Glad I messed up setting my alarm, missed every minute.
Consistent good football under Ole:
1. Caretaker spell (Jan-March 2019)
2. Lockdown games (June-July 2020)
3. Bits of winter and spring last season: Nov-Dec 2020 and March-April 2021
Each time they happen, it's possible to build a narrative.
With the first one it's obvious. He's taken the team out of the Jose doldrums and has a positive attacking style with flair players (Pogba, Rashford) happy and in-form. Next season when things gel and he can buy players, it will be great!
With the second one, Bruno was the key signing at 10 to replace Lingard/Pereira, Pogba, Martial and Rashford all shaken off injuries, the front 4 look world-class. Really looking forward to next season with this young quick attack!
With the third one, Martial became lazy overnight, Pogba had Covid, Greenwood has 2nd season syndrome, but now with Cavani fit, Pogba back and Greenwood in form, Ole has the players to really play. Fill in some squad gaps and next season will be amazing!
(Fwiw, I really believed the second one).
The thing is, these are 3 spells of a few months each, spread over about 30 months of coaching.
It's exactly like that within this season too. Great first game, struggle through the next few, great game with Ronaldo, struggle through the next few. Both at the level of months and individual games, there is just no trend. There are good and bad performances that seemingly happen at random. The squad keeps improving in mostly logical ways (unlike Moyes or LvG or Jose or even "value in the market" period SAF), but the football doesn't really follow, I'd rather watch the lockdown games on repeat than almost any since tbh.
I guess the hope is that the good spell this season goes on for longer than usual?