Manchester United's problem is as much with underperforming players as an underwhelming manager.
...plus why Nottingham Forest should have resisted tweeting and instead called a summit of those clubs aggrieved by poor refereeing....
On the train back north on Sunday evening after running the London Marathon, I slumped into my seat and was joined around the table by six Manchester United fans, some standing in the aisle. They’d endured their own gruelling marathon watching their side splutter through the FA Cup semi-final extra-time and penalties at Wembley. These are home-and-away United hard-core, all ages, late 20s to early 60s, absolutely obsessed with the club. They also combine passion for United with a sense of perspective. They’ve seen great managers, great teams, great players, and great times, and they don’t see any of those currently.
The wretched Glazers are still at their club, but the new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe represents real hope for the future. They like the look of a determined character who runs the Marathon and then races to Wembley. They appreciate Ratcliffe’s talk of the team needing “grit”, as he did at the 30k mark in the Marathon. Because they don’t see grit in this side. Coventry City, a mid-table Championship side, showed more grit, hauling themselves back from 3-0 down before losing the shoot-out.
So as the delayed train shuffled slowly north we talked of Robins, their former player saving Alex Ferguson’s job in the FA Cup in 1990, and whether this time he’d decided the fate of another United manager. Erik ten Hag’s side progressed to the final but they were embarrassed by a brighter, hungrier group of players far more than the sum of their individual parts – a contrast with United. The supporters were undecided, wanting instinctively to back a United manager. They knew the horrendous injury list Ten Hag has to contend with but noted that so do some other managers. Along with his team’s annoying, damaging tendency to sit off when in the lead, their main gripe about Ten Hag was his words and tone after games. They don’t like being taken for idiots. They can see when the team are not performing. So say it.
Listening to these United fans, I understood more why the debate about Ten Hag’s future is more nuanced than widely depicted. He probably will leave in the summer but others are also to blame. Mainly, this group of fans demanded more impact and accountability from players, some of whom had underperformed under previous managers.
A poll of those in the carriage of how many players they would keep was interesting. Very few. Andre Onana, yes, because he has improved. Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez but continued injuries were a concern. They saw Harry Maguire’s mobility issues but respected how much he cared. Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka had enough about them to keep, they argued. Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho were the future, the talents to build around. Bruno Fernandes is annoying but he cares, and delivers.
But they saw no future at United for Casemiro, Raphael Varane, Christian Eriksen or Anthony Martial. They would happily drive Antony to the airport, questioning his theatrics and lack of end product. On the other flank, their frustration with Marcus Rashford was immense; his not tracking back and not being more judicious when dribbling infuriated them. Was he bothered? I countered that Rashford does care about the club he grew up supporting, that he delivered last season and is more effective and confident when Shaw is behind him. They were unconvinced, and hoped the Paris St-Germain links had some substance. Rashford needs a strong, focused end to the season to win the many doubters back. As for the rightly-exiled Mason Greenwood, one fan was adamant he should return but all accepted the club couldn’t countenance the backlash.
All of this indicates the inevitable squad overhaul in the summer, cutting losses, but does that include Ten Hag? Legitimate questions can be asked of the Dutchman. Why did he did not respond to Robins’ changes after 63 minutes? Why does he believe in Antony ahead of Amad Diallo? Do the players believe in him? Why does his team keep falling off the pace? He's difficult to warm to.
This is the key decision to be made by Ratcliffe, Sir Dave Brailsford, the new technical director Jason Wilcox and Dan Ashworth when he arrives from his immaculate garden as sporting director. It’s easy to declare “Ten Hag out” but who in? From those letting the train take the strain, there was minimal enthusiasm for the favourite Gareth Southgate, Ashworth’s old FA colleague, because of his reputation for not making decisive calls in key moments of crunch England games: Croatia in Moscow, Italy at Wembley. Many United fans look down on England anyway.
And does Graham Potter, another linked with the job and familiar with Ashworth from Brighton & Hove Albion, possess the strong personality to cope with the myriad demands of managing the biggest club in the country? Roberto de Zerbi? Has he done enough at Brighton yet? How would he handle the intense scrutiny? They liked Ange Postecoglou’s football and honesty but the likeable, principled Australian does not seem the type to jump ship early.
They asked me who I thought, and I replied they needed someone like Carlo Ancelotti. The role demands someone experienced, a tactician with people skills who can inspire and control big-name players, and there are few around. United tried the experienced Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho but they were not at their peak. Ancelotti delivers goodwill and silverware. But the 64-year-old is a 66-1 outsider for any vacancy, and why would he leave Real Madrid for a team outside the Champions League? This is the problem faced by Ratcliffe and company. It’s easy to pay off Ten Hag, but much harder finding the right man. As with the marathon, Ratcliffe will get it right in the long run but United’s problems are about the squad as much as the manager.
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Nuno Espirito Santo has sought to instil a fighting spirit in Nottingham Forest as they try to fight against relegation, just as the owner Evangelos Marinakis has in the club, but it is undistilled paranoia to believe in conspiracies against them. They questioned the integrity of Stuart Attwell, the VAR for their defeat to Everton, because family members are Luton Town fans. They would have gained more sympathy if they had simply questioned his competence.
The first and third of the three penalty shouts should really have been given: Ashley Young’s kick on Gio Reyna and Young clearly fouling Callum Hudon-Odoi. The middle offence, Young handling a cross from Hudson-Odoi, was not a clear and obvious error by the referee Anthony Taylor given the higher bar for handballs now and how close it was.
Forest’s refereeing consultant, Mark Clattenburg, described it as a “hat-trick of howlers” in his Daily Mail column on Monday, adding “referees do not make mistakes deliberately but this was mind-boggling”. A more legitimate line of enquiry than Forest’s conspiracy theory might have been around whether VARs are less likely to question a referee of the calibre of Taylor, the country’s best referee.
All of this damages the reputation of a fine club in Forest. It doesn’t elicit any sympathy for their grievances. Clubs like Wolves, Burnley and Everton themselves, have endured worse decisions going against them. Forest say they are considering their options, which means what exactly? Going legal? Taking the conspiracy theory to its most farcical extreme, and that the Premier League want Forest and not Luton down, is even more ridiculous. Forest bring more glamour to the world’s elite league, as two-time European champions. Forest are right to stand up for themselves but if they really want to take on the referees’ body, the PGMOL, they would be better off calling all other aggrieved clubs to a summit meeting to discuss standard of refereeing in the Premier League. Many fans and observers would agree. Attwell can be accused of incompetence, but not impartiality. If Forest do go down, it will be because of poor recruitment, and individual mistakes on the field, not some ridiculous conspiracy theory.
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In contrast, Coventry City’s always impressive manager Mark Robins showed dignity and sanity when reacting to a VAR call at Wembley. “Had he cut his toenails we wouldn't be talking about penalties,” Robins said of Haji Wright who’d set up Victor Torp’s extra-time strike at Wembley. It’s a good image, a classic dressing-room joke, even if more pertinent would have been boot size. The offside that VAR gave against Wright was cruel for Coventry and for Cup romantics but it was correct. Wright was offside.
A Coventry win would certainly have embarrassed the FA and Premier League following the damage wrought last week on the competition, diminishing the importance of those outside the elite by ending replays. But the world of decision-making is so confused at the moment that objective calls should be respected. Semi-automated offside technology is coming into English football next season, ideally from the start if PGMOL can conclude negotiations with either of the two firms pitching for the business. As with goalline technology, its swift application should defuse some of the tension.
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Great to find you on this app seen you on Jonny Gould show talk tv
Good to see the UK’s number one back in business. Good luck Henry.