Since Moyes was fired we have been hearing about the "work in progress".
Under LVG i think it was true and one could actually see a playstyle, and the passing and technical ability for a number of the players improved.
Under Mourinho we all knew it was all or nothing. And most likely nothing given that his approach to football was outdated before his appointment. Players ability on the ball decreased and we were not able to play 4-5 passes without having problems controlling the ball.
OGS style of play is relient on individual moments and counter attacking. If teams does not allow us to counter and does not let PP or Martial get time on the ball, we are clueless on how to attack against a balanced defence. The players are not getting any better at handling the ball or passing. Most of our team got a passing ability closer to league 2 than the EPL. Even looking at teams like Burnley and how the average player there is able to play a ball without it being 2-3 feet of mark, on the wrong foot or the player receiving it needing an extra touch to get control of the ball... We are so far off being a technically able team in a game where being able to handle the ball has become the most important element in the game.
Every team under a new manager will be a work in progress. What do you expect? We sack a manager and appoint a new one who comes in the door with a finished article under his arm? Even more we will be a work in progress when we hire managers with completely different ideas of football. Of course, some managers build from the top, some from the bottom. Van Gaal and Solskjær wanted to build from the bottom after Moyes/Mourinho’s respecive leftovers. Then we’re even more a work in progress. This is determined by the degree of mess Moyes and Mourinho left, and the level of thoroughness, vision and ambition Van Gaal and Solskjær holds with the regard to having a holistic philosophy.
Rijkaard was willing and able to fork from the top and make superficial changes when he took over Barca. He had a degree of success because of the quality at place in the club. Guardiola wanted to build from the bottom and did. Luckily for him, he didn’t really inherit a mess from Rijkaard. And part of the build was in place at Barcelona in terms of football philosophy and players already at the club. He made them into the best team I’ve seen for a while there.
Ferguson at United took over what to us outsiders looked like a decent team at a decent club, but was in fact a mess of unprofessionalism at all levels. Thankfully, he built completely from the bottom, and thankfully he got time.
Solskjær has inherited something we all can see is a mess, at many levels. He has been implementing changes all around the club, and in the team. If one thing is certain, it is that regardless of wether it’s a success, a fiasco or something in between, it will take time.
These "young" players asked to get paid as established world class player, but want to be "understood" as "young player who's still inconsistent".
I guess the stoic conclusion would be that they are young players who are still incosistent and want to be paid as established world stars.