If you don’t understand why Ole is a gamble worth taking… you’re doing football support wrong

[The Bloody-Nine]

Pretty much everyone agrees that Woodward is incompetent when it comes to making footballing decisions. But let's support his last major one which was done on the basis that the manager in question used to play for us and smiles a lot.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

I never had a problem with Smalling leaving but the circumstances surrounding his departure didn't suit the club considering our current predicament. Is it fair to say, if he was currently at the club he'd be starting alongside Maguire.?

He might be starting but they have seen enough of Smalling and they know what he brings and what he doesn't. The season has been about laying foundations for a squad that will be contending in the near future, so with that in mind there is good reason for them to see what they have in Tuanzebe and Lindelöf in the age group that suits the rest of the core, especially as Lindelöf was coming off a very good season himself.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

He has a (MUFC) 28.6% win rate as a manager (permanent) but gets the club etc. He may be doing things the right way but that doesn't mean he's capable of turning us into challengers/top 4 material. It's our worst start to a season in over 30 years but that's seemingly fine as we will hit bumps in the road. Laughable! Any other top club and he'd be shown the door, simple as.

Ah, another one of those lets exclude the 14 games where was a caretaker to drive a point home stats.

 

[Rozay]

What do you like?

Do you think he spent the £130m wisely which inturn meant Smalling wanted to leave?

I think football is a game of small margins. I am becoming, for the first time in a while, satisfied that the players we have are playing to a level that can be considered their best. Finally, we can limit the problem simply down to some of their best not being good enough - but that is an easier problem to solve than what we have seen in recent years of good players playing poorly. I’ve never really believed our problems can just be fixed in the market before, but believe this more so now.

I think we have a good team spirit, and a developing understanding between some good young players. I can’t look at one player in our first XI currently who I can say is not playing their best. That is a massive improvement. The likes of Fred could not previously say that. Martial sporadically. Rashford sporadically. Lingard hasn’t met this standard and has been removed.

I think people will continue to moan and then be shocked as if scales falling from their eyes when all of a sudden we become a top side again. The work is already starting now.

To revisit what I said of fine margins, looking at the games individually, on another day we really should have beaten Liverpool, Wolves, Arsenal and could well have beaten Sheffield United. The table, and subsequent narrative would have been very different. Yes, I know football isn’t about what ‘could have been’, but when everything is looked at without nuance, nobody can see a wider picture. I was disappointed in the results of course, but satisfied that we are not far from winning those games. It was simply due to a lack of quality that we didn’t, and bad injuries in the West Ham game. That won’t happen for long. I see similarities to Liverpool not too long ago. Drawing loads of games. But of tweaking in certain departments turned those into wins.

cc: @Massive Spanner

 

[Nikelesh Reddy]

http://sportwitness.co.uk/dont-unde...le-worth-taking-youre-football-support-wrong/

20LEGEND reads the flag.


Legends are increasingly easier to become, but it’s hard to argue Ole Gunnar Solskjaer doesn’t hold a special place in Manchester United history.

It’s not just about that goal in 1999, there’s more to it. He came from nowhere (sorry Molde), respected the club during the times he wasn’t getting the chances he would have done elsewhere, played where told and produced often enough for his scoring record to be 126 goals in 366 matches.

And he wasn’t a star, not a ‘starry star’ at least. At a time when football celebrity was growing at a fast pace, Ole was just Ole. The baby faced assassin, or, more fairly, just a normal guy in extraordinary circumstances.

When the days of Jose Mourinho grew increasingly bitter and damaging, Solskjaer wasn’t a name in the running. Yet he was in the role quickly after the Portuguese storm left Old Trafford, and there was an immediate lift.

Perhaps anyone could have had the bounce, perhaps you could have done it, perhaps it was an almighty fluke. Arguments can, and will, be made on either side of the stance. That said, it can’t be denied that for many it felt like getting a little bit of Manchester United back.

