There were a lot of rumors that ETH will have a reduced input in transfers, however, the 1st player that looks over the line is De Ligt who ETH worked with. Is this business as usual with manager-led signings or he is just the cheapest well known defender available from a top club?
What's the best place(s) to go to for player and team stats? You quote a lot of numbers that don't seem to be easy to find (e.g. your Kobbee Mainoo article from earlier this year and his effect on on/off team defensive stats).
Hi Pauly. This question is not related to just united only, but in general about football clubs. Do fans overestimate or underestimate a managers influence in a team, or there is a bit of truth in between
How should the team be set up so that Mainoo’s intelligent positioning can be maximized? Related: what kind of player will you get in and out to complete the midfield (including backups)?
Sir Jim said that it would likely take 3 years for United to be serious again. Assuming we stick with ETH for the 3 years and you are Dan Ashworth (or whoever that is above ETH and deal with footballing matters). What would be your big picture strategies/execution plans over the next 3 years to get us competitive again?
For the final 4 matches of last season. ETH changed his formation to 4222 and it yielded 3 wins and 1 narrow loss against Arsenal. How viable is this formation to be used for the long term and does it suit the footballing philosophy of what ETH wants to achieve at Man Utd assuming that next season will be mostly injury free.
There has been a lot of jubilation about the change in Management. The Jury is still out, Ashworth and Vivell and Berrarda are yet to start. A few things so far have left me a bit cold wrt INEOS. I'll talk only about recruitment strategy. As far as the players we are targeting. We seem to still be interested in signing rejects from other big clubs this tie just younger. I'm referencing Ugarte and De Ligt here. It is possible a change of scenery helps these players, but especially with Ugarte who was signed last year by PSG. If they want to be rid of him why do we want him? When I look at the best teams they rarely ever sign players from other big teams they usually go after young players from a lower level team primed to take the next step and if those transfers fail, they dump them on suckers like us. If Ugarte and De Ligt arrive and are successes, it will be seen as shrewd and smart business. I will also argue that it will be lucky. The best teams are not built like this. The scouting is still terribly unimaginative. Hopefully that changes going forward. The Jury is still out on a similar deal that happened last year with Mount because of injuries but I never liked it. Do you think this is a good recruitment strategy?
With the talks about Ten Hag have softened his approach at the end of the season (giving the boys an extra day off, being nicer in talks, etc.), in your opinion, what should we see from his behaviour in the next season?
"As this current squad is getting a bit old and has some holes in it, what do the next 4 transfer windows look like to United, assuming ETH keeps his job during that time."
and the response was pretty spot on save for the emergence of Diego Dalot would seem to cross of Right Back from the needs list.
Had ETH been fired I would have asked if Man U moved on from Ole' too soon but I guess that will have to wait for at least another year or two, so,
With ETH retaining his job and with INEOS hiring Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox does ETH get permission from management to essentially play the Ajax way and damn the results while they bring in players that fit the profile to play the Ajax way or will panic set in after the first two games and Man U reverts back to a more short term philosophy? and what profile of players ie. skill set/age etc. do you see the new, and presumably more competent INEOS hires, going after.
There were a lot of rumors that ETH will have a reduced input in transfers, however, the 1st player that looks over the line is De Ligt who ETH worked with. Is this business as usual with manager-led signings or he is just the cheapest well known defender available from a top club?
What are the best resources you've seen for learning tactics + strategies of the game?
Books.
Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathan Wilson is the standard one though very much not my favorite.
The Mixer and Zonal Marking by Michael Cox are both fantastic. Both go into tactics and a very non technical way that makes it very entertaining.
Also I would read Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski's "Soccernomics" (2022 World Cup version)
What's the best place(s) to go to for player and team stats? You quote a lot of numbers that don't seem to be easy to find (e.g. your Kobbee Mainoo article from earlier this year and his effect on on/off team defensive stats).
Hi Pauly. This question is not related to just united only, but in general about football clubs. Do fans overestimate or underestimate a managers influence in a team, or there is a bit of truth in between
How should the team be set up so that Mainoo’s intelligent positioning can be maximized? Related: what kind of player will you get in and out to complete the midfield (including backups)?
How much of the USMNT's problems is just that the country doesn't like football as much as other US sports?
Any thoughts on the assistant manager/coach shake up happening, with Ruud and Hake joining the club?
And we've been linked to Ugarte, who I think is a wholly uninspiring, ill-fitting choice. What kind of DM do you think we need here?
Sir Jim said that it would likely take 3 years for United to be serious again. Assuming we stick with ETH for the 3 years and you are Dan Ashworth (or whoever that is above ETH and deal with footballing matters). What would be your big picture strategies/execution plans over the next 3 years to get us competitive again?
For the final 4 matches of last season. ETH changed his formation to 4222 and it yielded 3 wins and 1 narrow loss against Arsenal. How viable is this formation to be used for the long term and does it suit the footballing philosophy of what ETH wants to achieve at Man Utd assuming that next season will be mostly injury free.
There has been a lot of jubilation about the change in Management. The Jury is still out, Ashworth and Vivell and Berrarda are yet to start. A few things so far have left me a bit cold wrt INEOS. I'll talk only about recruitment strategy. As far as the players we are targeting. We seem to still be interested in signing rejects from other big clubs this tie just younger. I'm referencing Ugarte and De Ligt here. It is possible a change of scenery helps these players, but especially with Ugarte who was signed last year by PSG. If they want to be rid of him why do we want him? When I look at the best teams they rarely ever sign players from other big teams they usually go after young players from a lower level team primed to take the next step and if those transfers fail, they dump them on suckers like us. If Ugarte and De Ligt arrive and are successes, it will be seen as shrewd and smart business. I will also argue that it will be lucky. The best teams are not built like this. The scouting is still terribly unimaginative. Hopefully that changes going forward. The Jury is still out on a similar deal that happened last year with Mount because of injuries but I never liked it. Do you think this is a good recruitment strategy?
After the partial buyout by INEOS and SJR, how would the internal management structure work as a unit from next season?
With the talks about Ten Hag have softened his approach at the end of the season (giving the boys an extra day off, being nicer in talks, etc.), in your opinion, what should we see from his behaviour in the next season?
Last summer I asked,
"As this current squad is getting a bit old and has some holes in it, what do the next 4 transfer windows look like to United, assuming ETH keeps his job during that time."
and the response was pretty spot on save for the emergence of Diego Dalot would seem to cross of Right Back from the needs list.
Had ETH been fired I would have asked if Man U moved on from Ole' too soon but I guess that will have to wait for at least another year or two, so,
With ETH retaining his job and with INEOS hiring Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox does ETH get permission from management to essentially play the Ajax way and damn the results while they bring in players that fit the profile to play the Ajax way or will panic set in after the first two games and Man U reverts back to a more short term philosophy? and what profile of players ie. skill set/age etc. do you see the new, and presumably more competent INEOS hires, going after.