Five reasons Sir Jim Ratcliffe shouldn’t sack Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag
Most Manchester United fans have had enough of Erik ten Hag and want the new dawn under Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS to include a new manager.
The pressure has increased a couple of notches after the 4-3 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, but reports suggest Ratcliffe would still ideally like to keep the Dutchman, and we’ve come up with five reasons why he should…
Uninspiring alternatives
While Liverpool are now linked with Ruben Amorim and Roberto De Zerbi having been snubbed by Xabi Alonso, all managers deemed to be tactical geniuses of their generation, Manchester United appear to have been scouring soho coffee shops for latte-sipping, company men who look good in a suit and won’t rock the INEOS boat to replace Ten Hag at Old Trafford.
The only surprise on the back of reports of interest in Graham Potter, Gareth Southgate and Gary O’Neil is that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s apparent obsession with hiring obediant English sycophants is yet to lead him to Eddie Howe, despite what we assume is as exemplary a LinkedIn page as the other candidates.
Changing the job title from ‘manager’ to ‘head coach’ is a very good indication of the shift in control that’s coming under the new owners next season, with everything other than what happens in training and on matchdays no longer under the purview of whoever that happens to be.
Related video: Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag on the current form of Marcus Rashford and the challenge posed by title chasing Liverpool Stamford Bridge, London, UK (Dailymotion)
At least Ten Hag, after two years at the helm and possibly two domestic trophies under his belt, would have some power with which to push back against what looks set to be Ratcliffe’s autocratic regime.
Injury woes
Other teams have had worse injury problems, but few – if any – have been hit so badly and so frequently in one specific area of their squad.
£55m summer signing Mason Mount barely playing hasn’t been great, and others in midfield and attack have had the odd niggle, but it’s the problems in defence that have provided game-by-game headaches for Ten Hag.
They’ve already conceded more goals this season (44) than last (43) when only Manchester City and Newcastle had a better defensive record, and that’s far fewer than they should have conceded according to xG, with their goals against minus expected goals against score of -10.7 comfortably the lowest in the Premier League.
They’ve also faced more shots in the Premier League this year (225) than any other team; nearly twice as many as Crystal Palace. Hang on though, this is why Ten Hag shouldn’t be sacked.
The Dutchman’s preferred back four from last season of Diogo Dalot, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw have started just one Premier League game together this term, the win over Wolves at the start of February.
Tyrell Malacia aside, who’s missed the whole season, the United defenders have been absent for 67 Premier League games between them through injury. That’s an extraordinary amount, and the spread and regularity of those problems also means there’s very rarely been consistent selection from one game to the next.
Off-field distractions
Jadon Sancho throwing a strop and Marcus Rashford’s various benders pale in comparison in the distraction stakes to the cycling bloke’s ‘strategic review’ of the club.
With the darn media claiming Ten Hag was ‘basically an interim manager’ from the point it started, it’s hard to imagine a more pressurised environment for a man already in one of the most pressurised jobs in world football to operate in.
There wasn’t really an alternative: the review was necessary and they’ve already made great strides to establish a much-needed structure above the manager (or head coach), and though reports suggest they want to keep Ten Hag, they couldn’t go so far as to guarantee him the job next season.
They could though have avoided what we have to assume were purposefully leaks of interest in Southgate and other alternatives with the primary aim of gauging the fans’ response, when we all could have told them it would be luke warm at best without them further ramping up the stress on their current boss.
Faith in youth
Looking at Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo now it’s easy to dismiss Ten Hag’s role in their rise to become arguably the two best players in the Manchester United team with claims that they are simply too good for any manager to have ignored, or that their introductions to the first team were forced rather than by design as a result of their competition for a place being so entirely rubbish.
But Ten Hag’s faith in the youth was also a huge part of his success at Ajax, where Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt and Donny van de Beek among others thrived under his stewardship, and there are plenty of managers who value fast transfer fixes over academy graduates.
With Jason Wilcox arriving as technical director with a view to building the Red Devils academy back up to a point where it can compete with the Manchester City equivalent that he played a huge part in nurturing, young stars recognising that there is a path to the first team will be crucial to that development.
Kobbie Mainoo moves past Wataru Endo against Liverpool.
The sack would be costly
The Athletic claim that ‘ideally, those in the INEO regime do not want to rip it up and start again’. They believe ‘the changes going on above him’ – Omar Berrada as CEO, Dan Ashworth as sporting director and Wilcox as technical director – are ‘enough for one summer’.
That’s presumably in part because some sort of stability, given there is also likely to be significant changes among the playing staff, is seen as a good thing for the smooth running of the football club, but money is perhaps more the key to their stance.