The Glazers have been a financial drain on the club since they took over, with the soul always struggling to stay there… and even that seemed to start slipping under Mourinho. An Ole wave brought some cheer, however, there was always going to be a comedown, the Norwegian has football magic in his past but fairytales rarely see themselves out and, inevitably, the hard times came.

Embed from Getty Images

Missing out on the Champions League was a near-certainty before the change in manager, and then, Solskjaer got it to a point that the failure to qualify was a disappointment.

That was the first strike for some. And some of those were ready, waiting, to pounce. Their man Mourinho had been the answer. They’d been saying it for years, Louis van Gaal’s FA cup victory had been quickly diluted to an afterthought when the Jose circus rolled into town.

He could do no wrong for the Cult of Mourinho™, so players were thrown to the baying dogs and the journey, albeit bringing second tier trophies in the League Cup and Europa League, was a painful one.

Those who had wanted the manager for so long, and who had insisted with such effort that he’d be the man to Make Manchester United Great Again, became a social media army. Sometimes pride comes before the club you support, and this whole episode has been one of the better examples of that.

Van Goal lived his final six months at Old Trafford overshadowed by the impending arrival of the only man who could be his replacement, and, to some extent, Solskjaer is playing the role of an unwanted to stepfather to those who will now take more joy from Tottenham victories than those of their own club.

Solskjaer is mocked, as a man and as a professional. His record with the club as a player is even questioned, every bright point is met with negatives by a section, and each low point is grasped with glee as the Ole-Out brigade. With their green and gold membership cards showing how much more they care than others, they don’t fail to miss an opportunity.

Things may work out under the current manager, they may well not. Everything is a gamble, and those calling for a replacement present their choice as a sure-thing, handily ignoring all that has happened, at supposedly their club, since Sir Alex Ferguson left.

It’s the venom which grates. Sure, we can all have different opinions on football, but the enthusiastic social media mockery of a club legend, and the at times competitive nature of it, feels bizarre to many supporters.

Youth team prospects are handed the same mockery. Marcus Rashford, a 22 year old local lad who has scored 10 goals and provided four assists so far this season, is called Rashford by his own supporters much more than opposing ones.

His localness is perversely held against him by people who dismiss that as some worthless connection which shouldn’t bring any bearing when it comes to their joy or anger.

Maybe this is just social media, maybe these people just want their team to win at all costs. And that’s the thing, what are all costs?

Barcelona for years built up the idea of having a club DNA, to those outside it often appeared arrogant. Liverpool and their ‘This Means More’ campaign have done similar, positioning themselves as somewhat special among other, less worthy, football clubs.

But what of Manchester United? What even is Manchester United?

If you’re doing football support correctly then it’s a feeling, for so many it’s something which has defined a big part of their life. Whether that be because you grew up in the area, or had a family member introduce, no, force you into being fan, there are connections which will forever follow you.

Rarely, although perhaps increasingly, people choose their club. In which case if it’s purely about results then that could define support in much the same way personal connections do for others.

Maybe in that case there will always be something missing, especially if a wrong road is taken the first time expected glory isn’t granted. Should football support be almost solely related to results then there’s a hell of a lot being missed out on, the emotions and connection will be diluted and the joy can never be on the same level.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may ultimately fail, most managers do. Every manager at United since Ferguson has. But what if… what if he didn’t? What if the unlikely boss managed to bring some of that glory at some point down the road?

That would be so, so special. It would be Manchester United and all the memories and connections that brings for so many people, it would be victory on steroids, a joy which is deeper than that which can be brought by an outsider.

It would be genuine emotion with friends, loved ones and strangers who you know feel the same way as you. There’d be nothing superficial about it, not a success, or a fix, to be quickly cast aside.

A gamble worth taking for a payoff which would be, quite simply, something else.

And if you don’t get that… you’re not doing football support correctly.

Nobody has even an iota of venom towards Ole.The venom is towards Woodward and the Glazers for putting us in this position...I personally don’t think that Ole is good enough for this job(I think he”ll be gone next summer),but we can’t hate someone for not being good enough.Ole must be giving it his all every day,but he just doesn’t have the managerial acumen,talent,experience and vision to manage at this level.

