The red card seemed harsh, but it isn’t unreasonable. Rashford accidentally did step on his ankles with studs.
Yeah, both the penalties were soft, but United should start focusing on the game and situation rather than external factors. Shore up your defense atleast after that first goal by Copenhagen.
Also, how on earth do our full backs never mark their men properly in the box? RB Leipzig had obliterated us in a similar way some time back. Erik should start analyzing past videos and booting out Deadwood if he truly wants the team to improve.
Of course he did. Instead of making subs and making sure to defend the 0-2 lead
Long Article: Man Utd twice threw away a lead on their way to losing 4-3 in Copenhagen in the Champions League on Wednesday night; United are now bottom of Group A and face an uphill task to reach the knockout stages; Erik ten Hag blamed the defeat on three decisions by the officials.
Erik ten Hag described Manchester United’s performance in their 4-3 defeat at FC Copenhagen as “very good” and pinned the blame for the result on the officials.
United lost for the third time in four Champions League games to leave their hopes of qualifying from Group A hanging by a thread.
Ten Hag’s side led 2-0 before being pegged back to 2-2 after Marcus Rashford was sent off. Bruno Fernandes put United 3-2 ahead but the Premier League side again crumbled at the end of the second half, conceding three or more goals in a match for the seventh time this season.
But despite their slim chances of progressing from a group that they were heavy favourites to negotiate, Ten Hag was pleased with much of what he saw from his side.
“We are very disappointed because we played very good,” he said. “We started the game so well. Our best minutes of the season. We are winning the game and the red card changes everything.”
Copenhagen had more of the possession and registered 16 shots to United’s nine, but Ten Hag insisted: "It’s a game of mistakes. I wouldn’t say we did everything right but there are a lot of positives.
“Even with 10 men we were dictating the game. We played very good.”
Instead, Ten Hag believes a number of decisions went against United in the Danish capital, starting with the call to send off Rashford for stamping on Elias Jelert as he looked to protect the ball following a VAR review.
So, so harsh," Ten Hag said of the decision. "He went for the ball and the referee needs a long time to make it a red card.
“When you freeze it, it looks worse. I am very disappointed about such a decision.”
Ten Hag went on to become the latest manager to criticise the implementation of VAR, adding: "The game is never meant to be like this. This has nothing to do with football.
“I accept wrong decisions are made but when you make such tough decisions, you control the game.”
Ten Hag did not comment on the penalty that was controversially awarded to United for handball against Lukas Lerager - despite the ball travelling a short distance and appearing to strike Harry Maguire’s hand first.
However, the Dutchman was upset about the penalty Maguire conceded for handball - the fourth to go against United in the Champions League this season - while he also claimed a Copenhagen player obstructed Andre Onana from an offside position for their first goal.
“We concede two goals that should not count,” Ten Hag argued. "The first is offside and the second goal, it’s so close and the hand is in a normal position. What can you do for that?
“Four penalties against us in four games and two or three are very debatable. The game can’t be like this.”
Ten Hag said the decisions that went against his side are part of a pattern that has helped to contribute to the nine defeats they have suffered in 17 games this season - the most at this stage of a campaign in 50 years.
“This squad is so solid,” he said. "All season, so many decisions are against us and so many setbacks with injuries.
“There is a spirit in the squad and every time we will keep going. It will turn in our favour.”
Why Rashford was sent off
Whether Rashford intended to connect with Elias Jelert or not is irrelevant in this scenario. The intent of Rashford’s action does not matter, only the action, an area of the laws that is even more strictly applied in Europe.
Granted, given Rashford is seemingly not making a tackle, and only trying to shield the ball, he is unlucky, but the laws have technically been adhered to in this instance, and Manchester United shouldn’t be expecting any form of apology.
UEFA also initially reported on their website that Rashford was dismissed for catching Jelert with his arm, but that was later corrected.
Should we rename this sub to r/UnitedFansCryingAboutThings?
Seriously:
• The red was correct. Intention doesn’t matter. No, this doesn’t happen “all the time” • Two similar hands penalties called, one for each side • That “elbow” against Hojlund was in no way a red. It’s a standard foul and that’s it. • Onana had a clear view of the ball, so no offside. Doesn’t matter that the player blocked Onana’s view before, because offside is decided when the shot is made
It also doesn’t matter how some situations are treated in the Premier League, because PL isn’t the same as European competitions.
It’s more like PLtop6cryingaboutthings
Agreed except for that elbow bid. Couldnt be a clearer yellow and that wouldve been his second so I can understand United fans who talk about that.
Or just fans crying about things in general?
I agree with everything apart from the first one.
The red was harsh, if the ref gave that on the field it would be one thing but for VAR to get involved felt a tad off given the nature of the tackle.
What? I’m not Man U fan but in fairness to them they always take it on the chin. Maybe complain in match threads but that’s the heat of the moments stuff.
Comparatively Arsenal fans are still crying about a 50/50 decision that happened a week ago
An elbow to the face isn’t a red? At least it’s a yellow, and he would’ve been sent off.
The player is standing in front of Ona a as the shot us taken… how is it not offside?
Some of the takes about that red from Utd fans left me truly baffled. Not only that it wasn’t a red but that the FC KO player only has himself to blame for being stamped on.
I always find it funny these kind of stupid posts are made by flairless posters
Should we rename this sub to r/UnitedFansCryingAboutThings?
From what I’ve seen on r/soccer, most United fans agree that it was a red and both penalties were soft but at least it was consistent. Haven’t seen much discourse about the other two points yet.
No need to negatively generalise here man.
Another one joins the club!
Erik Ten Excuses
The red card was 100% justified
It was a shit show by the officials.
Football discourse is so so boring now. If your team plays badly then just blaaaaaame the ref.
There’s almost always one slightly controversial/marginal decision in a game so it works every time.
Still shouldn’t concede 4 to Copenhagen
The red was a red. And both teams got a dodgy penalty.
How can someone say Man Utd played good when they conceded 4 goals to Copenhagen.
Cause they played well for about 40 minutes
I’m more and more appreciative of Ange every day with these whining managers. The Romero red was a similar one to this one, in that neither were meant to be malicious, but the rules don’t allow for interpretation of intent.
Accept that sometimes it doesn’t go your way and move on. We got shafted at Brentford, and blessed for Liverpool. Our fuck up against Chelsea was our own doing. Same for Man Utd today.
That being said I was really expecting that Ten Hag wouldn’t complain as he seems pretty reasonable.
Enrico, your club folded like a replacement sofa cushion, made out of paper, under an alpaca.
He’s really like a politician.
He wants to sacked for sure and get his £15m payout but top reds still think he’s the man to take us back to glory. What a deluded bald fraud
Getting two goals after a red is not playing well. ten Hag should learn from Wiegman’ England which after an embarrassing red went and won the game. That was a good game.
Delusion here I come.