The Five Eras of Solskjaer's Manchester United

rotherham_red

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Very good analysis. Make me understand the complexity Ole has faced during his period. He had to rotate and change systems more often then he preferred because of injuries, restitution and lack of squad depth. I think Ole’s adaptability and problem-solving nature has been critical during troublesome times

The analysis make me realise our squad depth was horrible for a long time. It’s better and probably acceptable (minimum required level) today, but we need at least 3 players in order to be comfortable (squad depth): RW, CDM and a RB/CB-combo. I would also have preferred one more “Nr.9” in the squad, but I suppose it’s to much to ask for. Martial, Cavani and Greenwood should be OK compared to other vulnerabilities.

The squad-depth issue should be solved before September. It’s the key to further progress and success. Example: we don’t have to take to many precautions regarding intensity and we can play more consistent systems if we recruit the right players. One thing is for sure: we will face injuries also in the future.
I don't think we need to worry about the depth too much. Buying first choice players and targets like Sancho, a CB and DM etc will do that naturally as some of the first teamers we have now (McFred, Lindelof etc) will naturally drop down to that status, which I think is what Ole is building towards.
 

Ludens the Red

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I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are just remembering history wrong. Have a look at Liverpool's first season under Klopp and their most-used formation:
https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/26/Archive/England-Liverpool?stageId=12496
For those who don't want to follow the link, here it is:


And Liverpool last season: https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/26/Archive/England-Liverpool?stageId=17590



He, like every manager inheriting a new squad, adapts his system to the players he has at his disposal, as well as the opposition they're playing.

And to show you that it's not only Klopp who did change formations and tactics, here's Pep first season at City: https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/167/Archive/England-Manchester-City?stageId=13796


And here is City last season: https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/167/Archive/England-Manchester-City?stageId=17590




I don't know if Ole wanted to implement those mid-field pressing traps from the beginning or he'd prefer attacking press. I don't see how Maguire is stopping either though. It is the fact that our players will burn out that caused the change in approach, not the pace of the defenders. Please list the goals we've conceded due to lack of pace since we signed Maguire.


If we are to believe the media, Ole wanted Sancho. He was not attainable. Should he buy ANYONE just for the sake of having a right winger? I, personally, do not want us to buy players just to increase the body count or to have a certain position covered with someone who is not our prime target. And while we do not have that right winger, he is adapting our tactics.
I mean ffs :lol: , you're posting 451/433 variants with easily interchangeable players and implying these are the same as to what is going on at United. We literally had one week THIS SEASON where we played a 352, a 442 diamond and then a 433. And like I've said, their style stayed the same. Pep and Klopp didn't alter away from their footballing style even though they didn't have the success early days. I don't expect you to acknowledge this fact but it is quite important.

LITERALLY the first goal we conceded after lockdown was a result of a high defensive line and Maguire's slowness being exposed. And there's been numerous other times where Maguire has been caught high up the pitch and not been quick enough because every time it happens I receive a message from a gooner of an actual fridge. I cant be arsed to find more but its there trust me.

Borussia Dortmund told us the fee we needed to buy Sancho. We spent all summer bidding below it. We then went out and signed a player we didn't need for 45 million. If Manchester United football club cannot identify more than one suitable right winger in world football than we are fecked as a club. How many times under Fergie did we miss out on main targets and then look elsewhere? Ronaldinho/Ronaldo, Shearer/Cole, Buffon/Barthez, the list is endless. I don't know where this new phenomenon came from where only a specific and certain player is suitable for a position of requirement for Manchester United. You have chairman giving interviews on deadline day twice a year, telling you clubs have shortlists of dozens of players because you cant always bank on getting the top target. Yet I'm supposed to believe Man United have only one player they look at when they need a position covered. Gimme a break. (and if this is the case, we should look at sacking everyone in our player recruitment department)

But you are definitely aware that we could not get every player we wanted to have, right? Sancho, Haarland, Bellingham, Reguion, etc...
The real world is complicated really.
Don't need to be patronised, our club being grossly incompetent at its handling of transfers can not be passed off as 'the real world is complicated'
 

8thWonder

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As for Maguire and Wan Bissaka fitting the plan. I think this is open to interpretation. You can point to Maguire being comfortable on the ball I can point to him being slow and not an ideal defender for a high pressing system which is how it initially looked like Ole wanted to play.

