Damning damning damning, here we go again with Manchester United and those have been the words coming out from the worlds media. Just when you think it can't get any worse Manchester United went in at half time against Brentford- a club who are in the top flight of English football for only the second time since 1947- 4-0 down, FOUR NIL DOWN! That the second half finished 0-0 is of no consequence, United after two games of the season are bottom of the league having conceded six goals with one scored and even that was an own goal!
Manchester United have had low moments since Sir Alex Ferguson called it a day almost a decade ago, so this should feel like nothing new. But it is. And it is because a new manager is in charge and when someone new is installed there is usually an uplift in spirits, a new era, a new chapter, a new beginning. It all feels very clichéd granted, but United fans were expecting this campaign to start well given that the 'great' Erik ten Hag was now in charge. That of course is one of the problems. Ten Hag came on board with a lot of hype- not his fault of course, but he was being greatly talked about as the man that was going to step into the club and change the philosophy of the players who clearly haven't been putting a shift in for several years now. But where is the passion from the Dutchman? Think of Antonio Conte screaming on the sidelines, normally acting as if his world was going to collapse in front of him, and then you see he's just annoyed that Tottenham didn't get a throw in. Pep Guardiola is involved in every kick and header during the 90 minutes of every Manchester City game. Jurgen Klopp comes across as a fan on the touchline- all the best managers are 100% involved, there passion unquestioned, and then there is Ten Hag who just stares into space, almost like he has been tele ported from his 9-5 office job and been dropped into a football dug out.
It would be wrong just to blame Ten Hag though and let's not be too harsh on him after just two games. The soul of the club is in the wrong hands via the Glazer family who seem to have one foot in and one foot out, the owners are rarely present at games but despite taking out a huge loan they have spent hundreds of millions on players, the Glazers want United to be successful and to win trophies make no mistake. But some in the media want to purely point the blame at them however the players must be judged too. Harry Maguire in defence is having a nightmare, he doesn't look like a good player and yet he must be. You can't make it in the England squad and be poor. So what is the deal with Maguire? Perhaps it is attached to his transfer fee?, it was always alarming that he cost United £80m from Leicester. He arrived with no trophies but he also broke the transfer fee for a defender- when you think of some of the great Italian defenders this century that is a shocker. But again Maguire is a good defender but United's fans were being sold that he was perhaps the best in the world or would become the best with that fee in mind. Perhaps Maguire simply can't live up to it, imagine for example if he had moved for £30m fans expectations would have been lowered, and maybe that would have helped Maguires game in the long run.
There are too many players who are simply not at the level to play for United and that includes Fred, Scott Mc Tominay and Marcus Rashford to name a few- again good enough to be in the Premier League but to play for the shirt of a club with the ambitions of United one would have to question that. Unlucky for the Red Devils also that Bruno Fernandes has looked like a shadow of the player he was a year ago. The Portuguese was well on his way to becoming a legend at the club, goals galore, great assists, but now he looks like Alexis Sanchez mark II. And finally to another Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo. Yes he is a legend, yes he is loved at United and yes he had a very good personal last season with the club, scoring goals and getting them out of many problems, but still this season he feels like an anchor. He clearly doesn't want to play for them anymore and Ten Hag needs to either get rid of him or have a one on one and demand 200%, It doesn't get any easier for United- there next game is against Liverpool…..
Finally the London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham was fiery, 2-2 it ended and neither club giving up and keeping their early unbeaten records for now. The talk though was all about the managers. Conte screamed with joy at Tottenham's equaliser for 1-1 but that joy went overboard as he appeared to try and wind up Tuchel who of course reacted. Then at the final whistle both men set up memes that will surely be used on the internet for years to come. The handshake- Conte refused to look Tuchel in the eyes and for that Tuchel held on to Conte's hand, there was a twist of arms and Conte screamed into the German's face and Tuchel gave it back and both were sent off. You have to love it how two grown up millionaires can suddenly act like school kids on the play ground, that is what the emotions of football can do to you. Oh and mark February 25th, 2023 in your calendars that's when these two are set to meet once again, handshakes anybody?
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