Solksjaer's press conferenence - City at home

[pass.pass.pass]

We’ve finally morphed into a cross breed of second year Moyes and last 5 years of Wenger’s Arsenal. Quite staggering really.

It's no surprise if you think about it. It's not even just football; the modern world is under the spell of PR spin doctors. United fans are small fish in the scheme of things, easily blinded by romantic notions about what we are. The biggest club in the world? Well, bloody behave like one, then.

 

[FreakyJim]

He wants his defence "higher up" but have paid 80m for Harry fecking Maguire. Ok, alright.

 

[gerdm07]

Remember when we were two games into this seasons Champions League, and everyone was saying we would get relegated but win the champions league based on our poor showing in the prem and good showing in the CL? Well, that was one third of the CL campaign done and look how quickly it fell apart. But now look where we are in the Prem. It should also be remembered that after winning 11 of his first 13 games in charge, he then went on to win just 7 of the next 27 in all comps. The biggest complaint about Oles time in charge is a lack of consistency. That was true 2 years ago, and its still true today. Whether its a whole season or single game, Ole has shown that we just dont know what we are going to get.

Fraud might be harsh, but its not completely inaccurate.

Facts are stubborn things. If he maintains this pace we would have 80 points and I'm supposed to believe Ole is ruining the club. This is showing progress. Let's look at it again.

EPL points since restart 17 June (points, # matches)

MC 42 20
Tot 42 20
Liv 41 20
MU 40 19
Chel 40 20
Sout 38 20

 

[Norman Brownbutter]

Facts are stubborn things. If he maintains this pace we would have 80 points and I'm supposed to believe Ole is ruining the club. This is showing progress. Let's look at it again.

EPL points since restart 17 June (points, # matches)

MC 42 20
Tot 42 20
Liv 41 20
MU 40 19
Chel 40 20
Sout 38 20

Perhaps take a look my post again. And stats rarely tell the whole story. Watching us play has been...challenging to say the least. Ruining the club? no. The right man to take us forward? No.

 

[gerdm07]

Perhaps take a look my post again. And stats rarely tell the whole story. Watching us play has been...challenging to say the least. Ruining the club? no. The right man to take us forward? No.

You said "The biggest complaint about Oles time in charge is a lack of consistency."

A 20 match span is large enough to see Ole is consistent enough to compete with any club in the league. Am I supposed to ignore this fact?

"Watching us play has been...challenging to say the least."

If you had said watching us play AT TIMES has been...challenging, then I might have believed you. Ole has gotten some great results and we've watched some very attractive football AT TIMES. I definitely want more of the good and less of the bad, but no one can say we have been poor almost all the time.

 

[LoneStar]

We did the job well enough against PSG and Leipzig - acceptable outcome there on the whole against two strong sides. But we should have dealt summarily with IBB. If we had done that - well, that would have been clear and undeniable progress. As it turned out, our CL campaign was a mixed bag. A mixed back is not progress - we already knew that Ole's United are capable of beating strong opponents. We also knew that beating them means feck all when you stumble against lesser ones.

Biggest criticism from me is that we've always lost in games that matter, or when the pressure is against us. Semifinals, qualification in CL and the likes. The only exception would be the last PL game of last season (which also wouldn't be critical if we had done better, but can't complain).

And why do we always start on the back foot and the opponent needs to score a goal or two before we come to life? Overall I feel we are pretty much at the same point that we started - a very inconsistent team which relies way too much on individual talent to get through games.

 

[Norman Brownbutter]

You said "The biggest complaint about Oles time in charge is a lack of consistency."

A 20 match span is large enough to see Ole is consistent enough to compete with any club in the league. Am I supposed to ignore this fact?

"Watching us play has been...challenging to say the least."

If you had said watching us play AT TIMES has been...challenging, then I might have believed you. Ole has gotten some great results and we've watched some very attractive football AT TIMES. I definitely want more of the good and less of the bad, but no one can say we have been poor almost all the time.

By that logic he should have been sacked when he went 7 wins in 27.

Sorry, have to agree to disagree on that. Oles football has had its moments, but they have been few and far between. And far more often than not the results are down to individual moments of brilliance rather than anything to do with how we play. But this is the part where I put you on the spot and ask what our style of play is? What exactly do you think Ole is trying to do? So many formations, so many times we try to play out from the back while being pressed hard and losing the ball when we should be hitting that counter that we are so good at most of the time. These arent things that just happen every now and again. They are there to see in every match. Getting good results papers over cracks, and after two years of this I think theres more paper than actual wall at this point.

But anyway, style of play, go.

