If we’d have been told we are where we are at the start of the season, we’d have said Ole’s doing a great job.
Still feels as though we have another gear but on balance, decent outcome at this point of the season.
This argument has served him well. Last season we signed Bruno and were afforded time (due to the lockdowns) to reclaim some injured players, so we turned it around.
If you go further back than the start of the season, back to March 2019 and you were told that that season you'd get sixth place with 66 points and third the following season with 66 points, would you say great job?
I think the great job sentiment is multi-factored. For me, he's doing a great job considering the expectations I have of him, not the expectations I have of the club in general or the potential of the playing staff. I think he's managed the players really well, he deals well with the press more or less, he's professional and presents a good image of the club as such. We've played like the underdogs in virtually every big game, we've spent a very long time figuring out how best to play as the dominant side against weaker teams, there's quite a lot of things yet to work on if his "United DNA we want to attack and dominate" is supposed to come true. And one of his main obstacles is lack of leverage with the board, given the owners are unambitious.
I'd be impressed if he can accrue equal amount of points over the 2nd half of the season and have us finish on 80, to be honest. That would certainly be an indicator of health. If we win anything I'd be amazed.