Ole Gunnar Solskjær | 2021/22 Discussion

[Tom Cato]

So is our rebuild just going to be a big doughnut as we just keep ignoring our CM. I mean we are targeting back up strikers when we need a first team midfielder.

The problem is what players can we actually buy in January. Any midfielder that the club has targeted might not be available. Now, who the club is going to buy is purely speculation at this point and some educated guessing as to who they are actively working on. Erling Haaland is a continious rumour. Alf Inge Haaland reportedly visited at Carrington a few days ago, OGS sent his "main" scout to Austria to get a closer look at the player. Scoring is a department we sorely need help in. If Rashford goes down, we are in more trouble than we already are.

Who can we target at CM? Probably a lot of options, but clubs are reluctant to sell in January if they have something to play for still. The Haaland transfer might consist of a loan-back deal until summer. Christian Eriksen of Tottenham might be an option if Daniel Levy wants to get something instead of nothing for him., but the player might want to see out his contract.

We are not targeting "back up strikers" as you put it. We are targeting talent that is ready now.

The club is not ignoring any position, but we are not going to blow tens of millions on second or third best options.

 

[Bobcat]

If we deserve to win all our games then why are we 10th?

Having an injury, or not finishing your chances, or creating zero shots on target while can be classed as bad luck doesnt make us deserved ti win.

Stop creating excuses for our predicament. You can argue we should be 2 position better at most down to many factors. But suggesting we DESERVE to win all our matches? Laughable

Newcastle and particularly West Ham away were shite performances, but we really deserved 9 points vs Palace, Soton and Wolves and ended up with 2 instead. Arsenal i dont really know, both teams were shite that day so a draw is fine i guess even though we did gift wrap them a goal.

10th now, 5th if we manage to win today. The league is bizarrely close this year so far where everyone is taking points from everyone so right now league standing says very little.

 

[Freak]

People can’t see the wood for the trees when it comes to managers at United.

Fundamental change was needed from the bottom up at United. There are glimpses of positivity and key Requirements the previous managers didn’t implement:-

-Selling off highly paid tripe and mercenaries

-Buying well in the transfer window (and should have been provided a guaranteed replacement for Lukaku, that’s Ed’s fault not Ole’s)

-At least attempting a high press for the first time in what must be 20 feckin years (this is fundamental for United to progress in the modern game)**

-Player improvements, McTominay, Martial, Perreira all look to have improved and kicked on under Ole.
Rashford and Martial linking up fat better than before

-Youth players introduced and both them and the existing youngsters we had in the side are doing well.
Brandon Williams, Tuenzebe, Dan James*, AWB all look excellent and well coached ready for the starting 11

-Ole has identified Martial as the first choice number 9, something people on here have been crying out for under previous management. Switching Rashford to the wing and their partnership has really kicked on.

The Ole Out brigade simply won’t acknowledge the above but imo they are big positives when rebuilding the foundation, some are fundamental for us to move forward (I.e. player acquisitions, high press, player development.)

All things considered when the spoilt people realise we have been playing with a threadbare squad, full of kids, missing key players and we still have an outside chance of top four. That matched with the above points I feel is a move in the right direction.

It’s not about league position or fan ego’s right now, it’s about getting things right and out feckin house in check so we can really start progressing back to where we want to be, the manager merry go round is the alternative...

Good post.

Football fan typically do not have patience; it's the Fifa video game era where people think real football is as easy as a video game.

 

[Mainoldo]

The problem is what players can we actually buy in January. Any midfielder that the club has targeted might not be available. Now, who the club is going to buy is purely speculation at this point and some educated guessing as to who they are actively working on. Erling Haaland is a continious rumour. Alf Inge Haaland reportedly visited at Carrington a few days ago, OGS sent his "main" scout to Austria to get a closer look at the player. Scoring is a department we sorely need help in. If Rashford goes down, we are in more trouble than we already are.

Who can we target at CM? Probably a lot of options, but clubs are reluctant to sell in January if they have something to play for still. The Haaland transfer might consist of a loan-back deal until summer. Christian Eriksen of Tottenham might be an option if Daniel Levy wants to get something instead of nothing for him., but the player might want to see out his contract.

We are not targeting "back up strikers" as you put it. We are targeting talent that is ready now.