Ole has had four transfer windows and he’s not signed a right winger (does diallo count?) meaning he expects our attacks on the right to come from Wan Bissaka, either that or he doesn’t think attacking down the right is important. Wan Bissaka isn’t particularly good at taking up positions and attacking space the way an attacking wing back should. So that’s my interpretation of it. I could think of about twenty more suitable players for the style it initially looked like Ole wanted.



I see the big picture, the big picture is Ole is still trying to work things out and get this team playing how he wants and he himself hasn’t quite pinpointed what he wants.

This is reflected in factual evidence such as ...
- multiple formations used across games
- players being moved around to different positions to accommodate other players
- inconsistent performances, ranging from very good to mediocre
- an unidentifiable style of play and system
- the signing of players not suited to the initial ‘plan’
You’re simplifying it to defend Ole. I accept that but don’t agree. I’m not just talking about a simple substitution. I’m talking about United struggling to keep the ball against Southampton and being overran in midfield with a two of Pogba and Matic and literally nothing being done about it from our coaching team. No sub, no individual instructions. If tom, dick and Harry are moaning about in on redcafe during the match day thread then you wonder why our team can’t see it.
I think a few of the things your arguing are possibly some of my biggest bugbears of the criticisms of Ole to be honest and god knows we're not perfect yet so take what I say with a pinch of salt maybe but;

Don't we play with a relatively high line for 80% of our matches? If Bailly is fit then that partnership will allow us to both be aerially strong and have quick recovery pace. So the Maguire signing wasn't short sighted in any way IMO, there's a reason Pep was also interested in Maguire and that's because his often sited pace isn't any where near as big a deal as people think. It becomes an issue if both centre backs are slow granted... Also see vidic, and bruce surely?

The right winger is a strange criticism because he's desperate for a right winger, hence the summer long transfer sage and roughly year long tracking of Sancho, no?

Style of play/patterns of play, Ole would like to play a 4-2-3-1, be defensively solid, with a relatively high line, have a play making centre mid, number 10, 2 wingers and a centre forward, he's not a possession is 9/10s of the law manager, and he wants us to transition through phases quickly to score the first goal(s) and then to manage the game (we need to do this better). The squad isn't complete, form of players such as Greenwood, Matic, Martial, Pogba in particular, injuries etc has meant that he's had to tweak things regularly.

The in game management jibe also grates a little as well, as we constantly tweak things mid game and have a fantastic record of turning losing points into winning points, but because you've reasoned it's a mentality thing and not tactical, that's your mind made up. And if tom, dick and harry are moaning in here, then I would presume they can see what you see and think differently about the game, have different solutions to the problems maybe?

If I recall, presuming you mean Southampton last season at Old Trafford(?), weren't we winning that game, having turned it around, then went down to 10 men (Shaw was taken off wasn't he?) and they equalised in the last minute? My initial guess would be, they were leaving an awful amount of space between the lines to be exploited once we got past the initial press. And didn't we have a great oppurtunity to make it 3-1 in that game from exactly that situation?

Surely the base point should be from everyone here, and I know the ego doesn't always permit this, that the coaches know more than us, so if you think there's an issue on the pitch, they have seen it, and are trying to problem solve in a different way than you would wish maybe?
 

georgipep

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I mean ffs :lol: , you're posting 451/433 variants with easily interchangeable players and implying these are the same as to what is going on at United. We literally had one week THIS SEASON where we played a 352, a 442 diamond and then a 433. And like I've said, their style stayed the same. Pep and Klopp didn't alter away from their footballing style even though they didn't have the success early days. I don't expect you to acknowledge this fact but it is quite important.
Now you are really proving how much of a agenda-driven knowitall you are though.