Any manager who wins trophies will be fondly remembered by the supporters,former player or not.Was SAF a former United player?So I”m not desperately hoping he succeeds just because he’s a former player...I desperately wanted Moyes,LVG and Mourinho to succeed and I similarly want Ole to succeed.

I loved him as a player and I will always remember what he did for us on the pitch,but I simply will not let those hazy memories cloud me from judging him by the same standards that I”ve judged every single manager since SAF retired.He should be judged by the same benchmark that was set for Moyes,LVG and Mourinho...If there’s no CL football and/or if there’s no discernible progress in results/performances on the field,then he should be sacked come May....As simple as that....

 

[Cassidy]

Ah, another one of those lets exclude the 14 games where was a caretaker to drive a point home stats.

The stats are still poor regardless including the 14 games as caretaker

 

[TrueRed79]

Ah, another one of those lets exclude the 14 games where was a caretaker to drive a point home stats.

Yeah because it's relevant but not my problem if you can't see why it is. That article is a load of tripe anyway. Basically says if you don't believe in what he is trying to do that you are somewhat of a plastic fan in not believing he will succeed. You probably think of me that way for believing he is the wrong person in the managers chair.

 

[wolvored]

Its lovely hes an ex player who is wrote into history because of THAT goal. It will be fantastic if he can pull it off.
At the end of the day it's a results business which requires a team like Utd to be challenging for the top honours, something we havent done in 6 seasons and counting. He needs to bring in very good to wc signings and needs to get in players in jan. I'm all for giving him till the end of the season, but if were still way too inconsistent and outside the top 6, then we need to look elsewhere.

 

[matt10000]

I appreciate the sentimentality but it's best saved for a more deserving manager with the 'United pedigree'. Right now it just comes across as clinging to delusions as bad as anyone thinking Jose could "make United great again" in that failing third season. Also a bit of a close minded stance and hyperbolic about Ole's time here considering there's debate on here about Ronaldo being a United legend.

You just don't get the original post at all do you?

 

[Andycoleno9]

He doesn't have results, his game playing style is defensive, his mentality is low table club manager( adapting formation in away games against teams like SU), playing on counter attacks on Old Trafford where we should be the team which dominates, signed new contracts with deadwood( Jones, Young, Pereira, Mata), bad planning for season with going in season with shambolic midfield and short attack, after one year our general style still looks like shit. Also he says one thing and does another. He said that he likes to play attacking football with high pressing and then he buys defensive full back and slow defender who must play in deep defence. He says that we are Man Utd and we must put fear in other teams and then puts third defender against bloody Sheffield.

This guy deserves support? This guy deserved to be sacked long time ago and to say it in OP style; who is supporting guy who is ruining this club, doesn't understand what supporting your club means.

 

[wolvored]

Ah, another one of those lets exclude the 14 games where was a caretaker to drive a point home stats.

The fact he cant replicate that form under different circumstances means you have to disregard it. On that basis we should have kept VG or Mourinho as they got us into top 4 once .

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

The kind of thing that would’ve been posted on The Anfield Wrap 10 years ago and we wouldve laughed at, and spends half its length insulting other fans for not meeting the appropriate purity standards.

Nice. We’re now that club.

We’re definitely that club I’m afraid. Those who dare to criticize Ole now “don’t get football” and those who think Ole deserves to be treated by different standards to Moyes, LVG and Mourinho also tend massively overrate our players and youngsters, does it get more Anfield Wrap than that? Give it another season with OGS and we’ll be heading right into the “next year is our year la’” zone.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

The fact he cant replicate that form under different circumstances means you have to disregard it. On that basis we should have kept VG or Mourinho as they got us into top 4 once .

By different circumstances, do you mean not having key players fit because that was the last time he had that.

 

[Enigma_87]

Ah, another one of those lets exclude the 14 games where was a caretaker to drive a point home stats.

