Van Nistelrooy finished 7 points behind 1st in his sole season in Holland. Won a domestic cup and the Dutch version of the Community Shield, went out of the play off round of the Champions League to Rangers and knocked out of the first knockout round of the Europa league. Would that solitary season get anyone considered for the United job without the playing career he had for them? A simple no. I would love to know the reasoning why Southgate would be considered a good choice. I cant get my head round the reasoning that previous managerial changes havent improved the fortunes, surely it depends on the individuals appointed. And if the logic was not to change because of it, then Ten Hag would just be kept until he retires. He has overseen not only a lack of progression but armed with loads of money spent on players he personally wanted, they have declined and finished 8th last season, and are now in the bottom half. There is still absolutely no sign of anything in terms of a well coached team or even clues on how he has set the team up with any sort of game plan. There is no logic offered up as to why Ten Hag IS the man to take them forward. I hope they stick with him as the decline is funny.

Tuchel and Enrique will significantly improve them. Southgate would be as hilarious as Ten Hag.

Definitely Cantwell, I would like to see Cozier Duberry given a run. Dolan probably from the left. Most difficult choice perhaps is up top, I would give Gueye a start midweek but Ohashi based on the first 7 games as a whole would be ahead due to his goals. Do we need this sort of drivel as if he has become some sort of unfair scapegoat/villain. And do we have to rate every single player equally? And withold all opinion in case that player pleasantly surprises us and becomes integral to the team? Every team will have a player in it whereby one or two players in particular are perhaps the weakest/the first areas of potential further improvement. Obviously hes not totally devoid of any ability to the point where he isnt capable of doing something good. But he doesnt offer enough to justify repeated selection especially with new signings in similar positions now getting closer to being fit to start games.

Of course players have so much power now more than ever. But there is no way that a competent manager wouldnt have this set of players playing more coherently, with more structure and with a plan and identity. Regarding the players personalities, Ten Hag has worked with a number at previous clubs. So he has experience in managing them as people.

Im not having that their current squad was only 8th best last season or 12th this. They look so disorganised, so lacking in a plan and so lacking an identity. Its not even as if hes been lumbered with players he didnt want, half of the signings have been players hes worked with before and big money signings too. History also says that they have never finished as low as 8th since Ferguson left, but they did last year. I want him to stay though, because its funny.

I dont understand the thinking that Ten Hag going wouldnt change a lot. This is his third season and his teams are as badly organised and setup as you will see. No one is any wiser as to what he is even trying to do with his setup. I hope they keep him.

I wouldnt start Cantwell on Wednesday but I would on Tuesday. And in the middle, he is our best player, he can make a third midfielder with his quality on the ball and some of the others are better off the ball, the position behind the striker is where you can get away with that a bit more.

He is certainly not a threat in the air. So if that is justifying his selection, its bizarre. A goal threat? He is living off one excellent goal a year ago, Aaron Mokoena once scored a screamer but he wasnt a goalscoring midfielder. Hedges has 7 goals in 79 appearances so he isnt a goal threat, he scores very occasionally. He does work hard, but not enough to warrant a place in an attacking position alone. Thats my issue, he doesnt do enough from an attacking sense. Its a game at a side who are in poor form and when we are doing well and are builtu on a defence that has conceded 2 in 5. Surely away from home with loads of space to run into and with an alternative in Hedges who has not really done anything in the last few games, it is a good opportunity to make a change.

Hes playing Premier League football on a higher wage. The fact that he might not play quite as many minutes or always in his favourite position doesnt mean that decision is in any way a case of the grass not being greener. He made the decision anyone would have made and the right one.

We dont create enough chances, I would agree. I have mentioned a few times that I am hopeful that once everyone is up to speed, that we figure out a better combination in the attacking areas. Cantwell is better than everyone else and has the ability to create. Hopefully Cozier Duberry's pace can help to create more chances.

Has he ever won a header? Offers loads? Such as? Tries hard, not much from an attacking sense. At left back, he got forward but I wouldnt say he did much productive. A shot into the side netting and one out for a throw in.

Flexibility seems the only reason why he is the "obvious choice." But surely more reason to keep him in reserve for such an eventuality. Coventry are struggling and we are away so could do with pace on the counter. Seems like the perfect place.

It very much is greener in this case. Probably a last chance at Premier League football, has started most of the games and already scored at the Etihad. And will be on a much higher wage. So yeah, the grass is greener than being the main man in a Championship squad.