Here are the systems Liverpool used in Klopp's first season:


Second season:



Third season:



Fourth season:



And finally, their title-winning last season:



As can be clearly observed, with time Klopp became more and more relying on the 433 with some games he preferred the 4231. You can pretend to be an expert by saying they are with only slight variations or whatever. But I can say the same about the 4-1-2-1-2 diamond we play and the 4-2-3-1.

What matters, however, is that every club uses different systems according to opposition and circumstances. Whether you accept that or not, neither matters nor do I care.

LITERALLY the first goal we conceded after lockdown was a result of a high defensive line and Maguire's slowness being exposed. And there's been numerous other times where Maguire has been caught high up the pitch and not been quick enough because every time it happens I receive a message from a gooner of an actual fridge. I cant be arsed to find more but its there trust me.
Yeah? And after that goal? I don't trust you and neither should anyone else. You have been proven wrong on numerous occasions.

Borussia Dortmund told us the fee we needed to buy Sancho. We spent all summer bidding below it. We then went out and signed a player we didn't need for 45 million. If Manchester United football club cannot identify more than one suitable right winger in world football than we are fecked as a club. How many times under Fergie did we miss out on main targets and then look elsewhere? Ronaldinho/Ronaldo, Shearer/Cole, Buffon/Barthez, the list is endless. I don't know where this new phenomenon came from where only a specific and certain player is suitable for a position of requirement for Manchester United. You have chairman giving interviews on deadline day twice a year, telling you clubs have shortlists of dozens of players because you cant always bank on getting the top target. Yet I'm supposed to believe Man United have only one player they look at when they need a position covered. Gimme a break.


Don't need to be patronised, our club being grossly incompetent at its handling of transfers can not be passed off as 'the real world is complicated'
Whether we need or will need Donny van de Beek is a completely separate discussion and I don't think you or I are qualified to be the definitive judges on it.

And similarly, I don't know how many targets the club had. Neither do you. Stop pretending you know more than anyone else with an Internet connection. Mostly because people outside of the club know little to nothing.
 

Ludens the Red

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I think a few of the things your arguing are possibly some of my biggest bugbears of the criticisms of Ole to be honest and god knows we're not perfect yet so take what I say with a pinch of salt maybe but;

Don't we play with a relatively high line for 80% of our matches? If Bailly is fit then that partnership will allow us to both be aerially strong and have quick recovery pace. So the Maguire signing wasn't short sighted in any way IMO, there's a reason Pep was also interested in Maguire and that's because his often sited pace isn't any where near as big a deal as people think. It becomes an issue if both centre backs are slow granted... Also see vidic, and bruce surely?

The right winger is a strange criticism because he's desperate for a right winger, hence the summer long transfer sage and roughly year long tracking of Sancho, no?

Style of play/patterns of play, Ole would like to play a 4-2-3-1, be defensively solid, with a relatively high line, have a play making centre mid, number 10, 2 wingers and a centre forward, he's not a possession is 9/10s of the law manager, and he wants us to transition through phases quickly to score the first goal(s) and then to manage the game (we need to do this better). The squad isn't complete, form of players such as Greenwood, Matic, Martial, Pogba in particular, injuries etc has meant that he's had to tweak things regularly.

The in game management jibe also grates a little as well, as we constantly tweak things mid game and have a fantastic record of turning losing points into winning points, but because you've reasoned it's a mentality thing and not tactical, that's your mind made up. And if tom, dick and harry are moaning in here, then I would presume they can see what you see and think differently about the game, have different solutions to the problems maybe?

If I recall, presuming you mean Southampton last season at Old Trafford(?), weren't we winning that game, having turned it around, then went down to 10 men (Shaw was taken off wasn't he?) and they equalised in the last minute? My initial guess would be, they were leaving an awful amount of space between the lines to be exploited once we got past the initial press. And didn't we have a great oppurtunity to make it 3-1 in that game from exactly that situation?

