Ole Gunnar Solskjær | 2021/22 Discussion

[rotherham_red]

I highly doubt the board was interested in bringing Ole in because he was the guy that could win trophies. They probably weren't thinking when they appointed him given that euphoric night in Paris. But if they were I'd say they gave up on instant success and saw that the club was in need of a rebuild that wasn't going to be done quickly and they saw Ole more as the man that knows what United is about and can help with the cultural reset (or whatever Ed wants to call it) rather the man that can deliver major trophies. A rebuild at that time was more of a priority than winning trophies

The problem now is that the rebuild is almost over. And trophies is now becoming the priority. So at this point we have to start asking if Ole is good enough to win major trophies for us and if he isn't which coach available can?

The rebuild isn't over though, and isn't close to being concluded. It would have been close if we had been able to purchase the players Ole needed this summer just gone, but this squad as it is, is still 60% of what was needed to complete. Even if those players were purchased, we'd still have been at least two players away from having a complete team and squad.

The gaps and holes in the squad that were there last year and the year before that, are still there now. It's to his and the squad's credit that he has improved a lot of the players he inherited, but as it should be plain to see, a lot of those players are squad players in a proper Utd team. That's not to say they are bad players by any means, but they shouldn't be starting week in and week out. We needed to improve that squad by improving the first XI but it didn't happen. Add in the fact that this team is still a year or two away from fully maturing, then I struggle to think how anyone can feel that the squad rebuild is anywhere near close to completion. I said it after the first Manchester Derby that Ole lost in 2019, this team was a minimum of two years away from being considered as a good team. Ole has done remarkably well to totally rebuild the team from those days to what we are seeing now with a minimal focus on incomings (he's essentially condensed those two years' of transition I was talking about in to one), but the players we had then and those of them who stayed on, have a certain ceiling that they will reach which isn't adequate for where we ultimately want to be

If we are somehow in a title race this year it will be largely because the rest of the league contenders have by and large shat the bed. Not necessarily because we've been amazing. And I say this as a staunch supporter of Ole.

 

[Jordielaforge]

Man alive! Football supporters are fickle. The press are a disgrace. Most of the stuff written in the press is click-bait and utter horse-s**t! But football supporters lap it up. It’s agents and pure speculation.
OGS has a vision for MUFC that could take another 2 years to get right. He would have put that vision forward from the off. He was schooled by the best. If ya look at his signings compared to the previous incumbents you HAVE to be pleased. The way I look at it, as a 51 yr old life long supporter, is like this “Does he look like a Utd player?” The answer to Olès signings is “yes”. Sancho is a United player in the making/waiting. Most of the players brought in by previous managers were not. Fellatio? Utter Shite! Add a decent right winger and a Lindelof replacement and we’re off. I love watching them now and I haven’t since SAF left. The way I see it, we are rebuilding the right way. I like what I see, but ya must see through the press and agents and all of the BS.

 

[Plymouth Red]

"We're one of the of the most consistent teams, performance wise, in the Premier League"

When I read quotes from him like this, I can’t fathom what benchmarks he is using to judge us.

SAF always praised him for his analytical skills and the attention he paid to what the opposition was doing while he was sitting on the subs bench, so he can’t be a silly fellow.

These days, however, he appears to be at worst in denial about both the team and individual players and at best he’s saying what he thinks people want to hear. Ed especially.

 

[Leftback99]

"We're one of the of the most consistent teams, performance wise, in the Premier League"

When I read quotes from him like this, I can’t fathom what benchmarks he is using to judge us.

SAF always praised him for his analytical skills and the attention he paid to what the opposition was doing while he was sitting on the subs bench, so he can’t be a silly fellow.

These days, however, he appears to be at worst in denial about both the team and individual players and at best he’s saying what he thinks people want to hear. Ed especially.

Which teams have been more consistent in 2020?

 

[tomaldinho1]

"We're one of the of the most consistent teams, performance wise, in the Premier League"

When I read quotes from him like this, I can’t fathom what benchmarks he is using to judge us.

