Manchester United are a club that has been in perennial crisis mode since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, with some false dawns and trophies sprinkled in.
The latest one concerns Erik ten Hag and his flailing Man United squad that, in the manager’s third year, is no closer to discovering what it actually wants to be.
The away games at FC Porto and Aston Villa were marked as “judgment games” but two draws, and two polar opposite displays in each, perhaps sum up the team perfectly.
It’s a mish-mash of a team that has no identity and goes from game to game never really knowing what will pan out on the pitch.
Encouraging signs early on in the season have disappeared and so has the fan support, at least to a large extent.
Respected journalist Henry Winter has now given the lowdown on the state of affairs at the club, stating a ‘loveless relationship’ and the only true leader at the club from whom many at the club can learn.
Henry Winter on Man Utd
Something turned after Man United lost to Tottenham at home. Coming into the game, the results were already far from good enough but the performances showed promise.
It seemed like the team was one finishing edge away from clicking and finally delivering the results that Ten Hag had been pleading with everyone to wait for.
Instead, United were completely outplayed by Spurs, even before Bruno Fernandes’ contentious red card, en route to a comprehensive 0-3 loss.
That was followed by two draws at Porto and Villa, leaving everyone scratching their heads, no close to figuring out where Ten Hag is actually taking this team.
Henry Winter said that United are effectively stuck in a sunk-cost fallacy with Ten Hag, a ‘loveless relationship’ that will have to end at some point.
He said: “Manchester United and Erik ten Hag are obviously locked in a loveless relationship, going nowhere. At some point, they have to part. His tactics, recruitment, game management, and public utterances are all unconvincing.
“He would already have gone at a club with less patient fans. United’s match-going fanbase have been exemplary in their support of the manager. So far. Yet there also has to be an understanding of the litany of injuries and, when Ten Hag finally leaves, some players need to acknowledge they could have done more, given more.
“If only every player had the professionalism, commitment to the cause, and willingness to take responsibility of Jonny Evans. Evans has been a true leader on and off the pitch.
“When Ten Hag does go, Dan Ashworth and Ineos have also to change the culture shaped by the Glazers. United should be a football club with a megastore attached – not the other way round.”
Unpacking Winter’s words
Henry Winter has just said what every United fan has been increasingly believing this season as the results continue to tumble.
To make matters worse, Erik ten Hag seems oblivious to the painfully clear discontent as he waxes lyrical about team spirit, togetherness, and organisation.
It was the same after the draw vs Villa, when he spoke about four clean sheets in the league, which is the most this season while brushing past the point that a 52-year-old record was broken in attack.
Overall, the results are bad, the performances don’t show signs of building blocks, the manager is stubborn, and Ineos are dithering.
The fate of the Dutchman is being dragged in the hope of some miraculous turnaround which doesn’t seem to be coming in the distance.
Cutting the cord early could lead to a season being saved because as it stands, it’s not going anywhere.
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