Surely the base point should be from everyone here, and I know the ego doesn't always permit this, that the coaches know more than us, so if you think there's an issue on the pitch, they have seen it, and are trying to problem solve in a different way than you would wish maybe?
Well that's part of the problem, he lines up alongside Lindelof most weeks so we have two not so fast centre backs. Our d-line isn't very high at all, and the moments it is, it is easily exposed. We can't play as high because if we do we'd be exposed and so we drop off slightly and the result of that is It gives opposition more space to play in between our midfield and effects our ability to press from the front, which is predominantly why our press always looks shit. And you're right, Maguire in a pure foot race isnt that slow, he just sometimes has the nimbleness of a dead horse.

I covered the Sancho stuff already.....

If you can see what Ole is trying to implement than fair play to you. I personally don't however. But interpretation and all that.

In game management, again open to interpretation but when lots of people are saying it and people outside the club are saying it, there might be some truth to it. The Southampton game I remember like it was yesterday, I remember being so angry that Matic was so deep, Pogba was stuck in the middle alone and Bruno was playing as false nine basically. Southampton flood the central areas so it was very evident and very frustrating and it took a long time for a switch to be made.
And yes, if there's an issue on the pitch you would think coaches would pick it up and fix problem but surely you also know that isn't the case because how many times do you watch a game of football and see a shitshow in front of you? It should also be noted sometimes its players getting it wrong. The time when it looks to be a coaching one is when its the same one over and over again.
 

Ludens the Red

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Now you are really proving how much of a agenda-driven knowitall you are though.

Here are the systems Liverpool used in Klopp's first season:


Second season:



Third season:



Fourth season:



And finally, their title-winning last season:



As can be clearly observed, with time Klopp became more and more relying on the 433 with some games he preferred the 4231. You can pretend to be an expert by saying they are with only slight variations or whatever. But I can say the same about the 4-1-2-1-2 diamond we play and the 4-2-3-1.

What matters, however, is that every club uses different systems according to opposition and circumstances. Whether you accept that or not, neither matters nor do I care.
Very strange way of trying to prove a point, showing me evidence of Jurgen Klopp basically sticking to the same formation (or a variant of it) over the course of several seasons. Thanks. I'd like to point out for the 100th time that I did not say we or any team should use the same formation every single game.
If you think a 41212 diamond and 4231 are similar in layout than you didn't pay attention to different kind of shapes when you were in school.

Yeah? And after that goal? I don't trust you and neither should anyone else. You have been proven wrong on numerous occasions.
Proven wrong by your evidence that proved exactly I was saying? Ok. I mean ffs look at the Jurgen Klopp second season stat (his first full one) you've literally shown me a statistic that shows he used a 433 in 35/38 games. Does that qualify as chopping and changing to you? We are in Ole's third year here and I repeat, in the space of a week we used three completely different formations.

Whether we need or will need Donny van de Beek is a completely separate discussion and I don't think you or I are qualified to be the definitive judges on it.

And similarly, I don't know how many targets the club had. Neither do you. Stop pretending you know more than anyone else with an Internet connection. Mostly because people outside of the club know little to nothing.
It's more common sense that i've used as opposed to being a know it all.

Basically I've gone,
number of right wingers at United - ZERO
number of attacking midfielders at United - FOUR. I've then come to the conclusion that a right winger is probably more of a priority than an attacking midfielder.

I've also looked at the amount of games Dony van De Beek has started. It's a pretty low number, whereas the number of games this season we've started without a natural right winger is a high number. I've then looked at our past transfer activity before we were run by incompetent buffoons. I've seen that we received many rejections over the years but almost always had an alternative signing, this led us to see greats such as Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Barthez (just kidding) and Cristiano Ronaldo. I believe this is called 'good planning'. I don't know the actual number of targets the club has but I think if for a right winger the list was just Jaden Sancho than maybe the person who compiled that list should probably be fired.
 