Newcastle want £20m in compensation for Ashworth, Southampton reportedly baulked at the offer of a year’s salary for Wilcox and will ask for far more, and Ten Hag and his staff will have to be paid several millions of pounds if they’re to leave the club this summer, while hiring a replacement – should they be in work – is also a consideration given both the implications of profit and sustainability rules and their hopes of revamping the squad.
Chelsea star Fernandez labelled Man Utd’s Mount a ‘coward’ during Stamford Bridge clash
According to reports, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez directed a one-word insult to Manchester United star Mason Mount on Thursday night.
Mount left Chelsea to join Man Utd last summer for an initial fee believed to be worth around £55m.
Stamford Bridge return
The England international has endured a difficult debut season at Man Utd as he has missed much of this campaign through injury.
The centre-midfielder recently made his return to action and he scored his first United goal in their 1-1 draw with Brentford.
Mount was unavailable when Man Utd hosted Chelsea in December but he was fit enough to make a late cameo appearance off the bench on Thursday night at Stamford Bridge.
Man Utd were on course for victory when Mount was brought on but Cole Palmer netted two late goals to complete his hat-trick as Chelsea dramatically fought back from behind to earn a vital 4-3 win.
READ MORE: 16 Conclusions on Chelsea 4-3 Man Utd… Ten Hag sack, Palmer saves Poch, Casemiro and Caicedo awful
Fernandez and Mount were briefly team-mates at Stamford Bridge but the two midfielders clashed during the latter stages of Thursday evening’s game.
According to ESPN Argentina, Fernandez shouted during the incident: “This is Chelsea”.
The World Cup winner then repeatedly said “cagon” to Mount. From Spanish to English, this is said to translate to “coward”.
“It was difficult…”
Speaking post-match, Fernandez explained why his start to life at Chelsea has been “difficult”.
“Incredible match, beautiful to win like this in the end, this is what the Premier League has to offer,” Fernandes told reporters.
READ MORE: Mourinho second favourite to replace Pochettino at Chelsea as viral video ‘sparks frenzy’Related video: Ten Hag: 'We have to make better decisions' after Man United suffer stunning 4-3 defeat at Chelsea (SNTV)
“I really enjoy playing here. We are very happy, this group deserves it, even more so in the end like this, it is incredible. We are having an irregular season and I think that we deserved the victory, because throughout the game we were better in several lines.
“Personally, I’m fine. The first six months, with the move, the language, the family, I had a child in the middle, were not easy at all. It was difficult for us at first, but now much better, settling in with the family, my son was born well, my daughter is adjusting to the garden.
“With the language it is difficult, sometimes she comes in crying, and all those things in everyday life are difficult, but adapting in the best way to be comfortable and enjoy.
“Personally I am enjoying it, obviously I am not at all happy with the position we are in, because I don’t like it, I like to win, not lose, and seeing ourselves in that position frustrates us a little.
“But it is normal, we have to accept the process “We are all young and new players. And well, let’s hope that next season will be much better for us.”
Mikel Arteta explains ‘superb’ Arsenal ‘understanding’ after ‘big performance’ v Brighton
Mikel Arteta was a very happy man after Arsenal reclaimed top spot in the Premier League with a convincing 3-0 win away to Brighton.
The title-chasing Gunners arrived at the Amex Stadium having dropped to third place in the table following Manchester City’s 4-2 success at Crystal Palace in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.
Mikel Arteta: Arsenal were ‘really good’ v Brighton
Bukayo Saka set Arteta’s men on course to return to the summit by converting a 33rd-minute penalty before second-half goals from Kai Havertz and substitute Leandro Trossard completed a comprehensive win.
The result – Albion’s first top-flight home loss in more than seven months – puts Arsenal a point ahead of both Liverpool, who play their game in hand at rivals Manchester United on Sunday, and City.
“I’m really happy, really proud of the boys,” said Gunners boss Arteta.
“They put in a big, big performance to beat this great Brighton side.
“They haven’t lost here since August and that tells you the difficulty of the task but we were really good today.”
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Fit-again Saka was recalled after sitting out the 2-0 midweek win over Luton with a muscular problem.Related video: Brighton 0-3 Arsenal: Mikel Arteta post-match reaction (Metro)
bright on side. They haven't lost years since August and
The England forward scored from the spot when Seagulls full-back Tariq Lamptey was penalised for bringing down Gabriel Jesus, despite brushing the top of the ball.
Havertz rewarded Arsenal’s dominance by tapping home Jorginho’s centre 28 minutes from time before substitute Trossard ran half the length of the pitch to rub salt into the wounds of his former club late on.
“The understanding between the attacking players today was superb,” said Arteta.
“They had real purpose and connection and we created many chances.”
Arsenal led the division for much of last season before falling short in the final weeks.
The Gunners, who begin their two-legged Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening, have won 10 of 11 top-flight fixtures in 2024, with seven games to go.
