The hope was too much. Even the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo started on the bench ended up being almost “secondary”, considering the return of the Premier League to an Old Trafford satisfied with all the signs that Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United left during the pre-season. 90 minutes later, reality bath served with ice water: Brighton made history and won the Red Devils in the opening match, which saw the Portuguese striker come on in the second half when the team was already 2-0 down. “It was a real disappointment. I have to admit it”, confided the Dutch coach at the end.
The return of the King to the house of kings: Ronaldo comes off the bench, gets into the game but United cannot avoid the defeat against Brighton
“I knew from the beginning that it would not be easy but we gave two easy balls and we were not well organized. We knew defeat could happen, but we should have done better, that’s obvious. But it is also something that will not happen overnight. Today we had a bad moment in the first part and we have to learn from that. This is one hell of a job… We have to work hard, analyze what happened and move on. We have a lot of work ahead of us, I know that from the beginning and nothing has changed”, commented Ten Hag, admitting that, if Martial was physically fit, he would have started in front of the attack.
Now, against Brentford, the coach was trying a kind of “new beginning” after the loss to open the season. With the same conviction that it is a solution and not a problem, with the same certainty that he will be able to reverse the current moment (which has lasted since last season) of Manchester United, without opening the game in relation to the possible start. of Cristiano Ronaldo after another week of training.
Ronaldo, three more Portuguese and a big surprise: Messi goes from winner to 30 Ballon d’Or nominees in one year
“I can’t ask the fans to be patient, although I hope they can be patient, because they want to see a winning team and that’s what I’m here for. However, I have to promote this and the process takes time, that’s right. Things did not go well in the debut, from the result to the performance that had many negative aspects. But it is normal, we are at the beginning and with a new game idea. We didn’t manage to do much of what we did in the pre-season, we need to be stronger even mentally because at the beginning it’s normal to make mistakes. Ronaldo? I had a good week of training. As for eleven, we’ll see. I already made my decision but I keep it to myself,” she said.
????️ “You saw it, the second half of last week when he came in, he made the difference in the game”
Erik ten Hag thinks about the return of Cristiano Ronaldo to the #MUFC Starting XI and says his players have to ‘perform’ today against Brentford after the opening weekend loss… pic.twitter.com/NXTiMgGl7O
– Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 13, 2022
The decision was made by betting on the Portuguese for a hostage attack on the referees in the first match of the Premier League. However, that would turn out to be the least of many problems. And, in the first half against Brentford, United’s new plan mainly linked the self-destruct button with too many childish mistakes resulting in a thrashing just at half-time. And no, the worst thing about the film is not the result or the lack of quality, but the loss of the (little) respect that a club of this size requires between problems that go far beyond Ronaldo Erik ten Hag or the lack of more reinforcements.
The fluorescent green away kit was the first thing that stood out in the match that saw Eriksen return to the stronghold where he had played for the last six months but it didn’t take long for Manchester United’s defense to draw negative attention. as usual, with two conceded goals that not even in the juvenile layers are they seen: first it was Josh Dasilva trying a shot from outside the area in a play that started with Ronaldo asking for a free kick, seeing the attempt go weak but celebrating before a “chicken” by David de Gea letting the ball pass (10 ‘), then it was Mathias Jensen who took advantage of an error by Eriksen in a start after a goal kick to make it 2-0 (19 ‘).
“Gea Fit” ????
???????????????????????????????????? @premierleague | @BrentfordFC 1×0 @Man Utd#PremierELEVEN #NowSSeriously pic.twitter.com/sABWZh16nS
– ONCE Portugal (@ElevenSports_PT) August 13, 2022
United self-destruct mode ????
???????????????????????????????????? @premierleague | @BrentfordFC 2×0 @Man Utd#PremierELEVEN #NowSSeriously pic.twitter.com/apLIbwAl1O
– ONCE Portugal (@ElevenSports_PT) August 13, 2022
Ronaldo, in the midfield area, made gestures with his arms for the team to get up to the task because the game was barely developing in the first half and, after a shot well over Bruno Fernandes in the first minutes, it was the forward trying to aim for the Brentford goal. Nevertheless, the nightmare of reds in the first half he was still literally halfway through, gaining traces of embarrassment in the next few minutes.
Ben Mee (2) had more touches in the rival box than Cristiano Ronaldo (1) in the first half. ????
— Squawka (@Squawka) August 13, 2022
Can you imagine being the greatest footballer of all time and having to push yourself to play with this gutless group of weak and pitiful spendthrifts? It must be torture @Christian – I hope he escapes soon. pic.twitter.com/8QbvEdmAEF
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) August 13, 2022
After a corner kick from the right with a deflection to the far post to the opposite side, Toney managed to assist Ben Mee to increase the home advantage against the mute passivity of the Manchester United players in a play that was easy to guess and anticipate (30′). And, less than five minutes later, there would still be a goal on the counterattack, with Bryan Mbeumo receiving the ball in shooting position in three touches and shooting without a chance for the Spanish goalkeeper (35′). Erik ten Hag did not want to believe what he saw, the fans shook their heads, the most cautious (and incredulous) began to unroll the stripes calling for the departure of the Glazer family of the club administration. All with the ball rolling down the field and without the slightest reaction from the visiting players.
United to defend there go 3
???????????????????????????????????? @premierleague | @BrentfordFC 3×0 @Man Utd#PremierELEVEN #NowSSeriously pic.twitter.com/nS7cTdV59d
– ONCE Portugal (@ElevenSports_PT) August 13, 2022
FOUR 4️⃣ United is taking 4 at half time ????
???????????????????????????????????? @premierleague | @BrentfordFC 4×0 @Man Utd#PremierELEVEN #NowSSeriously pic.twitter.com/esOWaY80Fc
– ONCE Portugal (@ElevenSports_PT) August 13, 2022
At halftime, Ten Hag tried to turn something around with three one-seat substitutions, taking out Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez and Fred for the innings of Malacia, Varane and McTominay – who, theoretically, was just trading for the same positions. . And the first sign of danger even came from Brentford, this time with David de Gea managing to make a tight save. Ronaldo, in a header to the side after a cross from the right by Diogo Dalot, still tried to set the tone for what everyone already believed impossible, repeating the dose in the following minute but now deviate on the beam (52′), but little or nothing had to be done, despite a new change with the entry of Elanga to replace Sancho (60′). The story of the match was told and left little or nothing to remember Manchester United…
Source: Observadora