The club is not ignoring any position, but we are not going to blow tens of millions on second or third best options.

Okay. But you’re not actually making sense. If we can identify a forward we can do the same to identify a midfielder. There’s not one position more harder than the other. I mean you identify Haland who you said is not a back up but then also said we might be able to get him if we offer to loan him back. What the hell would be the point in that. Just means we are in the same position with a lower bank balance. Loan him back to train and play a Europa league game? There season starts in March.

 

[Mainoldo]

Good post.

Football fan typically do not have patience; it's the Fifa video game era where people think real football is as easy as a video game.

Patience for what. Im not 11 years old this is not me waiting for my shares to mature. People are here acting like we should take three years of pain to be successful in 6. Mate you might not even be alive to see it.

Ed out here talking about fans in the 80’s will understand what’s going on here. Well the majority of those fans are 33 plus years older. So United just cater for the OHP’s now.

 

[ScarleyUtd]

You don't seriously think that this segment (I have no idea how many belonging to this, in many ways, remarkable category post on the Caf) make out the majority of the "Ole in" fans?

I mean, the idea is stunning in itself: a new segment of United fans, who have started supporting the club post-Fergie, and who are perfectly fine with us being a bit shite (because that's the standard now). I'm sorry if I have misunderstood your point here, but as I take it that makes very little sense. What attracted this odd crew in the first place? Noodle sponsorships?

I think this is the whole problem in a nutshell. Most of these new fans have no interest or insight into what has gone before at the club and therefore no perspective. Pointless arguing with them.

 

[Tarrou]

Spot on. I have been a fan since the 60s and even when we where in the old 2nd division none of us accepted that was where we belong. We always believed that we were among the biggest in the world and we should be on top of the 1st division. The fact we did not is a different story. We may have been yo yo ing up and down the table but on our day we could beat anyone. But now it is the other way about. We are liable to get beaten by anyone. We always scored goals and it was the defence we seem to have problems then. No club would think that they could play against us and it is a sure win. Now all the clubs would play against us and think they can beat us.
We had top Managers though some of them failed. Doc was a top class manager, so was Sexton( it is another story that he was boring and if my memory serves me right when he was sacked we were either 2nd or 3rd. So was big Ron.
Now it seems that 10th place is perfectly fine for some fans.
Why is it that ordinary players like Tielemans, Söyüncü and them are playing so well like world class players? If they were that good why did we not buy them? Both of them combined was about 64 million only.

I don't know any fans fine with 10th long term. Just some fans willing to accept some inconsistency during a rebuild.

You can bet anything if we're 10th next season with no sign of progress, almost everyone will be unhappy.

 

[KennyBurner]

His biggest positive have been his transfers. All three have turned out good (early judgement bur dont care) and know how to perform the basic duties very well. If he can keep this up I would give him more time to improve on his tactical management. He needs to recruit in January if he wants to succeed. He doesnt have enough quality players to remain consistent.

 

[Mainoldo]

I don't know any fans fine with 10th long term. Just some fans willing to accept some inconsistency during a rebuild.

You can bet anything if we're 10th next season with no sign of progress, almost everyone will be unhappy.

Not if Ole’s in charge.

 

[Mainoldo]

I think this is the whole problem in a nutshell. Most of these new fans have no interest or insight into what has gone before at the club and therefore no perspective. Pointless arguing with them.

What’s a ‘new’ fan?

 

[wolvored]

New fans will only be around Manchester. I dont think any little kid without a family member supporting utd will support utd. To a 10 year old or less all they will be aware of is city liverpool chelsea and liecester winning the league if you take 5 as a year a kid is aware of football. I live on the outskirts of Wolverhampton. We have kids in our street and I havent seen a utd shirt for ages. 10 20 years ago you would have seen quite a few.

 

[Giggsyking]

How can a manager of a small club enter a tournament without a midfield? I can bring thousands of messages from the forum saying we will struggle in the midfield. When football forums knows our problem but not our manager, this manager then does not deserve to manage the biggest club in the world.
Today, he wins and buy himself another week in the job or he loses and get sacked on site.