28% win rate is the form we are on since months. Regardless of those 14 games, just based on form these numbers are well enough for most clubs(even relegation ones) to boot the manager.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

The stats are still poor regardless including the 14 games as caretaker

His problem is that he set high expectations during that stretch where he had a healthy and willing squad to work with which he inevitably could not keep up. since then he has had to work with depleted teams with injuries to key players like Pogba, Martial with no adequate replacements and no wonder he's suffered for it.

 

[The Bloody-Nine]

His problem is that he set high expectations during that stretch where he had a healthy and willing squad to work with which he inevitably could not keep up. since then he has had to work with depleted teams with injuries to key players like Pogba, Martial with no adequate replacements and no wonder he's suffered for it.

Every manager in the history of football has had injuries to contend with. Yet when it's Ole, it's a huge issue.

 

[ostentatious]

For some people Manchester United is like family. You don't choose your family. If you have a son that's not very bright academically or your sister is the worst player in her team, you don't relentlessly criticise them, insult them, or offer them up for adoption so you can improve the quality of your family. You just support them and try to take pride in their efforts.

If they don't succeed relative to others, fair enough, at least you did you best and there's still good feelings and memories without toxicity.

And if they do succeed, it's magic.

Life isn't always about long-term winning it's about finding happiness. That's how some United fans see the club. You can't rely on winning for years on end, you have to learn to enjoy the club for what it is and take the rough with the smooth.

I agree with this view completely.

Your family analogy works in the sense of the vibe around the club but ultimately falls flat because in professional football, and sports in general, it's all about finding success. Go read all the statements of new signings from back when we had Fergie. "Biggest club in the world, here to win trophies, all about winning trophies, etc." Even the boss himself says it as such:

• “I tell the players that the bus is moving. This club has to progress. And the bus wouldn’t wait for them. I tell them to get on board.”
• “We had a virus that infected everyone at United. It was called winning.”
• “Once you bid farewell to discipline you say goodbye to success.”

I know he's got more from casual conversations and press conferences but was hell bent on winning all the time. That's a BIG part of the culture he established here.

The relationship between the family and the club is different from the one between the staff and the club. More often than not, a fan could not influence the direction a club takes, so trying not to concern myself with something over which I do not have much influence makes sense to me. In the case of managers (or staff, in general), they have the power to directly and immediately impact the running of the club.

As a fan, I do hope the club appoints competent staff and would be happy for the club if they win. And I cannot do anything if the club takes decisions which, to my mind, might be completely baffling or if United do not win as often as I would like them to. But in either of the cases, I would continue supporting the club, and trying to keep myself happy with any positives I see.

 

[7even]

Self-righteous bollocks.

I am capable of forming my own opinion on anything and everything and I refuse to follow blindly if I don't see something worth following.

Call it not being a true fan.

I call it being capable of critical thinking and not giving a feck if I'm not considered 'part of the gang'.

I‘m with you all the way.

The second thing is that I’m not afraid to change my mind if I’m wrong. I’m not prestigious and being wrong is part of life.

 

[RedPnutz]

Gambling could always go wrong, but you have got the supporting wrong

well said.

 

[JPRouve]

His problem is that he set high expectations during that stretch where he had a healthy and willing squad to work with which he inevitably could not keep up. since then he has had to work with depleted teams with injuries to key players like Pogba, Martial with no adequate replacements and no wonder he's suffered for it.

No his problem is that he badly managed the team during the good stretch, he played the same 11 players without giving them any sort of rest and they ended up having the same muscular injuries. We are also not particularly well organized from a tactical standpoint after 11 months.

 

[ArjenIsM3]

This is because he sold Lukaku and Smalling, both would have qualified as experienced players. He was also partly responsible for losing Herrera as well, another experienced player. Stop complaining if you consistently lose the plot.

Ugh, why do people keep saying this? Herrera said himself he was already gone by the time Ole came in and that Ole tried very hard to convince him to stay, but his mind was already made up.

