There was nothing positive about the performance against Spurs. The only good thing to come out of that game was losing just 3-0. It ought to have been 5 or 6.
That defeat meant Erik ten Hag is a dead man walking when looking at rumors and reports that there is a strong chance he will be sacked in a week's time.
He was probably a dead man walking before Spurs but it's even more likely now.
1. Conceding the same goal
What happened for Spurs' first goal was very similar to what happened in the draw against Twente just a few days earlier when looking at the Dutch side's strike at Old Trafford.
United let a defender run from defence all the way through our team, into our box and create an opportunity. While Bart van Rooij didn't quite go all the way as van de Ven did, he was still a major part as to why Sam Lammers scored.
To let a player (and a defender at that) run straight through almost the entire team is absolutely criminal. It shows a lack of concentration, a lack of desire to try and stop the player, and for crying out loud why couldn't someone just bring him down and take the card?!
We don't even have those street smarts at times when we desperately need it.
If both goals were bangers, you put your hands up and acknowledge that you couldn't do anything about them but these weren't goals that you see too often. To concede them twice in two games at home is ridiculous.
2. Too weak
Our team is much too weak both physically and mentally.
We had no one go and fight for the ball, they weren't strong enough in the tackle and they let Spurs bully them. Spurs. Of all fucking teams 🤦♂️.
The United XI appeared scared at times and didn't want to challenge for 50-50s. Whatever the reason was for this, to be scared (if they were) is simply not the standard required at United. To not give everything in tackles and challenges is something I don't think any of us can wrap our heads around.
There was also a lack of overall fight from our players. I'm not saying they need to start a brawl or anything but just get stuck in, start an argument with someone, that at least gets everyone going.
Bruno got a red card that should've been a yellow. There was not much bickering, not much whining, none of his team-mates really rushed to his side to have his back or cause a fuss.
There was nothing.
3. Passing out from defence isn't working
Well it does when you're playing the likes of Southampton and Barnsley when they don't really put pressure on you but as soon as you come up against a side that does, oh boy.
United, much like every other team in football it seems, try to build up from the back. This ensures above anything, that possession of the ball is kept. However, it also invites pressure from the opposition.
Teams like Spurs press high and aggressively so if you are going to play out from defence, you better be darn good at it.
We aren't. We so aren't.
United gave the ball away countless times when building from deep which caused us many problems. We just kept doing it and kept playing into Spurs' hands.
Sometimes, going more route one or changing things when plan A isn't working is perhaps the way to go.
If Erik ten Hag or whoever the next manager will be wants to play out from the back, they'll need a lot of improvement from this lot.
4. Full-backs
I couldn't believe that it was Mazraoui and Dalot at full-back against Spurs. Those two have been standouts this season as two of our best and most consistent performers.
Against Tottenham though...
Mazraoui was taken apart by Timo Werner! That should tell you all about how bad he was. The Moroccan also didn't do much in trying to prevent van de Ven from getting into the box and creating the goal.
In saying that, at least he looked like he was trying though.
This was the first-ever game where I felt that Dalot wasn't even trying. Whether that is true or not, his performance was one of those 'downing tools' type displays that would suggest one where there was no effort.
In a game where all our players were shite, the Portuguese still managed to be a cut above the rest.
His passing was off, he couldn't control the ball properly, his concentration was nowhere to be found. Dalot was very flat, slow and lethargic all game.
He didn't even track back and mark Brennan Johnson - who gave Dalot the runaround all game - for the opener despite him being a couple yards ahead.
That performance was very un-Dalot like.
It's kind of a worry when a player as professional as he is plays like that. He is supposed to be one who doesn't.
But in his shiteness as well as that of the rest of the team, more issues such as not stopping crosses and not marking the back post were plain to see again.
Spurs were the side who put the most crosses into the box in the league before that game with 129. We didn't appear to do proper homework on them in this area of their game or and I think this could be the main issue, the homework was done, the orders from the manager was given, but the players just simply didn't turn up.
That seems more correct.
5. Attitude
This was the biggest issue of the lot.
United displayed nothing in terms of their attitude as it was a display that lacked anything from the Red Devils.
There was no fight, no urgency, no energy, a lack of focus, being slow and sluggish, not reacting quick enough to anything, not carrying out the manager's orders unless it was for them to not show up which I highly doubt, and much more.
Spurs were hungrier and wanted it more than us. They were first to every ball, every second ball and every 50th ball.
This unfortunately isn't the first time where we've seen such a performance from MUFC as every once in a while, we don't show up. To have that happen every once in a while is absolutely sinful.
Not knowing whether your team will show up or not is not something you want to have as a fan or as a manager. Every time this happens, we always get destroyed.
I have no trust in any of our players. I don't think anybody does.
I'm not sure what difference a managerial change will make to this poor attitude as like I said, this isn't the first time we've seen this. A lot of these players have been here whenever we've performed in this manner, even before Erik ten Hag.
The culture at the club is the issue in my opinion.
Background Image: Erik ten Hag, Rasmus Hojlund and Noussair Mazraoui after the 3-0 loss to Spurs | Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images via The Busby Babe