Christ, if you can’t take positives from that then I don’t know how you get by
Ole Gunnar Solskjær | 2021/22 Discussion
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Just a signifier of clear progress in the right direction for those that have forgotten.
Sorry, I'll try to make it more clear.This is stated in the article:
"To get them there, United would give the illusion of a press, pushing the front four of the 4-2-3-1 all the way high, but they wouldn’t actually put on a lot of pressure. The forwards were high but leaving the midfield and defense a bit further back. This discouraged opponents from trying to play long balls in behind the press, and instead try to play through it. "
Authors observation is that the pressing of the forwards wasn't very aggressive so the opponent were able to play through into the middle third where there were then picked up by our midfield.
Author claims that this "illusion" is intentional to steer the opponent to do something we want them to do so "our trap" can work. Sounds like a great idea and a well executed plan, right?
Except this is just the impression of the author! It could very well also be that due to our mostly uncoordinated and not fully comitted forward press (no issue with that, in some games you don't have to press), teams just don't have lot of problems to play through until they get to our usually hardworking and combatitive midfielders where opposition moves then often are stopped. So the author interprets something he sees in a certain way, he depicts it as an intentional thing but doesn't give any evidence that this is "by design" and not just "how things turn out naturally".
Seeing that a lot of the things the claims in the article are somewhat backed up with some stats, this claim isn't - he merely walks on thin ice there.
Losing just four times in 30 games is certainly an achievement the team and the manager can be pretty proud of. Especially seeing as the majority of the losses stem from the beginning of the season where the effects of the bad summer break where still around.
Anyway, the tweet is actually quite witty when you take a more detailed look...
Before the matches yesterday
ManCity -- 31 matches played -- 3 losses
ManUtd -- 30 matches played -- 4 losses
After the matches yesterday
ManCity -- 32 matches played -- 4 losses
ManUtd -- 30 matches played -- 4 losses
Now there comes the tweet - "no team lost fewer than United"
That's a good move, wait for opponent to have his chance to lose before you had your own, then use a "shared first place in number of losses" to get into the limelight. It is a true statement of course but it reminds me to take these "factoids" with a very big pinch of salt. So many out there use these things to gain reactions for themselves...In the same light, somebody could make the following true statements:
"Manchester United have conceded only 5 goals less than 16th placed Brighton."
"Only 5 teams have more or equally as many draws as Manchester United."
I think your bolded part is the fundamental issue on why people complain even after a win. Of course a 2-0 win in a European competition away to a Spanish side in itself is a great result but the issues aren't the results per se but the way we obtain them over a concentrated period. Yes this season has been a slog with the amount of games played and a lot of people are using this as a reason/excuse on why our football hasn't been great but other people (myself included) are looking at Oles tenure as a whole and aren't liking what they're seeing. Of course we've had some great results but they're only masking the amount of games where we've been average to very poor.
Ole has done a relatively good job on getting us back on track but for many he's taken us as far as he can. There's nothing wrong with that thinking but for some we should go support another club because we don't think Ole is the one to consistently win us titles. He may win the odd trophy or two because contrary to popular belief we do have a very good squad but him taking us back to the top for many isn't going to happen and if I never hear again that no other manager could do better than Ole then it'll be way too soon because apparently with Ole all we need to do to get closer to winning titles is sign Sancho, Grealish, Haaland, Rice and Koundé.
Lot of projection in your post. I get by fine, thanks for your concern.
Fair dues. Played some nice stuff today.
He delivered. We were screaming for a response in the second half. This was supposed to be a nothing match for us but certain events changed things.
Credit where it’s due. Top drawer for the majority of the match today. He got things spot on.
Very encouraging.
Very encouraging.
Credit to Ole. The second half was absolutely fecking brilliant. We didn't put a foot wrong in it. Amazing reaction and actually got the subs timing bang right today.
What a game.
Handing it like that to Mourinho is special.
Handing it like that to Mourinho is special.
Do we watch re-runs of the '99 CL final? Whatever it is, its working. Well done.
Dunno what he said to the players at half time but that was a brilliant 2nd half. Come on!
Brilliand second half and a great sub bringing on Greenwood.
