TLDR: The latest episode of the “Devils in the Details” podcast, featuring Jon Mackenzie from Tifo, discusses Manchester United’s coaching challenges, potential interim solutions, and evolving tactical trends in football, suggesting innovative approaches for the team’s future strategy.

TLDR of above

The latest “Devils in the Details” podcast with Jon Mackenzie explores Manchester United’s coaching issues and potential solutions, while highlighting new tactical trends in football

TLDR of that

United’s coaching issues and solutions.

TLDR of that

Coaching challenges

TLDR of the above comments:

Barry is progressively summarising an article into increasingly shorter TLDR paragraphs until he reaches a two-word summary

Will give this a listen later, sounds like an interesting podcast. Tifo are excellent, I do like Jon Mackenzie and JJ, they go deep into the tactical side of things.

Barry

🤣

It would be a strange strategy to purposely commit to ETH for another year, saddle the club with more of his signings to address issues in his squad, when the plan all along is to replace him in a year.

Would fans really be onboard with a wasted season and wasted resources. Does this move the club realistically towards achieving Project 150.

You would feel that if this were the strategy, then the signings would have been far more like Yoro (may be not as expensive) where they come to fruition in the next cycle.

New manager

RR that is not how tl;dr works.

But I appreciate your work, either way.

I didn’t read the comments

What Barry said

comment by Bãleș left boot (U22081)
posted 17 minutes ago
New manager
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This is obvious for most of us. That's the first pillar that has to fall. Sadly though I don't think it will fix everything as I have been less than impressed with INEOS thus far.

Their handling of the ETH situation in the summer was awful.

The summer transfer window was more of the same. More players who aren't good enough/overrated and passed around clubs.

Then they have failed to sack him in the very oppertune window of the international break that we are still in.

Their handling of the staff redundancies. Not great.

Their handling of the Sir Alex news. Even if it's the correct decision, which I think it is, it was allowed to leak out in the press which is shambolic given the status he holds. Should have been announced by the club before it even got to the press.

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 12 minutes ago
It would be a strange strategy to purposely commit to ETH for another year, saddle the club with more of his signings to address issues in his squad, when the plan all along is to replace him in a year.

Would fans really be onboard with a wasted season and wasted resources. Does this move the club realistically towards achieving Project 150.

You would feel that if this were the strategy, then the signings would have been far more like Yoro (may be not as expensive) where they come to fruition in the next cycle.
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I suspect all signings were an attempt to be future-proof and judged to be good investments for the next coach: players above a certain ceiling technical and physical ceiling, and not about to pass their prime. But obviously the conditions were suboptimal. The leadership of the new structure was still on garden leave, and even Wilcox had only recently joined. They weren't in a position to define their project broadly, therefore not in a position to define the ideal coach, let alone put in the groundwork to headhunt him. So in effect they had a decision between keeping ETH as an interim coach (and trying to bring in players who would either suit the next one or who could probably be sold at a reasonable fee) or replacing him with an alternative interim coach.

I personally think replacing him in June would have been a good idea, but I see the logic in going for less disruption, and I'm conscious that the people making these decisions know a hell of a lot more about the game than you or me.

comment by Shinjury list (U1700)
posted 10 minutes ago
RR that is not how tl;dr works.

But I appreciate your work, either way.
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I didn't do a tl;dr. I did a tl;dl. They're quite different.

That's an interesting read and makes sense too, I suppose. It could mean aiming lower on the field this season but perhaps worth the trade off if all ducks are in a row by the start of the next one.

The quest to best Guardiola haunts quite a few teams it seems but maybe the best solution is the simplest one?

I'd like to see, if possible, a return to 442 with a big man/small man partnership up front getting service from hard working wide players with two technically proficient and durable midfielders. It may never happen but that, played well with the right personnel, could work well IMO.

Thanks for the suggestion RR, will take a look.

comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 14 seconds ago
Thanks for the suggestion RR, will take a look.
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Long time, no speak, Winston. Hope you're well.

comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 JA606 Class Act (U2462)
posted 21 minutes ago
That's an interesting read and makes sense too, I suppose. It could mean aiming lower on the field this season but perhaps worth the trade off if all ducks are in a row by the start of the next one.

The quest to best Guardiola haunts quite a few teams it seems but maybe the best solution is the simplest one?

I'd like to see, if possible, a return to 442 with a big man/small man partnership up front getting service from hard working wide players with two technically proficient and durable midfielders. It may never happen but that, played well with the right personnel, could work well IMO.
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They actually talk a bit about that, Diafol. Remark that 442 is becoming a bit if a default out of possession structure, and then could turn into a useful in possession shape with less adjustment in transition. (Always thought you're ahead of your time!)

