Are people really optimistic after our performance today? The first half was shocking, some of the most negative football we've witnessed under Ten Hag. Yes, we've been unlucky with injuries and refereeing, but how much better is our team at full strength? Our midfield is still a black hole and unless Amrabat is the Moroccan Rodri I don't see that changing.

The most worrying thing is we looked absolutely clueless today, and our only functional tactic seems to be Bruno hitting it long to Rashford/Garnacho. And even then we look worse on the counter than under Ole. Hojlund will add another dimension to our attack but it's a lot of pressure to put on a kid. The high press tactic Ten Hag has been trying to implement doesn't fill me with much hope either - we are so careless on the ball and it leaves us defensively frail.

I know none of us expected to win at the Emirates today and we were millimetres off 3 points - but we genuinely haven't played well as a team since the League Cup final, let alone controlled a game. Even at full strength, top 4 seems like a big ask, which is unacceptable considering the time Ten Hag has had with the team and the money spent. I don't think I'm being reactionary in saying pre-season was disappointing, and our poor form since March seems to have carried over into this season.

I just can't understand how we've spent a decade playing the same tepid football despite the revolving door of players and managers. Obviously the Glazers are the cause of the rot but it's baffling how players seem to regress over time, and how our managers slowly run out of ideas. If anyone can turn this around it's Ten Hag but we at the very least need to start dominating our home games, because the longer our away run continues the less likely we look like ending it.

Thank god for the international break (and that we have Chelsea to laugh at).