"You should have stayed at a big club" was the taunt from the Brentford fans towards Christian Eriksen as this nightmare in solar slime unfolded for Manchester United.
He did join one, of course. But at the worst possible time.
Because of everything he has been through - and his obvious quality as a footballer - it is difficult to feel anything other than fondness for the stylish Dane, to wish him well in whatever he attempts in what remains of his career and his life. For we know how close both came to being taken away.
All of that made the taunts of the Brentford supporters - a group of people who idolised him for five months of this calendar year - a little jarring on the ears, although in reality they were just a reminder of how this sport we all love can change. Supporters' idols can become enemies, and 'big' clubs fall into the wilderness.
On the approach to Brentford's renamed Gtech Community Stadium it was possible to spot a handful of Bees shirts still bearing Eriksen's name and the No.21 he wore last season.
Whether or not those wearing them joined in with the barracking of the Dane from the off is unknown, but it was certainly the majority of home fans who ignored Thomas Frank's pre-match plea to lay off the man who turned down staying in west London for the bright lights of Old Trafford.
But any pre-conceived notion that a rough reception for United's summer signing would help Brentford get on top, intimidating their illustrious visitors and helping to set a tone that would make this a difficult day for them was soon blown away.
The fans didn't need to do that, as Manchester United would take care of it themselves.
For while Eriksen has signed for a 'big' club, he has also signed for one that is so at odds with itself right now that even the most simple of tasks on a football pitch becomes impossibly difficult for them.
David de Gea should, you'd think, be able to handle a speculative shot from Josh Dasilva from some 20-odd yards.
Harry Maguire surely has it within him not to utterly panic when the ball is at his feet on the edge of the penalty area, deciding that fouling his man is his only option.
De Gea again must know that passing the ball to Eriksen on the edge of the box when he is surrounded by three of his old teammates and none of his new ones is not a good idea.
Lisandro Martinez must have worked out a way to challenge opponents who are physically larger and stronger than him, for there are so many.
Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw, Fred, Jadon Sancho, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford have surely made at least one smart football decision before. They wouldn't be at this level if they hadn't.
Cristiano Ronaldo has definitely made several, even if adding his ego to this mess last summer wasn't one of them. Either for him or the mess.
And now cast into all of this is Erik ten Hag, a man already wearing the permanent look of someone who didn't read the terms and conditions reduced to trying to find the positives in one of Manchester United's worst performances in 30 years of a Premier League they used to dominate.
One of those was that they didn't let in a goal in the second half, he said when facing the press after the match.
He also insisted that De Gea has proven he can successfully play out from the back in training despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, and that his decision to substitute Martinez, Shaw and Fred at half-time was nothing personal against the players, for it really could have been any of them who came off.
Had it been Eriksen that would perhaps have been a little too much to bear though, and a bit too much glee for a giddy, brilliant Brentford fanbase who instead got to glory in this victory with the world's least convincing pantomime villain on the pitch for 87 minutes of it before he was replaced by Donny van de Beek, who was supposed to be getting more game-time under this manager.
Perhaps he will now. Maybe he'll play in the base of midfield against Liverpool next week, or at left-back, or in goal. Who even knows any more.
For while he shouldn't be criticised too much just yet, Ten Hag deploying Eriksen as effectively a No.6 a week after he'd been his false 9 was a sign that the new manager is quickly falling in line with the muddled mess that is Manchester United.
The Dutchman and the Dane have joined a 'big' club, and one that is surely too big to fail consistently and damagingly.
But if they were expecting it to be fun, fearless and in any way functional sometime soon then they were sorely mistaken.
