Laura Woods: Tuchel Perfect Fit for Manchester United
TEN HAG’S DAYS NUMBERED
I’m finally at the point where I don’t think Erik ten Hag has many more cards to play. That loss to Spurs was tough to watch – they were so far inferior to the opposition.
The Manchester United pre-season optimism has well and truly drained. This has been a truly terrible start and, as the saying goes, ‘This is Manchester United Football Club’.
It’s not just the results, it’s been the performances too.
DISCONNECT AT OLD TRAFFORD
Ten Hag is a proven winner and will remind you of the trophies he’s collected in his career – and indeed at Manchester United.
He is clearly a very good coach but something is just not clicking at the club and it hasn’t been for a long time.
There seems to be a disconnect between coach and players; they don't seem organised or clear about what the plan is and the results show that.
It can’t all be the manager’s fault. The players must take some responsibility for these performances too, they are professionals. However, maybe he has just reached the end of his cycle at United.
Aston Villa at Villa Park will be an absolute battle for them, especially with Unai Emery’s side riding high on confidence after beating Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Ten Hag needs warriors like Villa had midweek.
TUCHEL PERFECT FOR UNITED
I don’t like calling for a manager’s head as we really don’t know what is going on behind the scenes at Old Trafford but, if they did decide to move on from ten Hag, then get Thomas Tuchel back in the Premier League!
It’s been too long. I love him as a coach and a character and I think he’d be perfect for Manchester United.
He’s a bit of a maverick and, although his appointment might not last more than a couple of seasons, I bet he’d get them closer to winning something than they currently are.
''They're not Man United, they're Man 𝗗𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗗.'' 😳 @ExpressionsOOZ doesn't think Erik ten Hag will be at Old Trafford next season 👀 #TheLineup #MUFC @TonyBellew @JimWhite @talkSPORT pic.twitter.com/TPdB0DPiZE
— BetMGM UK (@BetMGMUK) September 20, 2024
LIVERPOOL MAKE IT A THREE-HORSE TITLE RACE
I think this will be another three-horse title race. Liverpool are right in the mix for me, as long as they stay injury-free and cut out the sloppiness.
The Nottingham Forest loss at home a few weeks back was a very un-Anfield-like performance and the kind of game that will cost them dearly.
But Arne Slot is proving he won’t just be back after a bad loss, he’ll be back with five straight wins and 15 goals. Liverpool are still technically brilliant so I’m not counting them out.
Losing Rodri for the season is a huge blow for City. It won’t end their title bid by any stretch of the imagination, it might just make them a bit more human.
They won't necessarily replace Rodri with one individual, it will more than likely be a collective effort with a number of different players stepping into that role.
City lost a lot of creativity without Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden in the team but now Foden is being reintegrated and he got himself a goal and an assist in the Champions League against Slovan Bratislava.
I think City will get some of that flair back so they’re not so heavily reliant on Erling Haaland’s goals alone. Their patch of draws won’t last long and, even if it persists, they do love the chase so going behind will probably make the title race more interesting for them!
Arsenal can do it, and I understand why they’re favourites.
They haven’t lost this season, they’re taking some big scalps like PSG in the Champions League, they’re coming back late against Leicester and Mikel Arteta’s even dipping into the dark arts when he deems necessary to grind a point out at the Etihad.
I love this squad and I LOVE this defence, which is not even at full strength. I'm just not going to jinx it yet because there’s a long way to go.