SAF always praised him for his analytical skills and the attention he paid to what the opposition was doing while he was sitting on the subs bench, so he can’t be a silly fellow.

These days, however, he appears to be at worst in denial about both the team and individual players and at best he’s saying what he thinks people want to hear. Ed especially.

consistently inconsistent

 

[TheRedDevil2019]

"We're one of the of the most consistent teams, performance wise, in the Premier League"

When I read quotes from him like this, I can’t fathom what benchmarks he is using to judge us.

SAF always praised him for his analytical skills and the attention he paid to what the opposition was doing while he was sitting on the subs bench, so he can’t be a silly fellow.

These days, however, he appears to be at worst in denial about both the team and individual players and at best he’s saying what he thinks people want to hear. Ed especially.

Name 5 English sides more consistent than United over the last 12months?

 

[Glideman]

Which teams have been more consistent in 2020?

You’re not going to get an answer, trust me

 

[Plymouth Red]

Name 5 English sides more consistent than United over the last 12months?

This article by Chris Mayer on StatsPerform.com sets out a pretty well rounded picture regarding our unpredictability.

https://www.statsperform.com/resour...-analysing-manchester-united-under-solskjaer/

The inconsistency in the team’s performance is partly due to the same problem at an individual player level. It’s also probably an indication that the manager hasn’t been certain about his best starting eleven.

But if you just take a view from the stands, match by match, if we go in with a half time lead, are you ever really feel confident we are going to keep or increase it in the second half? I don’t think many fans do.

 

[Leftback99]

This article by Chris Mayer on StatsPerform.com sets out a pretty well rounded picture regarding our unpredictability.

https://www.statsperform.com/resour...-analysing-manchester-united-under-solskjaer/

The inconsistency in the team’s performance is partly due to the same problem at an individual player level. It’s also probably an indication that the manager hasn’t been certain about his best starting eleven.

But if you just take a view from the stands, match by match, if we go in with a half time lead, are you ever really feel confident we are going to keep or increase it in the second half? I don’t think many fans do.

We've won both PL games since that article.

Are fans of all other teams confident they will keep a half time lead at the moment?

You haven't disproved his comment that we are one of the most consistent teams. Our points this year say the complete opposite.

 

[Bilbo]

If we are somehow in a title race this year it will be largely because the rest of the league contenders have by and large shat the bed. Not necessarily because we've been amazing. And I say this as a staunch supporter of Ole.

I really disagree with this, and I hope this isn't something that catches on because even if we did the unlikely and won the thing this will be the line taken by the moaners. Rather than celebrate an immense achievement it will be 'well, nobody was really killing it. It was a weak league'.

 

[rotherham_red]

I really disagree with this, and I hope this isn't something that catches on because even if we did the unlikely and won the thing this will be the line taken by the moaners. Rather than celebrate an immense achievement it will be 'well, nobody was really killing it. It was a weak league'.

Don't get me wrong mate, it will be an achievement and it'll be a testament to the progression but even so, considering how far both Liverpool and City were ahead of us, it will undoubtedly have been a factor in any title win. We would have improved but they equally would have regressed.

 

[WR10]

Let's stop sugarcoating it. I remember back when Ole was appointed as our manager a Molde fan was answering questions on reddit. One thing that stood out to me at the time is that he said "One of the things that will drive you insane is Ole's stubburness when it comes to substitutions. He will literally refuse to put players on no matter how bad it gets. It would drive me insane just how inflexible he could be"

And 2 years later nothing has changed. It's not like this is the first game where he gets called out for not using his subs properly.

His stubborness lost us any chance of salvaging the game. It's as clear as that.

Sub Fred for VDB at half time and we would have had a totally different game.

Sure stubbornness might be one way to look at it but his decisiveness in bringing on Cavani at halftime for Southampton won us the game. For the PSG game he was just looking at the ‘South American’ players theatrics and took Fred’s side - completely not acknowledging the fact that the correct intelligent decision was to take Fred off. It’s what you would do in a U14 game and what SAF does in big games. Experience brings you emotion control

 

[VeevaVee]

“This was a step forward, only 1-0 down”

Bad joke Ole

 

[Real Name]

Quiet hehe and not rightly so. We were poor in the 1st but Ole made the right subs and changed tactics in the 2nd. It can't be that we're good cause of the players and bar cause of Ole. It's all a mutual.