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georgipep

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Very strange way of trying to prove a point, showing me evidence of Jurgen Klopp basically sticking to the same formation (or a variant of it) over the course of several seasons. Thanks. I'd like to point out for the 100th time that I did not say we or any team should use the same formation every single game.
If you think a 41212 diamond and 4231 are similar in layout than you didn't pay attention to different kind of shapes when you were in school.


Proven wrong by your evidence that proved exactly I was saying? Ok. I mean ffs look at the Jurgen Klopp second season stat (his first full one) you've literally shown me a statistic that shows he used a 433 in 35/38 games. Does that qualify as chopping and changing to you? We are in Ole's third year here and I repeat, in the space of a week we used three completely different formations.


It's more common sense that i've used as opposed to being a know it all.
Common sense? Where? You do not appear to know what that means.

Here is Manchester United's formation use last season (also Ole's first full season):


What's that? Please tell me how that's different from Klopp's changing system?

Basically I've gone,
number of right wingers at United - ZERO
number of attacking midfielders at United - FOUR. I've then come to the conclusion that a right winger is probably more of a priority than an attacking midfielder.

I've also looked at the amount of games Dony van De Beek has started. It's a pretty low number, whereas the number of games this season we've started without a natural right winger is a high number. I've then looked at our past transfer activity before we were run by incompetent buffoons. I've seen that we received many rejections over the years but almost always had an alternative signing, this led us to see greats such as Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Barthez (just kidding) and Cristiano Ronaldo. I believe this is called 'good planning'. I don't know the actual number of targets the club has but I think if for a right winger the list was just Jaden Sancho than maybe the person who compiled that list should probably be fired.
I guess you are counting Mata and Lingard int hat four? Or Pogba? If I need to tell you why Lingard and Mata are not part of our long-term plans and Pogba isn't anattacking midfielder that will compete with Bruno, we need to switch threads.

Sancho was not attainable. The club rightfully decided not to waste money on ANYONE. If there were other targets, they weren't attainable as well. It is as simple as that. Then the club decided to insure themselves for the future by buying two of the best talents in that position in the world.
 

Ludens the Red

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Common sense? Where? You do not appear to know what that means.

Here is Manchester United's formation use last season (also Ole's first full season):


What's that? Please tell me how that's different from Klopp's changing system?


I guess you are counting Mata and Lingard int hat four? Or Pogba? If I need to tell you why Lingard and Mata are not part of our long-term plans and Pogba isn't anattacking midfielder that will compete with Bruno, we need to switch threads.

Sancho was not attainable. The club rightfully decided not to waste money on ANYONE. If there were other targets, they weren't attainable as well. It is as simple as that. Then the club decided to insure themselves for the future by buying two of the best talents in that position in the world.
I think the problem is that you have long decided to make out that I’ve said Ole must stick to one formation at all costs. As long as you have this thought in your head we’re just going to go back and forth with this...

Oh because they’re not part of the long term future they don’t count? What kind of reasoning is that? Did we not even give both of them new contracts recently?
They all play for Manchester United and are all capable of playing in the Attacking Midifield position- fact. If Bruno/Pogba/Vdb get injured Mata and Lingard would play.

Listen to yourself, you’ve said the club rightfully decided not to spend money on anyone but then go on to say to list two players the club have signed. Two players who’ve barely kicked a ball professionally and you’ve decided are two of the best talents in the world :lol:
What kind of ridiculous mental gymnastics are you playing here ?
Im not speaking out against Diallo and Pellestri but the thought process you went through to explain that through is comical.
 

georgipep

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I think the problem is that you have long decided to make out that I’ve said Ole must stick to one formation at all costs. As long as you have this thought in your head we’re just going to go back and forth with this...
No, I don't think you've said that Ole must stick to one formation. It's that you think he is thinkering and not knowing his preferred one while there is a ton of evidence that his changes are necessitated by circumstances.