Feel sorry for those who can't see that we've improved.
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Not being funny but our patterns of play for the goals were outstanding, maybe having Fred and Mctominay as the platform to let Bruno and Pogba to go forward is our best side?
No idea what he did during the break but it worked. Fair play to him this second half was the best football we've probably played all season. Lovely stuff
Got it right today, deserves the credit!
Well done Ole, we played really well second half, and throughout the game limited Kanes influence well
Amazing second half, credit to the team!
Love that he finally tried out McFred + both Pogba and Bruno. Bucketloads of grit, determination, physicality and technical ability. More of that line up, please!
The timing of the Rashford -> Greenwood sub was brilliant as well.
Overall a 10/10 performance by Ole and the coaching staff. Well prepped, and mentally up for it.
Actually surprised we ended the game with 11 men on the pitch, it seemed inevitable we’d see a red card at some point.
The timing of the Rashford -> Greenwood sub was brilliant as well.
Overall a 10/10 performance by Ole and the coaching staff. Well prepped, and mentally up for it.
Actually surprised we ended the game with 11 men on the pitch, it seemed inevitable we’d see a red card at some point.
fecked up in not taking Fred off with a yellow though
Tottenham lucky to get the lead, brilliant turn-around yet again. May the moments of brilliance continue
Tottenham lucky to get the lead, brilliant turn-around yet again. May the moments of brilliance continue
Once again, he delievers. Together with the other staff that shouldnt be forgotten. We have become a side that is so hard to play against.
I hope people can see our progress some of us are talking about. More clear for every day.
I hope people can see our progress some of us are talking about. More clear for every day.
Got it spot on today. Well done Ole!
You wouldn't know it on here but a great week for us with 3 wins. Spot on again today.
Highlight of the game is when Ole did Simeone's "suck my dick" celebration after our 2nd goal. Is it too much to ask for a clip @GifLord ??
Think that's second sewn up now.
Got it totally right today. OK the first half wasn't as crisp as it could be but that second half was colossal from Ole and the team. Absolutely buzzing
He's quite simply a very good manager and I feel sorry for those who can't see this.
Patterns of play, individual brilliance, no philosophy, blah, blah, blah and all that other BS.
Whatever else you say about Ole you cannot deny that he's restored the character of this club. 28 points from losing positions this season. In the post-Fergie wilderness when we went behind, 9 times out of 10 we were beaten. Under Ole we've rediscovered our cojones. Its not quite the Ferguson era (although some will argue the zombie football is similar!) But you know its not like the dark days of Moyes and Van Gaal where you knew you may as well stop watching after going 1-0 down.
Whatever else you say about Ole you cannot deny that he's restored the character of this club. 28 points from losing positions this season. In the post-Fergie wilderness when we went behind, 9 times out of 10 we were beaten. Under Ole we've rediscovered our cojones. Its not quite the Ferguson era (although some will argue the zombie football is similar!) But you know its not like the dark days of Moyes and Van Gaal where you knew you may as well stop watching after going 1-0 down.
Five goals this week.
Happy.
Happy.
My respects to the man, the job he's doing from the mess he was given. We're in good hands.
Not everyone might like him, but you got to hand it to him, hes really quite good at making 2nd half comebacks.
I wonder what he does in the dressing room. Does he make a dramatic, inspirational speech like in sports movies, or does he give the players a proper bollocking?
I wonder what he does in the dressing room. Does he make a dramatic, inspirational speech like in sports movies, or does he give the players a proper bollocking?
Credit where credit is due. Not only was the starting 11 selection inspired but there was a lot of rotation between Bruno and Pogba which allowed them to pop up in different spots and be consistently involved in the attacking play. This is the same formation he used at Anfield and we played very well there too. Please stick with this formation and starting 11 the rest of the way!
His post match interview was spot on! He literally ripped Son to shreds and called out the VAR for the bull shit that it served us!!
So does today’s win count as individual brilliance saving him? Genuine question by the way.
What a second half, Pogba was out of this world.
What a second half, Pogba was out of this world.
Very good result
If his son went down like Son "he wouldn't get any food" - fecking classic 
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