 

[mitchmouse]

He was backed and failed miserably. After saying that the team was great and that he was ready to challenge for the league in the same 2017-18 season, he ended 19 points behind Guardiola. After finishing the previous season 24 points behind Conte.

He then demanded more money after spending the world transfer record on a player he didn't know how to use, alienating more than half the sauad, publically disrespecting the club to mask his own failures, and underachieving woefully.

He was more than backed. And did a piss poor job. And was therefore rightfully sacked after he found himself 19 points behind Klopp by December of 2018.

and how close were we to Liverpool last season? Ole's bought two defenders who can't defend...the board refused to back Jose with the CB he wanted. What would have happened if SAF hadn't been backed every season?

 

[mitchmouse]

By that logic he should have been sacked when he went 7 wins in 27.

Sorry, have to agree to disagree on that. Oles football has had its moments, but they have been few and far between. And far more often than not the results are down to individual moments of brilliance rather than anything to do with how we play. But this is the part where I put you on the spot and ask what our style of play is? What exactly do you think Ole is trying to do? So many formations, so many times we try to play out from the back while being pressed hard and losing the ball when we should be hitting that counter that we are so good at most of the time. These arent things that just happen every now and again. They are there to see in every match. Getting good results papers over cracks, and after two years of this I think theres more paper than actual wall at this point.

But anyway, style of play, go.

agree with this. And I'd add: how often have we failed to show up in the first 45 minutes?

 

[Chesterlestreet]

And I'd add: how often have we failed to show up in the first 45 minutes?

Often. Sometimes resulting in conceding goals, sometimes not.

But we have also frequently staged comebacks. Which actually does say something about the team's mentality.

I can't be arsed to do it myself - but someone should do a 1-1 comparison between Ole and a) Moyes b) LVG c) Jose with regard to comebacks. I'm fairly sure Ole easily has their number there - but feel free to prove me wrong (my memory is shite - can hardly remember who scored last match).

 

[mitchmouse]

Often. Sometimes resulting in conceding goals, sometimes not.

But we have also frequently staged comebacks. Which actually does say something about the team's mentality.

I can't be arsed to do it myself - but someone should do a 1-1 comparison between Ole and a) Moyes b) LVG c) Jose with regard to comebacks. I'm fairly sure Ole easily has their number there - but feel free to prove me wrong (my memory is shite - can hardly remember who scored last match).

you may be right - but we saw in midweek what happens if you start slowly and concede against a half-decent side. It would be nice if, just every now and then, we didn't need to stage a recovery!

 

[Ladron de redcafe]

and how close were we to Liverpool last season? Ole's bought two defenders who can't defend...the board refused to back Jose with the CB he wanted. What would have happened if SAF hadn't been backed every season?

What exactly does backed every season mean? Getting every single player he wants?
If that's the case, nobody is backed.

Sir Alex Ferguson was anything but backed. We missed out on a plethora of targets because Martin Edwards refused to loosen the purse strings. He didn't throw the players under the bus. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves, worked with the players he did get, and won us title after title.

Jose Mourinho, on the other hand, was given enough money to break the world transfer record on a player he wanted but didn't know how to use. He had the team with the highest wage bill in the history of English football. He said that he was ready to win the title. And then found himself out of contention by December because he underperformed despite being backed.

 

[mitchmouse]

Facts are stubborn things. If he maintains this pace we would have 80 points and I'm supposed to believe Ole is ruining the club. This is showing progress. Let's look at it again.

EPL points since restart 17 June (points, # matches)

MC 42 20
Tot 42 20
Liv 41 20
MU 40 19
Chel 40 20
Sout 38 20

errr, sorry you can't run two seasons into one as evidence for anything!

 

[mitchmouse]

What exactly does backed every season mean? Getting every single player he wants?
If that's the case, nobody is backed.

Sir Alex Ferguson was anything but backed. We missed out on a plethora of targets because Martin Edwards refused to loosen the purse strings. He didn't throw the players under the bus. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves, worked with the players he did get, and won us title after title.

Jose Mourinho, on the other hand, was given enough money to break the world transfer record on a player he wanted but didn't know how to use. He had the team with the highest wage bill in the history of English football. He said that he was ready to win the title. And then found himself out of contention by December because he underperformed despite being backed.

so now you've seen the pay roll? sorry you can't just say things and pretend they are facts. SAF broke transfer records time and time again... quite how you an claim he wasn't backed is nothing short of hilarious

 

[Chesterlestreet]

It would be nice if, just every now and then, we didn't need to stage a recovery!

Would add years to my life expectancy - for sure.