 

[The United]

I believe the way he wants to set up the team in general is that he leaves both wide players further up with 2 CDM/CMs covering the flanks along with our FBs.

So, when we play with Pogba or VDB, our backline is completely exposed due to whoever plays with them, be it Tommy or Fred, has to do extra job to cover more which is not enough to prevent the other team from crossing/attacking from the flanks with lots of spaces in front of them. I think Ole should just not start Pogba in most games if he wants to prove that he can be a long term coach for United. His biggest task would be finding a good wide player and another CDM to keep his team in shape all year in this formation. Even Rio or Vidic would have struggled in first half like this one.

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

“This was a step forward, only 1-0 down”

Bad joke Ole

 

[Sylar]

“This was a step forward, only 1-0 down”

Bad joke Ole

I laughed but was waiting for a meltdown over this especially posted as a tweet without full context

Quiet hehe and not rightly so. We were poor in the 1st but Ole made the right subs and changed tactics in the 2nd. It can't be that we're good cause of the players and bar cause of Ole. It's all a mutual.

Agree with this. I was sure Pogba and martial should have come off
Though looks like Cavani picked up something

And Pogba of course gets the important equaliser

I still do wonder how we would be if the players he wanted like haaland, sancho, grealish were delivered to him

 

[Idxomer]

I think he miscalculated a bit with his lineup.

Having all three of McTominay, VDB and Cavani is never ideal when you're trying to control the game.

McTominay's partnership with Pogba never works, both end up exposing the other's flaws and we lose a lot in the process as a team.

Also didn't help that Martial uncharacteristically joined in not being able to control any ball directed at him and was way too close to the center.

The 1st half was lost before the game imo.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

I laughed but was waiting for a meltdown over this especially posted as a tweet without full context


Agree with this. I was sure Pogba and martial should have come off
Though looks like Cavani picked up something

And Pogba of course gets the important equaliser

I still do wonder how we would be if the players he wanted like haaland, sancho, grealish were delivered to him

thats £250-300m of players.

we would only have been able to get one of those, and the latter two were too expensive in any case, given the global situation.

OGS has just got on with it, whereas other managers would throw their toys out of the pram. This summer, and probably Jan are good times to be prudent.

 

[Gasolin]

Sure stubbornness might be one way to look at it but his decisiveness in bringing on Cavani at halftime for Southampton won us the game. For the PSG game he was just looking at the ‘South American’ players theatrics and took Fred’s side - completely not acknowledging the fact that the correct intelligent decision was to take Fred off. It’s what you would do in a U14 game and what SAF does in big games. Experience brings you emotion control

I vividly remember SAF not taking out Rooney even on one leg, and I am sure SAF would not take Keane out even with a blatant yellow. When a player is a bit key to your system, you don't always take him out. Why blame him for that? If Bruno, Martial and Cavani all score, it's 4:1 and at one of those goals, we take Fred out. But before, we needed to try to win the game. The focus is: we wanted to win the game.

 

[Gasolin]

I laughed but was waiting for a meltdown over this especially posted as a tweet without full context


Agree with this. I was sure Pogba and martial should have come off
Though looks like Cavani picked up something

And Pogba of course gets the important equaliser

I still do wonder how we would be if the players he wanted like haaland, sancho, grealish were delivered to him

If we had those players, our rotation would be phenomenal, and we would win even more than right now.

 

[P-Nut]

I believe the way he wants to set up the team in general is that he leaves both wide players further up with 2 CDM/CMs covering the flanks along with our FBs.