“We are in a really good moment,” said Arteta.
“We have the squad healthy, with a really good energy, with a lot of confidence individually and collectively because they are performing really well and we are winning a lot of matches.
“We just have to carry on doing what we’re doing.”
De Zerbi has no complaints with Arsenal penalty
Brighton dropped to 10th position, below Chelsea on goal difference, as their quest for a second successive season of European football suffered a setback.
Injury-hit Albion faded from a positive start and rarely threatened Gunners goalkeeper David Raya.
Seagulls boss Roberto De Zerbi had no complaints about the award of Arsenal’s penalty and urged his players to quickly move on.
“I thought it was clear but I don’t want to speak about the decisions of the referee,” he said of the spot-kick.
“We lost not for the referee’s responsibility.
“We played a good game until the second goal we conceded but we didn’t shoot enough to score. We weren’t strong enough to score.
“Arsenal are one of the best teams in the Premier League. We knew that before the game.
“We fought in a good way.
“The penalty was clear and we move on trying to work better, to improve our young players, to recover our eight injured players, and we try to compete to reach another season in the European positions.”
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Where are they now? Andrea Pirlo’s 7 signings as Juventus manager
The legendary Andrea Pirlo had one season behind the wheel at Juventus and, to be completely honest, it didn’t go quite as well as we all hoped it would.
The Old Lady won the Coppa Italia under his stewardship in 2020-21, but a 4th place finish in Serie A didn’t sit well with the fans and the hierachy, and that was that. Era finito as quickly as it started, with life after Massimiliano Allegri proving unsettling.
Juve made seven signings with the great man at the helm, and it was a very mixed bag. Let’s take a look at those signings, and where they are now.
Arthur Melo
Curious footballer, Arthur Melo. The Brazilian signed for Barcelona in the same summer that Andres Iniesta left but, two seasons later, he was on his way.
Arthur signed for Pirlo’s Juve in a weird swap deal that definitely, definitely had nothing to do with balancing books and squeezing through financial loopholes.
Have you read that, lawyers? It definitely didn’t have anything to do with those things.
The midfielder played a total of 13 minutes on loan at Liverpool, last season, and now finds himself on loan at Fiorentina, where he is a regular for La Viola.
Weston McKennie
Premier League fans will remember the American’s six-month loan to Leeds in 2023, at the end of which his side were relegated, and he returned to Turin.
It’s been an unexpected change in fortunes for the USMNT midfielder, who was expected to leave the club, but has fought his way back into the fold and is repaying Juve’s faith in him.
McKennie is now back in the team and forming a good understanding with Dusan Vlahovic, despite the side’s poor Serie A form this season.
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every player from the United States to play in Serie A?
Nicolo Rovella
Rovella was signed from Genoa as a future prospect in the defensive midfield role. He made just three appearances for The Old Lady, none of them during Pirlo’s time at the club, and is now on loan at Lazio, who have an obligation to buy him after two seasons.
Bright things may yet lie ahead for the 22-year-old.Related video: 'Not a punishment' - Allegri on Juventus sleeping at training centre before Genoa match (SNTV)
Alvaro Morata
Odd footballer, odd career. The man is trapped on a Juventus, Atletico, Chelsea merry-go-round transfer time loop. Goes to sleep in Madrid, wakes up in Turin, walks through a tunnel in Turin and emerges in West London.
Morata was a loan signing when Pirlo was appointed — one of those weird two-year loan signings. He’s back at Atletico now, and doing pretty well, actually. Maybe he’ll be allowed to unpack his bags this time.
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TRY A QUIZ: Can you name Juventus’ top 20 goalscorers in Serie A since 2000?
Rolando Mandragora
The Zebre spent over €10million on defensive midfielder Mandragora. He never played a single game for the club. He’s at Fiorentina with Arthur Melo, now, where he is playing.
Juventus appear to enjoy chucking money at players they don’t use like we all enjoy signing up for the gym membership that we’re going to willfully neglect forever.
Federico Chiesa
Freddie Church joined the Bianconeri as a marquee signing back in 2020, after a hugely impressive start to his career at Fiorentina. An ACL injury caused a massive setback for him in 2022, stunting otherwise brilliant progress, and Juve now play a system that doesn’t really suit his natural game.
For now, Chiesa remains in Turin, but with Allegri’s future in doubt, the winger might be due a resurgence. Don’t give up on him yet.
Stefano Gori
The Italian was brought in as a backup goalkeeper and has never played for Juventus. He’s currently on loan at Monza, for whom he also has never played a match.
In fact, his last competitive game was for Perugia, in Serie B, in which he came on as a substitute in a match they lost 5-0 at home to Cagliari in May 2023.
Mamma very much mia.