But, yes - I agree, of course. A genuine top side can't sustain having to stage comebacks on a regular basis. You'll never win anything big that way. You have to dispose easily - enough - of a number of opponents over the run of a season.

Like IBB - that's a clear example of an opponent we should've just brushed aside.

 

[mitchmouse]

Is Cavani injured. Not even on the bench. At least there's no Aguero for City. Really does look as if we are going 442

 

[Ladron de redcafe]

so now you've seen the pay roll? sorry you can't just say things and pretend they are facts. SAF broke transfer records time and time again... quite how you an claim he wasn't backed is nothing short of hilarious

The wage bill of every team was reported publically by many sources.
Your second sentence is ironic because it's you who is saying this and pretending they're facts, when they have no bearing on reality.

Sir Alex Ferguson never got to break the world transfer record on any player. And he definitely didn't get to coach a team with the highest wage bill in the history of English football. You claiming he was backed but that Mourinho wasn't is just risible.

 

[mitchmouse]

The wage bill of every team was reported publically by many sources.
Your second sentence is ironic because it's you who is saying this and pretending they're facts, when they have no bearing on reality.

Sir Alex Ferguson never got to break the world transfer record on any player. And he definitely didn't get to coach a team with the highest wage bill in the history of English football. You claiming he was backed but that Mourinho wasn't is just risible.

errrr without even taking time to think: have you heard of Rio Ferdinand? broke world record for defender. Roy keane set a new record, then there's andy cole, and ruud. Veron, too I think you'll find

 

[Ladron de redcafe]

errrr without even taking time to think: I have you heard of Rio Ferdinand? broke record for defender

If you think we broke the world transfer record on Rio Ferdinand, then there is no point even responding. The world transfer record stood at 48m for Zidane. This is something everyone knows.

 

[mitchmouse]

If you think we broke the world transfer record on Rio Ferdinand, then there is no point even responding. The world transfer record stood at 48m for Zidane. This is something everyone knows.

Record for a defender.. unless you think Zidane was one of those.

 

[Ladron de redcafe]

Record for a defender.. unless you think Zidane was one of those. But yes, sorry I meant British record

So you were wrong. Because I talked about the world transfer record for a player. You incorrectly stated that Sir Alex Ferguson broke that during his time.

 

[mitchmouse]

So you were wrong. Because I talked about the world transfer record for a player. You incorrectly stated that Sir Alex Ferguson broke that during his time.

yes..that's why i said sorry. he broke the record for a defender. and broke the British transfer record with the others I mentioned (which you have conveniently ignored)

 

[mitchmouse]

He wants his defence "higher up" but have paid 80m for Harry fecking Maguire. Ok, alright.

I am becoming more and more convinced that Harry is the problem...

 

[Ladron de redcafe]

yes..that's why i said sorry. he broke the record for a defender. and broke the British transfer record with the others I mentioned (which you have conveniently ignored)

Great. So he didn't have the privilege of breaking the world transfer record for a player, as I said. And didn't get to manage the squad with the highest wage bill in the history of English football. And still excelled and won titles. Whereas Mourinho was backed more than Ferguson was and didn't manage to even put up a title challenge.

We are on the same page, it seems. And this is getting tedious.

 

[Pavl3n]

How do you know donkeys have long penises?

Could you not have asked a more stupid question?
How do you know not to taste yellow snow?

 

[gerdm07]

By that logic he should have been sacked when he went 7 wins in 27.

Sorry, have to agree to disagree on that. Oles football has had its moments, but they have been few and far between. And far more often than not the results are down to individual moments of brilliance rather than anything to do with how we play. But this is the part where I put you on the spot and ask what our style of play is? What exactly do you think Ole is trying to do? So many formations, so many times we try to play out from the back while being pressed hard and losing the ball when we should be hitting that counter that we are so good at most of the time. These arent things that just happen every now and again. They are there to see in every match. Getting good results papers over cracks, and after two years of this I think theres more paper than actual wall at this point.

But anyway, style of play, go.

He had just gotten the job so he was never going to be sacked after going 7 of 27....especially after going I think 13 matches unbeaten. Context is always important. That bad stretch started right after a number of injuries to key players and a full schedule. It also involved the fall of 2019 which saw Pogba and Martial, our two most important attackers at the time out for a long period. If you look at the big picture you'll see we have played well and gotten results when Ole has had a good team at his disposal, i.e. the first 2 months and the last 20 EPL matches.

I do see a style and it is quick one-two passing. I see enough evidence of this in many matches. Unfortunately it's hard to do well consistently and it's even harder when you have players either not capable or just not in form on the day. Our best periods of play have shown this style.