Oh because they’re not part of the long term future they don’t count? What kind of reasoning is that? Did we not even give both of them new contracts recently?
They all play for Manchester United and are all capable of playing in the Attacking Midifield position- fact. If Bruno/Pogba/Vdb get injured Mata and Lingard would play.
We can't let go of all players that do not have a future with the club. You know why? Because we will have too few players left. And we cannot buy 10-12 players in a single year too. It will cost more than the club can afford and it will disrupt the squad harmony too much.

Listen to yourself, you’ve said the club rightfully decided not to spend money on anyone but then go on to say to list two players the club have signed. Two players who’ve barely kicked a ball professionally and you’ve decided are two of the best talents in the world :lol:
What kind of ridiculous mental gymnastics are you playing here ?
Im not speaking out against Diallo and Pellestri but the thought process you went through to explain that through is comical.
Do you honestly compare the signings of teenage youth players with signing a first-team right winger?
 

Ludens the Red

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No, I don't think you've said that Ole must stick to one formation. It's that you think he is thinkering and not knowing his preferred one while there is a ton of evidence that his changes are necessitated by circumstances.


We can't let go of all players that do not have a future with the club. You know why? Because we will have too few players left. And we cannot buy 10-12 players in a single year too. It will cost more than the club can afford and it will disrupt the squad harmony too much.


Do you honestly compare the signings of teenage youth players with signing a first-team right winger?
What were the circumstances that dictated three formation changes in one week this season?

how you’re even defending this clubs atrocious transfer and squad building strategy is beyond me. I didn’t say we should let all players go at once but when you have four attacking midfielders at the club, it’s a slightly stupid idea to bring an extra one in and then keep giving new contracts to the ones you don’t feel have a future at the club.

Who’s comparing them? Why do you insist on putting words in my mouth? You made a big thing about Sancho being our only right wing target and then went on to talk about us signing two right wingers who btw cost a decent amount of money. Absolutely nothing wrong with those signings but it’s pretty fecking obvious we should have signed a more experienced one too.
But then I forgot that current day Man United are just so superior to everyone else that they can only sign their number one target, nobody else is good enough or worthy.
 

georgipep

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What were the circumstances that dictated three formation changes in one week this season?
It's called adapting. And circumstances include your opposition.

how you’re even defending this clubs atrocious transfer and squad building strategy is beyond me. I didn’t say we should let all players go at once but when you have four attacking midfielders at the club, it’s a slightly stupid idea to bring an extra one in and then keep giving new contracts to the ones you don’t feel have a future at the club.
The club is a business entity. They cannot (and should not) spend silly money just to please fans. VdB is a player that has so far been used sparingly, which is to be expected from someone coming from another league. He is not the first overseas player to take his time adapting to the Premier League. We also have a ton of CBs, I guess you are against buying a new one then?

Who’s comparing them? Why do you insist on putting words in my mouth? You made a big thing about Sancho being our only right wing target and then went on to talk about us signing two right wingers who btw cost a decent amount of money. Absolutely nothing wrong with those signings but it’s pretty fecking obvious we should have signed a more experienced one too.
But then I forgot that current day Man United are just so superior to everyone else that they can only sign their number one target, nobody else is good enough or worthy.
We should've signed ANY more experienced right winger then? If not, why do you not accept that we wanted Sancho (or someone else) who was not attainable. Simple as that.

Superior in what way? Manchester United have not competed for a major trophy in 6 years. Manchester United is not the "dream club" for a whole bunch of players. So, what does that have to do with how many targets the club has? Which, by the way, is also something you or me know NOTHING about because it is not public information.
 

city-puma

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I mean ffs :lol: , you're posting 451/433 variants with easily interchangeable players and implying these are the same as to what is going on at United. We literally had one week THIS SEASON where we played a 352, a 442 diamond and then a 433. And like I've said, their style stayed the same. Pep and Klopp didn't alter away from their footballing style even though they didn't have the success early days. I don't expect you to acknowledge this fact but it is quite important.