 

[troylocker]

One thing is for sure, and that is that Ole needs a quality signing or two in midfield/attack to turn things around. If he doesn't get this/these signings in January, the pressure on him will just increase, and it will be very tough for him to survive until the summer. We need to give him this chance though, or we haven't given him a fair chance to succeed here. It's quite obvious that the rebuild wasn't complete with this summers signings. I actually believe in his project, and will not let go yet because of some first season trouble in an obvious rebuild state. I agree that the squad is stronger than the results so far this season, but there is more than one reason behind the results (Players, manager, board/squad-depth, injuries and luck has to share the blame). I truly believe that we will see better results with players coming back from injuries and a quality signing or two in January, and I still believe Ole could be the right man for the job. With adding more quality and depth in the summer we should be a strong top 4 team already next season and head for the next step from there. If we string a few results now and land the right signatures in January, a top 4 this season isn't out of reach either.
Please evaluate the whole picture, the state of the squad and see a little further down the road than just here and now. Balanced facts and balanced arguments sits better in a discussion than cherrypicking, exclamation marks and insults. (Except the PS!)

PS! "Supporters" wanting us to lose to get rid of a sitting manager are not supporters, they're just cnuts.

 

[simplyared]

Interesting point being put forward in the OP. Myself I'm split re having Ole at the wheel. The thought of having a utd "pedigree" as manager as opposed to the more established names is certainly more appealing and makes us more unique in that sense. However at the end of the day it's down to the managerial and leadership qualities of the man and with respect it's there where my doubts lie.
The OP which is a nice read in itself, comes to a pretty bold conclusion based on little fact and much sentimentality/nostalgi. Nice thought though!

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

No his problem is that he badly managed the team during the good stretch, he played the same 11 players without giving them any sort of rest and they ended up having the same muscular injuries. We are also not particularly well organized from a tactical standpoint after 11 months.

For the longest time everyone knew that without Pogba, there is no creativity in the squad. Since then they have let Herrera go, the only other competent CM to rely on Fred, Pereira and McTominay. Depending on who you believe, Ole sought a replacement and could not get it, one can only speculate about the reasons.

So when a player as essential as that gets injured, either due to overuse or poor luck, it is not hard to explain that the team would suffer. There are issues above Ole and sacking him to get another manager will not change that. Its only going to be the same old wine in a new packaging.

 

[sunama]

His results since Liverpool have been quite good and those that expected a quick fix are deluded. This is not a squad or team that is built around experienced heads like Chelsea (see Kante, William etc) but rather youthful essence. Literally the experience in this team comes from De Gea, Maguire and Pogba.

Ah. So you think 9th place is acceptable?
Regarding quick fixes: why is it that MUFC need to drop to mid table, for us to be "fixed", where every other previously successful club which falls down the table, gets a quick fix?
Last season Madrid were "broken". They bought players over the Summer and are now in joint 1st place.
How was Jose Mourinho (an elite level manager) able to get us to 2nd place?
Put simply, when you hire a quality manager who buys the right players, the problem can absolutely be fixed, very quickly.

The problem we have is that Woodward is trying to adjust our expectations, so that there is less pressure on him to sack Ole, who by all accounts is doing a very poor job.
Some fans have become complicit in the plan to become a mid table club and are attempting to influence other fans into also believing that 9th place is where we belong and that there is no quick fix.

BTW, regarding Ole, I was watching a youtube discussion last night and the question was asked, "which EPL club would take Ole, if he was sacked by us tomorrow?" The answer is: "none".
The question was then asked, "would a Championship team take him?" The answer was once again, "no".

We have a poor DoF (Woodward) who is charge of bringing the right players, to be managed by Ole (a League One manager) and the final outcome of this is 9th place.

Here's a quick fix plan (which apparently is impossible):
1, Relieve Woodward of his DoF duties
2, Hire a DoF and ask him to bring in a replacement manager within 2 months of arriving
3, Then hire the manager.
4, Draw up a shortlist of players to bring in the Summer. Abandon this Brexit transfer strategy, which has seen us drop to 9th place.
5, Execute the transfer plan in the Summer.
Follow these steps and we will be in the top 4 next season. No ifs. No buts.

