if Greenwood wasn’t once a potential £100million star and was instead a reserve-team left-back?”.

You ask the question but never state your own conclusions.  Instead you dodge your own question and hide behind the old “We can all draw our own conclusions…” blub.  It’s your opinion piece Ian…what are your opinions on this question in particular and how did you come to them?  I mean, you raised it.  What does the potential future price of a player have to do with any of it?  Isn’t it just basic rights in the eyes of the law we are talking about here?

But by not giving your opinion you have neatly side-stepped the real question.  That question being – Why should either of these men be cast aside after being accused, investigated, and yet never tried and convicted?  You, and many like you, seem to have a problem grasping that an accusation is NOT proof of guilt.  It would be a particularly shitty world if we had to spend every day wondering if we were going to have to prove our innocence because everyone else had the right to make us guilty by accusation.

But the real gem was this absolute twaddle –

“United can continue to push the line around their ‘responsibilities to Mason as an employee, as a young person who has been with the club since the age of seven, and as a new father with a partner'”

Yes they should absolutely do this.  If you, heaven forbid, were accused of something tomorrow should F365 hear you out or throw you on the bonfire?  You also play a neat trick here by not explicitly expanding on who this partner is.  Who is it Ian?  Who has Greenwood had a child with??  Which sane woman in her right mind would accept this brutal, domestic violator in her life let alone start a family with him?

Ian Watson, and the many like him, who seem to place all their faith in the Court of Public Opinion only need to look at the case of Andy Malkinson to see just what happens when people, police and the courts rush to judgement.

Finally, if people like Rachel Riley and those like her value what a football club says and does over the basic legal right of innocent until proven guilty, then they should go and think things through a bit more.  I don’t think United are getting “cancelled” any time soon. Will, Cumbria.

(Cue the “But ‘e done it! Cos I sin pictures and ‘erd a recording.”, “What if it was your daughter?” and “It’s cos you support United!” muptards…)

Dear Ed,

The whole Mason Greenwood farce is proper mental. I thought football fans had finally crossed a tipping point with the Chelsea fancy Moises Caicedo but Liverpool love him but he doesn’t love Liverpool, no he loves Chelsea, who is he going to shag, find out tonight on Hoof It Island with Robbie Savage. But the rabid football fans are nothing if not completely insane.

It is reprehensible that so much commentary on the situation has amounted to saying he’s a precious boy who deserves a second chance. Men do not understand the threat we pose to women. Like a constant, overwhelming threat that suffocates their normal daily existence. So much of the discussion around his rehabilitation as a sports player is around the good judgement of the Glazers and Erik ten Hag, the Glazers famously being the Glazers and ETH famously being a bloke who doesn’t give two shits about a football player’s violence towards women. Football has a money problem and it has a violence towards women problem and these are connected through the social inequalities perpetuated by the very patriarchal capitalism we find ourselves in. These problems are obvious and continual but are generally accepted as a minimal and submerged cost of our entertainment as consumers of the Premier League product, as can be seen in Man Utd’s approach to managing Greenwood’s reintegration, and he’s no CR.

As can also be seen, public expressions of disapproval of the judgements of business twats can affect their decision making because we work and pay for them to exist and their existence is increasingly precarious as the security of our broader long term existence in a stratified society of ‘genius’ rich decision makers and many ‘stupid’ poor folk also trends towards greater precarity. While the business twats are quite inhumanly amoral, existing in a psychotic vacuum of economic abstraction, they are subject to the monetary leverage of the possible moral actions of football fans. That is to say, if you want football to be better than it is as your chosen spectacle of distraction to your daily life then say so. Object to the attempted reintegration of Greenwood, he’ll be fine, hopefully he’ll become a better human, partner, and father to a child. We must use this moment as a touchstone to set a standard of behaviour because if we don’t, we step backwards into shit. We would define ourselves as accepting of violence towards women yet again.

SKM? Just saw Kane on the scoresheet for Bayern. Along with two goals for Sane. Such a shame they sold Mane. That would’ve been insané. Stijn, Amsterdam