I wonder if Zirkzee has been bought as a puzzle piece that anticipates an eventual shift of this sort - whether as a second striker in 442 or a kind of advanced pivot in a post-Bruno future. When we bought him, all of the profiles of the player basically said: very talented player with huge potential and a very unusual set of attributes (and unlikely to ever become a high volume goal scorer). I'm assuming the club knew at least this much about him, and therefore didn't buy him in the expectation he'd score a shed load of goals as an understudy to Hojlund.

comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 JA606 Class Act (U2462)
posted 21 minutes ago
That's an interesting read and makes sense too, I suppose. It could mean aiming lower on the field this season but perhaps worth the trade off if all ducks are in a row by the start of the next one.

The quest to best Guardiola haunts quite a few teams it seems but maybe the best solution is the simplest one?

I'd like to see, if possible, a return to 442 with a big man/small man partnership up front getting service from hard working wide players with two technically proficient and durable midfielders. It may never happen but that, played well with the right personnel, could work well IMO.
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They actually talk a bit about that, Diafol. Remark that 442 is becoming a bit if a default out of possession structure, and then could turn into a useful in possession shape with less adjustment in transition. (Always thought you're ahead of your time!)

I wonder if Zirkzee has been bought as a puzzle piece that anticipates an eventual shift of this sort - whether as a second striker in 442 or a kind of advanced pivot in a post-Bruno future. When we bought him, all of the profiles of the player basically said: very talented player with huge potential and a very unusual set of attributes (and unlikely to ever become a high volume goal scorer). I'm assuming the club knew at least this much about him, and therefore didn't buy him in the expectation he'd score a shed load of goals as an understudy to Hojlund.
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Whether we bought him to score goals or make goals he's done very little of either so far.

To me he looks like a player who is nowhere near good enough for the levels we are trying to get back to. Im not even confident he's any better than some of the forwards among the bottom clubs. That Delap lad Ipswich have signed from City looks a far better player.

Absolutely no idea what we were thinking with Zirkzee. He just isn't that good.

comment by Tyranny of the majority (SE85) (U21241)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 JA606 Class Act (U2462)
posted 21 minutes ago
That's an interesting read and makes sense too, I suppose. It could mean aiming lower on the field this season but perhaps worth the trade off if all ducks are in a row by the start of the next one.

The quest to best Guardiola haunts quite a few teams it seems but maybe the best solution is the simplest one?

I'd like to see, if possible, a return to 442 with a big man/small man partnership up front getting service from hard working wide players with two technically proficient and durable midfielders. It may never happen but that, played well with the right personnel, could work well IMO.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

They actually talk a bit about that, Diafol. Remark that 442 is becoming a bit if a default out of possession structure, and then could turn into a useful in possession shape with less adjustment in transition. (Always thought you're ahead of your time!)

I wonder if Zirkzee has been bought as a puzzle piece that anticipates an eventual shift of this sort - whether as a second striker in 442 or a kind of advanced pivot in a post-Bruno future. When we bought him, all of the profiles of the player basically said: very talented player with huge potential and a very unusual set of attributes (and unlikely to ever become a high volume goal scorer). I'm assuming the club knew at least this much about him, and therefore didn't buy him in the expectation he'd score a shed load of goals as an understudy to Hojlund.
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Whether we bought him to score goals or make goals he's done very little of either so far.

To me he looks like a player who is nowhere near good enough for the levels we are trying to get back to. Im not even confident he's any better than some of the forwards among the bottom clubs. That Delap lad Ipswich have signed from City looks a far better player.

Absolutely no idea what we were thinking with Zirkzee. He just isn't that good.
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You may well be right mate but you’re basing it on a few games in a struggling team, in his first season in a very different league.

I mean, we can call all signings not good enough then say ‘I told you so’.

(Don’t get me wrong he’s not world class or anything, but writing him off at this stage is unfair)

I don't think it's a coincidence that recently it's our players that thrive on chaos that have looked our standouts. The 'system' players don't look as good.

The international game has shown though that these chaotic players can play a disciplined role when asked.

comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 1 hour, 4 minutes ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 14 seconds ago
Thanks for the suggestion RR, will take a look.
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Long time, no speak, Winston. Hope you're well.
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All good thanks mate, hope you are too.

“Mackenzie's view is that ETH wasn't replaced in the summer, because they wanted to properly prepare for the beginning of the next cycle: rigorously think through the game model they want to follow, properly vet and sound out coaches, and have time to recruit the right man in summer 2025, with all of the other aspects of strategy aligned around that coach and game model.”

I think that’s exactly what’s happening. As I’ve said previously, ETH is an interim head coach in Ineos’s eyes.

If he starts turning in better results *and* the sporting management sees the football the side is playing aligning with their ideals (or evolving in that direction), there’s a chance he gets another renewal.

For now, we’re in something of a holding pattern whilst the sporting management work on their strategy.

comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 JA606 Class Act (U2462)
posted 10 minutes ago
I don't think it's a coincidence that recently it's our players that thrive on chaos that have looked our standouts. The 'system' players don't look as good.

The international game has shown though that these chaotic players can play a disciplined role when asked.
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Bruno MOTM against Poland