 

[VP89]

Ah, another one of those lets exclude the 14 games where was a caretaker to drive a point home stats.

It's a valid point. Caretaker duties are different to permanent managerial ones.

 

[JPRouve]

For the longest time everyone knew that without Pogba, there is no creativity in the squad. Since then they have sold Herrera, the only other competent CM to rely on Fred, Pereira and McTominay. Depending on who you believe, Ole sought a replacement and could not get it, one can only speculate about the reasons.

So when a player as essential as that gets injured, either due to overuse or poor luck, it is not hard to explain that the team would suffer. There are issues above Ole and sacking him to get another manager will not change that. Its only going to be the same old wine in a new packaging.

Our bad form started when Pogba was in the team with 3 wins in 10 league games to close the season.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Our bad form started when Pogba was in the team with 3 wins in 10 league games to close the season.

I feel that goes with your point of overusing 11 players in a thin squad.

 

[SweetRightFoot]

Make posts that aren’t dumb.

hth

Once again fantastic insight, keen and incisive.

Let me guess, you're in the 'sack Ole' camp and hope we replace him with another world class manager like our previous two who won a minor cup each while playing tumescent football and splurging our money on aging, overpriced has-beens?

He's United through and through, we've had some fantastic results under him, a great transfer window with a clear direction and strategy and the only downside to his tenure is we've still got gash in the squad, or no cover in certain positions, leaving us prone to individual errors and slip ups against smaller clubs, especially those who play a low block. Sure you can criticize some of his tactical choices but on the other hand you have to praise the good ones, like tearing apart Chelsea or shutting out the top team in Europe.

Certainly seems like some fans on here are so jaded they can't enjoy the great moments and view every Phil Jones/Pereira/etc brainfart as a nail in Ole's coffin when in reality he's not got any other viable options.

Still yet to see any legitimate criticism of him that isn't about (having) to play Jones/Pereira/Mata/Lingard/Young, a few substitutions that didn't come off, he's too nice in interviews or the tired, constant refrain of 'He's not experienced enough!' despite the very fact that while being our manager that very criticism runs thinner and thinner every month.

Is that a dumb enough post for you mate? Or should he be getting the sack because he doesn't shout at the refs or wave his arms about on the touchline? Up to you mate but your posts are awful.

 

[Rado_N]

Once again fantastic insight, keen and incisive.

Let me guess, you're in the 'sack Ole' camp and hope we replace him with another world class manager like our previous two who won a minor cup each while playing tumescent football and splurging our money on aging, overpriced has-beens?

He's United through and through, we've had some fantastic results under him, a great transfer window with a clear direction and strategy and the only downside to his tenure is we've still got gash in the squad, or no cover in certain positions, leaving us prone to individual errors and slip ups against smaller clubs, especially those who play a low block. Sure you can criticize some of his tactical choices but on the other hand you have to praise the good ones, like tearing apart Chelsea or shutting out the top team in Europe.

Certainly seems like some fans on here are so jaded they can't enjoy the great moments and view every Phil Jones/Pereira/etc brainfart as a nail in Ole's coffin when in reality he's not got any other viable options.

Still yet to see any legitimate criticism of him that isn't about (having) to play Jones/Pereira/Mata/Lingard/Young, a few substitutions that didn't come off, he's too nice in interviews or the tired, constant refrain of 'He's not experienced enough!' despite the very fact that while being our manager that very criticism runs thinner and thinner every month.

Is that a dumb enough post for you mate? Or should he be getting the sack because he doesn't shout at the refs or wave his arms about on the touchline? Up to you mate but your posts are awful.

Yet more stupid assumptions and ignorance of reality.

Life isn’t binary, learn to accept nuance.

 

[passing-wind]

By different circumstances, do you mean not having key players fit because that was the last time he had that.