LITERALLY the first goal we conceded after lockdown was a result of a high defensive line and Maguire's slowness being exposed. And there's been numerous other times where Maguire has been caught high up the pitch and not been quick enough because every time it happens I receive a message from a gooner of an actual fridge. I cant be arsed to find more but its there trust me.

Borussia Dortmund told us the fee we needed to buy Sancho. We spent all summer bidding below it. We then went out and signed a player we didn't need for 45 million. If Manchester United football club cannot identify more than one suitable right winger in world football than we are fecked as a club. How many times under Fergie did we miss out on main targets and then look elsewhere? Ronaldinho/Ronaldo, Shearer/Cole, Buffon/Barthez, the list is endless. I don't know where this new phenomenon came from where only a specific and certain player is suitable for a position of requirement for Manchester United. You have chairman giving interviews on deadline day twice a year, telling you clubs have shortlists of dozens of players because you cant always bank on getting the top target. Yet I'm supposed to believe Man United have only one player they look at when they need a position covered. Gimme a break. (and if this is the case, we should look at sacking everyone in our player recruitment department)


Don't need to be patronised, our club being grossly incompetent at its handling of transfers can not be passed off as 'the real world is complicated'
I fully agree and share the similar frustration of you about the higher in the hierarchy. We have definitely systematic issues in the ownership and management structure. No doubt about it. But we are talking about Ole here and he can only do whatever he can in this system, isn’t it?
 

Bastian

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The article shows up those who don't have much insight into professional football and those who think Ole got the job due to "that goal" and he's just a PE teacher or out of his depth.

We tend to forget Ole has a team of professional coaches with years of experience and tactical analysts and to blame him alone for issues is disingenuous. Its a team effort from top to bottom.
I very much enjoyed that read. He's definitely had quite a few obstacles in his way and he's navigated some of them well. I think it misrepresents those who have/had doubts about Ole's ability to be a successful manager for United to classify them all as "Ole is a PE teacher" or "Ole has no tactics".

Reading through this analysis it positively describes how Ole has tactically navigated everything thrown at him and been hampered by external situations. Some of those obstacles, however, were self-imposed, at least partly. Player acquisition is something he was lauded for, though there have still been questions over the suitability of those he's bought for the style he wants, and the price paid. With some worrying that he doesn't have enough leverage to push the board for specific targets or positions.

The fitness aspect is interesting. At the end of the 18-19 season that's what he spoke about. That pre-season was to really change that. Here again, leverage is important. We ended up travelling to Australia for a pre-season that hardly generates so much money that a manager cannot challenge those plans. Definitely did not help with pre-season - though that is obviously a lot more on the board than it is Ole. But given a board that's not properly functional in the sporing sense, having a manager who can mitigate that is important. Pre-season money making aside, we did not look like a team that worked harder than everyone else in the 19-20 season (would love to see all kinds of data on that season, with regards to everything work rate related).

We went into that season with a thin squad - not least in midfield - and as soon as those injuries mounted, things were quite tricky. It's worth remembering that Ole rushed Pogba back for a match (think it ended up 120mins in extra time) against a lower league team in the cup. Ended up out for quite some time in the aftermath. With Rashford he was playing with a back problem, and of course, an ankle that was still not 100%, which would have ended up costing him - and us - dearly (were it not for the long break due to covid). McTominay got injured in a game where it was clear he had a problem with his knee. Played the whole game. In that period it looked as if Ole did not have the ability to manage his players' fitness and injury recovery in the slightest, and at worst, looked negligent.

For now it looks like Ole is in his best moment, getting an immediate response since dropping out of the CL (a case of tactical and in-game mistakes) and long may it continue. It doesn't mean that every question has been answered, and just like Ole is of course a manager with a great playing career and significant experience (not least at an elite club with huge pressures), he's not proven everyone wrong purely because we're in contention at the moment. It's looking positive and I'm daring to hope it continues.