Of course its important to work on finishing, but I do think that Ohashi is a naturally composed finisher whereas Gueye is technically poor in front of goal and will never be a natural finisher. Whereas Gueye offers more outside of goalscoring. As it stands now, I think I would be pleasantly surprised if Gueye gets to 10. Whereas I would be disappointed if Ohashi only gets 6 more.

Agree that Cozier- Duberry would be a better choice to offer pace. I also fear you are right that Eustace will go with Hedges. He seems to like him but hes not very good. Hopefully once our new signings get fit enough, Hedges will fall to a squad player with occasional cameos.

Why? What about him makes you so keen? Dolan I get, was good yesterday. Hedges wasn't and is so poor in attack.

Because Hedges isnt good enough. He doesnt do enough to justify repeated selection. Regarding the benchmark for Gueye and Ohashi, its hard to say, just that it shouldnt be the pitiful goals tally from our strikers last year. My point was simply that both have not played well in the last 2 games, so commenting on that is valid. And simply that its hard to figure out exactly how good they are at this level so far. The question marks on Gueye are around how many goals he is capable of scoring. The question marks about Ohashi are about his ineffectiveness aside from in front of goal where he seems really composed. If he somehow maintained his goals per minutes ratio or even got close to across 46 games, he would be right up there for the golden boot which would be incredible. I would like to see a minimum target of maybe 20 between them?

Would you personally start Hedges?

He certainly appears a lot quicker than Moran, and a different type of player.

Do you support City still or Rovers? I will ignore the implication that you are happy that someone is suffering from mental trauma.

I suppose all of what we say is nit picking, thats part of being a fan analysing everything. But its not a criticism of Eustace necessarily as his hands have been tied with players not up to speed having signed late. We should always look to improve and especially with Cantwell managing 45 yesterday, he is an obvious solution to our lack of creativity. There are signs that defensively we are certainly looking stronger and the midfield 2 is certainly a good partnership whereas the attack still I think can be improved. Hedges is not good enough to be starting every week, and we have struggled to find a solution in general especially out wide. Cozier-Duberry can also hopefully help to give us pace which again might help to create chances more regularly.

I think the back 4 and keeper isnt necessarily our best combination but considering our recent record and with Beck out, those 5 and the 2 midfielders pick themselves. Its the front 4 that has the most questions. Hedges deserves dropping and its hard to pick which striker to choose. Pears Carter Batth Hyam Pickering Tronstad Travis Cozier Duberry Cantwell Dolan Gueye Subs: Toth, McFadzean, Brittain, JRC, Baker, Ohashi, Sigurdsson, Weimann, Buckley

Hopefully we will become more creative when everyone is up to speed as the attacking make up of the team is still not right IMO. Cantwell should provide much more creativity when fit to start and hopefully Cozier Duberry can too. Repeatedly playing Hedges will never lead to many chancss creative and we have sometimes opted for the likes of Baker and JRC on the other side who dont seem comfortable there. I still think questions over Gueye and Ohashi are very valid as we try and figure them out. Both have been totally ineffective in the last 2 games and both have shown promise and potential limitations so its hard to know exactly what sort of return we will get over the course of a season.

Last season he was useless, partly down to constantly breaking down with injury. But again, and I know you have a total hatred of him, but he cant be any sort of benchmark, we avoided relegation on the last day. Our strikers combined total was 6 or 7 between him, Leonard and Telalovic which has to be the worst in the league. But we also had the top scoring attacking midfielder. Considering we want a far better league position and without Szmodics, the goals have to be much higher in other positions, obviously up front being the main one. But in the 3 seasons prior, Gallagher got 8, 9 and 8 goals. Still not great but the question is, will Gueye hit those numbers? Will Ohashi keep scoring a decent amount and if not, might he struggle to be our firsr choice striker to the other limitations of his game? Gallagher's contribution specifically last season has to be considered an irrelevance when judging the current 2 strikers. The make up of the team without Szmodics is difference and the expectation has to be an improvement. Thats in no way a criticism of Gueye and Ohashi, but we are still trying to figure out exactly how effective they are.

Im not convinced that Eustace particularly rates Buckley. He tends to only be given token cameos when games are won. It would be interesting to see when Travis inevitably is banned whether Buckley would firstly come in, as I suspect Baker and JRC would be more likely. And if he did, who would be captain. Letting him keep the armband for 15 minutes rather than passing it on might be clever man management to appease him, knowing he probably will need him at some point.