12 Feb 2024 13:42:09
The change in tactics towards the end yesterday where we passed the ball about slowly rather than trying to play quickly on the break, frustrated Villa and was what won us the game. Boring, maybe. But it was exactly what was required to slow down a team that had just equalized, likes to play quickly, and was threatening to score again.

1.) 12 Feb 2024
12 Feb 2024 13:58:44
Agreed Shaw. i'd like to see us do that more often, in fact, I thought it was an ETH tactic, ball retention. But I guess he is trying to match two styles to give us the best chance at winning games.

I think we can also put to bed the question of, whether or not the players are playing for him. They clearly are.

I really hope he is given the chance to continue beyond the summer. I have great hope that, with the correct structure, ETH would thrive.

2.) 12 Feb 2024
12 Feb 2024 14:17:47
Angel I agree. If he did secure cl football this season i hope it will be enough for them to give him another year but even that may not be enough I feel.
I think he is having to tinker a lot and go against his own principles sure to what he has available to him so it's hard to see any real patterns of consistency.
There are a lot of people that should leave the club before eth imo including some of our toxic anti fans. All will become clear over the next 6 months but I'm hopeful more than expectant that we can have a decent end to the season and get the cl spot we covet.

3.) 12 Feb 2024
12 Feb 2024 16:12:23
His issue is the number of players that are not secure on the ball. He's asking them to release the ball quickly but mostly they are just lumping the ball upfield and giving the ball back. A good example was Lindelof doing just that at the start of the second half. Dalot, while generally very good yesterday, also did that, and is guilty of doing it a lot. We have a lot of players that are just extremely careless in possession and that means we give away a huge number of chances. The difference when Mainoo, Shaw and Martinez are all in there is incredibly stark.

4.) 12 Feb 2024
12 Feb 2024 17:03:50
Spot on Don.
Technically we are all looking at mainoo and thinking he is standout. Which he is in our squad. So comfortable taking the ball on the half turn or under pressure no matter what the scenario he manages to be able to manipulate the ball and his body and make the correct decision.
But realistically if you look at the top 3 teams they have a dozen players in their squads who can do the same things as mainoo technically.
Our players are miles behind both technically and with their decision making.
Our youth players are showing our experienced pros up with their tekkers.
I remember grealish telling how Shaw commented to him how comfortable he foden and all the city and arsenal players are on the ball.
If you've not seen it on YouTube look up foden and grealish playing 2 touch keeps uppies 30yards apart then try and imagine mctom and Anthony doing the same. ?
Our players don't manipulate the ball well and don't run off the ball well and when they do the guy in possession doesn't see the runs or ignores them and cuts in and shoots.
Eth said he could not implement his ajax style at united. Its bloody obvious why. The players are miles behind technically imo.

5.) 13 Feb 2024
12 Feb 2024 23:19:02
Exactly Tumbleweed. When I watch City I always think just how far ahead they are technically with regard to ball control and movement. It's the fundamentals we lack and it's been that way for a long time now. Football has moved on since the days SAF managed. People may disagree with this, but I'm not at all sure he would have been so successful if he was starting out today.

6.) 13 Feb 2024
13 Feb 2024 11:58:41
Shaw that not necessarily true at all.
I hate these debates as they're us no way of proving anything and it's then a completely dumb argument.
Fergie never coached the players.
He was a problem solver and motivator.
He would surround himself with the best in class coaches now as he did back then.
He would have adapted.
You can't say with any certainty that he would or would not have been effective.
We do this all the time with players. You can't with any accuracy compare players from different eras.
Some were the best in their era who knows what they would do now. Its impossible to say.
Opinions are great and I get the idea of the comparisons but at the end of the day nothing can be proven so it's all a bit daft imo.
Greats were great in their day I think we should always leave it there.
It's a bit like saying Wellington was a war and battle expert. Not much he could do today if they dropped a nuke on him?? he'd have to employ different tactics and who is to say he could have adapted ?.