So, when we play with Pogba or VDB, our backline is completely exposed due to whoever plays with them, be it Tommy or Fred, has to do extra job to cover more which is not enough to prevent the other team from crossing/attacking from the flanks with lots of spaces in front of them. I think Ole should just not start Pogba in most games if he wants to prove that he can be a long term coach for United. His biggest task would be finding a good wide player and another CDM to keep his team in shape all year in this formation. Even Rio or Vidic would have struggled in first half like this one.

Pogba was better defensively than McT who was meant to be the more defensive of the 2.

 

[The United]

Pogba was better defensively than McT who was meant to be the more defensive of the 2.

Of course, Pogba has some odd good games here and there regarding with defensive duties but can't be reliable regularly which is the issue.

The dude conceded 3 penalties ( one being overturned by VAR) and he hardly played half of our games this season.

 

[Sylar]

thats £250-300m of players.

we would only have been able to get one of those, and the latter two were too expensive in any case, given the global situation.

OGS has just got on with it, whereas other managers would throw their toys out of the pram. This summer, and probably Jan are good times to be prudent.

Yeah that's fair. I was thinking however you do one big splurge then go two / three windows without signing
Haaland with a release clause would be a gamble but I reckon if we get those three, we wouldnt have got Cavani nor vdb
Probably save on the two young rw we signed too

If we had those players, our rotation would be phenomenal, and we would win even more than right now.

I think our squad would be a bit more balanced for a long term look
I think it would also mean maybe only a matic replacement would be required (and if we sell any players / get some freak injury)

Regardless I think we have progressed quite a bit under Ole. We are getting close to a position where we are disappointed to be losing to CL finalists (and not doing the double over them)

Ole has flaws, I do think that can be over come by certain player signings (which funnily enough, if we get the three I mentioned who apparently Ole really wanted were in a better position for this season and going forward to competing in all competitions)

 

[Andycoleno9]

Again bad match preparation which resulted with costly loss

 

[Samid]

One step forward, two steps back. Just leave please.

 

[11101]

He should be sacked tomorrow. No ifs or buts. It's 2 years now and we're still playing like that.

 

[laughtersassassin]

Criminal managing.

What the feck where those subs.

Bring Pogb on in the 30th minute and we would be through.

 

[Heinzesight]

Attack from the start we win. Ole shat himself. I said before the match if we had to win we would’ve been better off. The players also looked so weak mentally from the first minute.

 

[Harry190]

He has to go now. It's over. That was some terrible management.

 

[Nick7]

People will still defend him for some reason. “We’re moving in the right direction” or something.

 

[soapythecat]

He’s here until we can’t make top 4.
Can we change the bread to ‘sack watch’ and try and get some form of enjoyment from the torture of his management

 

[Pexbo]

I’m done.

I thank him very much for what he’s done since he’s been here, lots of highs and inevitably some lows but he’s taken this team as far as he can, any further will just cause more damage.

 

[PoTMS]

Not his fault he's not a good manager. Anyone would jump at the chance to manage the team you love and get paid £££ for the privilege. It's up to the board to sack him now.

 

[fergieisold]

I’m done.

I thank him very much for what he’s done since he’s been here, lots of highs and inevitably some lows but he’s taken this team as far as he can, any further will just cause more damage.

might be getting to that point...he has brought a lot of positives, but how much further will he take us?

 

[Sanchez7]

Starting Matic was a complete disaster. Also why did he take Telles off if he knew Shaw wasn't going to last the full game? We ended up with Brandon as left back who is our third choice.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Got a lot of things wrong today... but the Shaw/Telles/Williams thing was just odd.

3 subs on defenders...

 

[lilcurt]

might be getting to that point...he has brought a lot of positives, but how much further will he take us?

He can't take us any further at all. We all know it, some don't want to admit it.

Anyone who thinks a better manager couldn't get more out of this squad is crazy.

 

[golden_blunder]

Bizarre subs

 

[Ludens the Red]

Honestly tonight was disgraceful . Not only for feeling it necessary to use such a defensive set up against RBL but for doing it and then failing miserably by not even bothering to get the team to be compact and stay in a shape. Literally two mins in and the shape is gonna, players are out of position etc.
Was completely schooled tonight by a far superior coach with a far inferior team.