I remember many goals scored that involved great team play. Vs Southampton, Pogba plays to Bruno, Bruno one-touches to Mata, Mata one-touches to Rashford, Rashford takes 2 touches and scores. Was this goal individual brilliance or great team play?

Many great managers play different formations to counter the opposing team. SAF did it quite often. Your play out of the back comment to me suggests you want more long balls to runners. The modern game suggests this is not a winning formula and actually it's old, school English football. Is this what you really want?

 

[Norman Brownbutter]

He had just gotten the job so he was never going to be sacked after going 7 of 27....especially after going I think 13 matches unbeaten. Context is always important. That bad stretch started right after a number of injuries to key players and a full schedule. It also involved the fall of 2019 which saw Pogba and Martial, our two most important attackers at the time out for a long period. If you look at the big picture you'll see we have played well and gotten results when Ole has had a good team at his disposal, i.e. the first 2 months and the last 20 EPL matches.

Excuses. There was nothing wrong with the team when the cracks started to show. And they started to show when everyone was saying he was a one trick manager. It was then he started trying new things, it all fell apart and he had nothing to bring it back together. Big picture, little picture, it was all on him.

I do see a style and it is quick one-two passing. I see enough evidence of this in many matches. Unfortunately it's hard to do well consistently and it's even harder when you have players either not capable or just not in form on the day. Our best periods of play have shown this style.

Far too many misplaced passes. Why has that never changed? Are we really supposed to believe that these players cant pass a ball? Or that they cant be coached to pass a ball? And I guess if the excuse is the players arent good enough, thats another reason to go more direct instead of possession style you say hes going for. No?

I remember many goals scored that involved great team play. Vs Southampton, Pogba plays to Bruno, Bruno one-touches to Mata, Mata one-touches to Rashford, Rashford takes 2 touches and scores. Was this goal individual brilliance or great team play?

I fail to see how that takes away from the inconsistency argument? No one is saying hes been shit the whole time and nothing has ever worked.

Many great managers play different formations to counter the opposing team. SAF did it quite often. Your play out of the back comment to me suggests you want more long balls to runners. The modern game suggests this is not a winning formula and actually it's old, school English football. Is this what you really want?

So when we are being pressed hard and losing the ball over and over, SAF(or any great manager) would have persisted in doing the same thing? Sorry, mate. Youre wrong on this one. You cant say great managers switch things up as a defence for Ole not switching things up when what hes doing isnt working. When you get pressed hard and lose the ball over and over again its only common sense to play it over the top. Unless of course you're Ole and have something to prove to the press that keep talking shit about you.

 

[gerdm07]

So when we are being pressed hard and losing the ball over and over, SAF(or any great manager) would have persisted in doing the same thing? Sorry, mate. Youre wrong on this one. You cant say great managers switch things up as a defence for Ole not switching things up when what hes doing isnt working. When you get pressed hard and lose the ball over and over again its only common sense to play it over the top. Unless of course you're Ole and have something to prove to the press that keep talking shit about you.

The problem with that mentality is you could be stuck on going long more often than not. Ole wants a defense comfortable playing out of the back because, again, the modern game demands it. I think he is looking forward and long term as he knows this style will bring many positives now and, more so, down the road. Either you want to play out from the back or you don't and there is little middle ground IMO and I think this is Ole's opinion also. Do you really want us to resort to long balls at the first sign of a good press for every match?

We disagree....oh well.

As far as the misplaced passes is it Ole's fault when McT hit's a 20 yard pass four yards to the side of his teammate? Is it Ole's fault that Rashford rarely passes a ball with the correct weight? Is it Ole's fault that AWB doesn't see the play as quickly as he should and can't cross with accuracy? Is it Ole's fault that we really don't have a quality DM that is comfortable with the ball? (yes, that's a little bit his fault). A good passing team is only as good as the weakest link and unfortunately we have some wink links.

 

[Norman Brownbutter]

Do you really want us to resort to long balls at the first sign of a good press for every match?

that’s disingenuous. We aren’t talking about the first sign, the second sign or even the first sign. We’re talking about getting smacked around for 45 minutes or worse 90 and doing nothing different to combat it. Trying new things is what training is for. Not premier league games, and certainly not champions league games.

 

[gerdm07]

that’s disingenuous. We aren’t talking about the first sign, the second sign or even the first sign. We’re talking about getting smacked around for 45 minutes or worse 90 and doing nothing different to combat it. Trying new things is what training is for. Not premier league games, and certainly not champions league games.

You are correct and that comment was not fair. My apologies.