morgen jacobson

Roberto De Zerbi has been at Spurs 35 days. Four games in, and absorbing injuries, his team has developed. RDZ has quickly seen that he has got players to engage in a more mobile and consistent press. More of a fighting spirit. A fit Joao Palhinha is invariably a leader, always a fighter. Paired with Rodrigo Bentancur, Palhinha gives Spurs some steel and streetwise nous in midfield. Patrolling right central midfield, Palhinha has the positional intelligence to cover for Pedro Porro. RDZ used Palhinha from the bench in his first three games and then start against Aston Villa and he was immense, a warrior, and surely starts the rest of the run-in. RDZ has gone for experience in midfield (his own area as a player). Conor Gallagher, 26yo, 300+ games, chased Villa all over. Interesting to see how/when RDZ blends in younger talents like the whole-hearted Archie Gray, who has given everything in a difficult season, and the stylish Lucas Bergvall. Spurs have a €30m option to buy Palhinha from Bayern Munich. He’s 31 this summer. Stick or twist? What is clear is how much RDZ enthuses Spurs players already. His expressive behaviour in the dug-out may annoy officials (one sighed on hearing of his return to PL) but sends a message to players of the need for high energy. Performance against Villa was impressive. They just have to maintain this level of intensity. #THFC

A Gray day, a good day for Thomas Frank. Important win for Spurs and their head coach. Some fans remain sceptical about Frank so this was even more important. Good subs, players clearly playing for him, more disciplined (only two bookings), clean sheet, three points. Hope for the future: Gray and Bergvall, both still only 19, both committed to the cause. Sub Odobert, 21, brought an attacking threat. Lacking players injured, suspended or away at Afcon. But those who stepped in, stepped up. Danso no nonsense, he delivered. Not the prettiest performance tbh. Also worth noting Spurs enjoyed a far less gruelling recent schedule: Spurs 6 games in 26, Palace 8 games in 25 days. Spurs 8 days to prepare, Palace only 5. Palace also missing important players - Munoz, Richards, Sarr. The win and the togetherness should still some of the noise around Frank. What would change achieve anyway? And for who? Frank is a good, hard-working head coach still learning about the greater expectation levels and scrutiny at Spurs and the desire for more attacking football than he's usually associated with (some may return when Kulusevski fit). Frank is still addressing Spurs’ imbalanced squad and long-standing club culture of too few leaders. More of his players stood up to be counted today. It's a start. Needs maintaining - and a touch more expansiveness. #THFC #CRYTOT

Manchester United’s descent to “Battered” and “Act of Cod” mockery at Blundell Park is rooted in a lack of leadership, on the field and off. Losing to a better motivated and managed Grimsby Town was a shock but not completely unexpected. United’s problem is their culture. There’s been a long erosion of the team-first, individual-second, responsibility-taking ethos of the Busby and Ferguson eras. The image of the current head coach hiding in the dug-out, too nervous to watch the shootout, encapsulated the lack of leadership. Stronger characters are needed. This isn’t new. There’s been a decade of decay from old high standards.  It’s a problem that runs far deeper than one manager’s weakness when his players needed to look across from the centre circle and see a figure of defiance, standing there, supporting them, not cowering. It’s a problem at United that’s far deeper than Amorim’s rigid 3-4-2-1 that doesn’t suit many of the players, leaves midfield overrun, defence exposed and desecrates the club tradition of flying wingers. It’s a problem deeper than a goalkeeper in Onana who has lost some of his old belief and whose uncertainty under high balls is ruthlessly targeted. United have lost their fear factor, their old aura of authority, so even League Two sides fancy their chances and take them. And Grimsby were excellent, showing all their leadership qualities particularly in the shootout.  It’s cultural with United. So when players move away, they often flourish: Antony on loan at Betis, McTominay spectacularly at Napoli, and Garnacho will probably be a flying threat again if he escapes (possibly to Chelsea). What’s happening at United is not a story of bad players but bad culture and poor leadership. Bruno Fernandes sums that up. Very good player, and he definitely cares but a leader? Arguing with officials rather than rallying his players. Loses his runner. Not a central midfielder btw, he’s a 10. So why not a back-four, double pivot, Mbeumo, Bruno, Cunha; Sesko? 4-2-3-1. Amorim obstinately refuses to adapt. Amorim is not a bad manager. He proved his qualities at Sporting albeit under less pressure. He will surely be given time. United’s leadership team have much of their credibility tied up in him doing well. But Amorim needs to start acting like a leader in the dug-out and in interviews. He looks broken atm. Good managers have come in after Ferguson and struggled. It’s the culture. It’s tied in with the Glazers. United became a commercial operation with a team attached. The culture became about what sone people could take out of the club, not what they could put in (Glazer supporters point to transfer spend but, come on, look at the debt, dividends and state of Old Trafford). A culture of selfishness affected some others. The focus was on money not so much the football. Recruitment too often involved overpaying for big names rather than strong characters. Hence this hybrid, high-priced, under-achieving squad.  Ferguson retiring was obviously huge. Losing Gill’s leadership, experience of football and watchful eye at was also a massive blow. United lost their way. Plenty of well-paid marketing appointments. Not enough expertise in player recruitment. Ratcliffe, in fairness, is trying to rectify damage done to the football department and culture during Glazer rule, inc £50m upgrade of Carrington and almost £200m spent on attack. But they urgently need a keeper (Lammens arriving, no pressure). Heaton v Burnley? He’d bring more communication and determination. But Tom’s 39. If only Henderson was still there. Where was the succession planning (as at LFC). United also need a quick, dominating midfielder. Players must take responsibility. Maguire does. Cunha & Mbeumo have the right personality. But how many leaders do United have compared to 7/8 at LFC packed with national captains? Some positives. Incredible support. Still the biggest club in the country. Still huge news. Hated, adored but never ignored. #MUFC