What difference does it make ? I keep hearing players were injured yet our first three games not one outfield player was injured = W1 D1 L1 that's 4 out of a possible 9 points. Injuries would have made a minimal difference to our performances because we were underperforming irrespective of absentees.

 

[Cassidy]

His problem is that he set high expectations during that stretch where he had a healthy and willing squad to work with which he inevitably could not keep up. since then he has had to work with depleted teams with injuries to key players like Pogba, Martial with no adequate replacements and no wonder he's suffered for it.

He had the same team last season during his poor spell. The problem isnt the high expectations. No one was expecting him to go on amazing winning runs this season.

He has a poor record overall, one which is worse than the squad he has

 

[Red_Beans]

No! We deserve and demand instant results forever from both players and management in every single capacity, constantly. Anything less is an insult to Manchester United. Winning every match ever is the only conceivable way of enjoying football and this can only be done by spending eye-watering amounts of money on players and staff who are at other clubs. If they've got a fancy foreign name and trendy haircut even better.

Sack Ole, sell all the youngsters and buy Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo with Mbappe on the bench. My FIFA 20 team is unstopable with them.

well said. i wonder how many will catch the sarcasm

 

[el3mel]

Once again fantastic insight, keen and incisive.

Let me guess, you're in the 'sack Ole' camp and hope we replace him with another world class manager like our previous two who won a minor cup each while playing tumescent football and splurging our money on aging, overpriced has-beens?

He's United through and through, we've had some fantastic results under him, a great transfer window with a clear direction and strategy and the only downside to his tenure is we've still got gash in the squad, or no cover in certain positions, leaving us prone to individual errors and slip ups against smaller clubs, especially those who play a low block. Sure you can criticize some of his tactical choices but on the other hand you have to praise the good ones, like tearing apart Chelsea or shutting out the top team in Europe.

Certainly seems like some fans on here are so jaded they can't enjoy the great moments and view every Phil Jones/Pereira/etc brainfart as a nail in Ole's coffin when in reality he's not got any other viable options.

Still yet to see any legitimate criticism of him that isn't about (having) to play Jones/Pereira/Mata/Lingard/Young, a few substitutions that didn't come off, he's too nice in interviews or the tired, constant refrain of 'He's not experienced enough!' despite the very fact that while being our manager that very criticism runs thinner and thinner every month.

Is that a dumb enough post for you mate? Or should he be getting the sack because he doesn't shout at the refs or wave his arms about on the touchline? Up to you mate but your posts are awful.

Probably the post with the highest level of delusion I have read since I made my account. Pure top red stuff that.

 

[JPRouve]

I feel that goes with your point of overusing 11 players in a thin squad.

The squad wasn't thin though, he chose to overuse players and not substitute them around the hour time or make one change here and there. What it also tells me is that he has next to no positive influence on the team performances, it's all about the players and their ability to create things by themselves. I'm still hopeful that he is going to finally show something but lets not pretend that he has actually showed anything.

 

[The Bloody-Nine]

A good result is having 30% possession in a home draw to Liverpool. Standards really have gone through the floor.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

The squad wasn't thin though, he chose to overuse players and not substitute them around the hour time or make one change here and there. What it also tells me is that he has next to no positive influence on the team performances, it's all about the players and there ability to create things by themselves. I'm still hopeful that he is going to finally show something but lets not pretend that he has actually showed anything.

Wouldn't you say that the team has never looked out of place against top 6 opponents under his tenure? The only occasions where they were outclassed were in the 0-2 against City and the champions league tie against Barcelona. That doesn't happen by individual talent, especially on a squad that has so little of it, it happens with tactical work and preparation, for which you have to credit the manager.

 

[JPRouve]

Wouldn't you say that the team has never looked out of place against top 6 opponents under his tenure? The only occasions where they were outclassed were in the 0-2 against City and the champions league tie against Barcelona. That doesn't happen by individual talent, especially on a squad that has so little of it, it happens with tactical work and preparation, for which you have to credit the manager.

We have a top 6 squad, we better not look out of place.

 

[passing-wind]

His results since Liverpool have been quite good and those that expected a quick fix are deluded. This is not a squad or team that is built around experienced heads like Chelsea (see Kante, William etc) but rather youthful essence. Literally the experience in this team comes from De Gea, Maguire and Pogba.

No one expects any type of fix because Solskjaer is a bang average manager. Everyone bleats on about our squad, do Leicester have the second best squad in the league ? I remember majority of posters on Redcafe highlighting that Lampard was destined for 6th due to the inadequacies in his prospective squad. The excuses are ridiculous no one can blame injuries on our results this season because we dropped points to Wolves / Palace when everyone was fit.

The overall concensus I'm getting from those who are behind Solskjaer is that in order to have us compete we simply need the best set of individuals in the league. That's just something that's not going to happen due to a range of variable circumstances.

 

[WorksforTrystero]

A big portion of the support is unfortunately not very bright. The same people who are shouting Ole out at the top of their breaths are the same people who rage in the match day forum whenever Rashford's (our best club-produced prospect since I don't know, fecking Giggs or something) touch goes bad. It is not that they don't understand how football works, they don't understand how the world works. They are more likely to use caps lock and simple language when they write, because they know deep down that their arguments count for nothing – unfortunately this makes them appear louder, and also, perhaps more powerful than those who try to remain reasonable.

Disregard the fact that Ed's words ring true when he says it seems Ole has instigated a discipline that his predecessors declined or were unable to do. That he is diligent and demands everything that they have to give from the players. We know that he gives them bollockings despite his mild-seeming demeanor. We know that he promotes youth. We know that he is trying to get rid of a lot of the players that has been widely agreed to not meet the standard that we require (Fellaini, Darmian etc) We know that he wants (WANTS) to play attacking football. We should also know, if we step back to think for two seconds, that young players are impressionable and that it is more likely to weigh on them, that insane pressure, of playing for the biggest club in England, which to make matters worse, that club has been struggling for several years. So that it is a huge club with a correspondingly huge expectation – too great for where it is at the moment. Which might make them hesitate, not follow the plan, not manage to attack when Ole wants them to, simply because the pressure gets to them and they start to play like robots.

So that we know, in effect, that he is addressing a lot of the underlying problems – he is trying to put the framework for success in place. As it was with Klopp and Fergie early on, their early work led to a oscillation in results between the sublime and the abysmal – 4 nil win against Chelsea is offset by 1 nil loss against Watford, is succeeded by becoming the only team so far this season to snatch a point or two from title-rushing Liverpool.

He seems to be doing everything right, and yet it takes time. Any place, anywhere you go, if you want to succeed you have to do the basics right. Somehow, for some reason, the success is never instantaneous.

Will he succeed? It's an open question. I think the biggest hurdle are these unmeetable expectations, perpetuated by the not-very-bright. Unfortunately their voices are very loud.

No other manager will come in and do better. Perhaps we could get in a Jose type coach to haul us to 4th or 3rd with the use of mercenaries again. But we will be back in the mire soon – he won't persist as loyally with the youth, who won't get the requisite experience, who won't as a consequence become the backbone of a future title winning side.

Even to get us to the top through the plastic route, by spending, we need a vision, we need a strategy, we need a project. But it seems the money is not there.

So we have to do it the hard way, with our youth – who the feck is better to do it that way than Solskjaer?

They say your Poch will come in and instantly make this group of players better? With Pereira and Lingard in midfield? Hah. Don't make me laugh.

And so you will say, but but, Solskjaer let Lukaku and Herrera go without bringing in replacements? Yes, but he is planning long term, he doesn't want to get in just anybody who will do a job for us two years and feck off to some mid-table club in Spain – he wants future long-serving servants, he wants to build a spine.

He is in a word, trying to institute a project.

But, silly me, I forget – you don't have time for that, do you?

Or rather, you are incapable of catching even the faintest glimpse of what is being done behind the scenes, blinded as you are, by the white gleaming sheen of the scoreboard?