 

[Wumminator]

I dont think any little kid without a family member supporting utd will support utd. To a 10 year old or less all they will be aware of is city liverpool chelsea and liecester winning the league if you take 5 as a year a kid is aware of football. I live on the outskirts of Wolverhampton. We have kids in our street and I havent seen a utd shirt for ages. 10 20 years ago you would have seen quite a few.

Why would anyone who doesn’t have a United supporting family support United anyway? Why would you expect to see that?

 

[Wumminator]

How can a manager of a small club enter a tournament without a midfield? I can bring thousands of messages from the forum saying we will struggle in the midfield. When football forums knows our problem but not our manager, this manager then does not deserve to manage the biggest club in the world.
Today, he wins and buy himself another week in the job or he loses and get sacked on site.

Is Pep also a bad manager for not investing in centre backs?

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Good post.

Football fan typically do not have patience; it's the Fifa video game era where people think real football is as easy as a video game.

I think it's easier for fans to have patience if the manager has true pedigree. The problem is, that allowing a rookie Premier League manager to implement fundamental change from the bottom up at a club like Manchester United is a frightening prospect.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Is Pep also a bad manager for not investing in centre backs?

Pep has spent like half a billion on CB's.

 

[Mainoldo]

New fans will only be around Manchester. I dont think any little kid without a family member supporting utd will support utd. To a 10 year old or less all they will be aware of is city liverpool chelsea and liecester winning the league if you take 5 as a year a kid is aware of football. I live on the outskirts of Wolverhampton. We have kids in our street and I havent seen a utd shirt for ages. 10 20 years ago you would have seen quite a few.

Okay... so it's the little 10 year olds to 5 year olds that have no patients. Damn kids!! Need to pick a book.

 

[Wumminator]

Pep has spent like half a billion on CB's.

And he’s playing Fernandinho there.

Does that make him a bad manager?

 

[DoomSlayer]

Why would anyone who doesn’t have a United supporting family support United anyway? Why would you expect to see that?

I was one of those kids, to be honest.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

And he’s playing Fernandinho there.

Does that make him a bad manager?

His team are currently 2nd after winning two successive Premier League titles and breaking the points record along the way.

 

[Wumminator]

His team are currently 2nd after winning two successive Premier League titles and breaking the points record along the way.

Ok. But that has nothing to do with the post I responded to.

The post said that Ole was a bad manager for not having more depth in midfield. I said well I guess Pep is bad for not having depth in defence.

The logic doesn’t follow at all. We don’t have a midfield because Pogba and McTominay are injured. Ole had funds and spent them where we needed them. We were hoping Pogba/Scott/Fred/Matic/Perreira/Lingard would be enough for three positions.

 

[Tarrou]

Not if Ole’s in charge.

Who is happy with mid table long term? I’d be surprised if you found one poster

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Ok. But that has nothing to do with the post I responded to.

The post said that Ole was a bad manager for not having more depth in midfield. I said well I guess Pep is bad for not having depth in defence.

The logic doesn’t follow at all. We don’t have a midfield because Pogba and McTominay are injured. Ole had funds and spent them where we needed them. We were hoping Pogba/Scott/Fred/Matic/Perreira/Lingard would be enough for three positions.

No Twiggs, the logic doesn't follow that a guy with 2 successive Premier League titles to his name and 12 points ahead of OGS in the league is a bad manager.... ever.

OGS however, might just be that. City have an issue at CB, but they'll still finish 2nd at worst, we might well finish 10th. The jury is massively still out on our manager, it certainly isn't for Pep Guardiola.

 

[Mainoldo]

Who is happy with mid table long term? I’d be surprised if you found one poster

With been relegation form since March. I see alot of happy posters. Don't be fooled. If we have a summer of failed targets, there will just be excuses and acceptance of Mid Table. Ole will not get blamed, he just about gets blamed now.

 

[Giggsyking]

Is Pep also a bad manager for not investing in centre backs?

When Ole wins the league despite most of his midfield injured like last year. Then Ole has the right to do what ever he wants. But if Ole relegate teams and at the moment have united 11 points behind the 4th place, at that time he should respect himself and quit the job that he is not qualified for.

 

[Tarrou]

With been relegation form since March. I see alot of happy posters. Don't be fooled. If we have a summer of failed targets, there will just be excuses and acceptance of Mid Table. Ole will not get blamed, he just about gets blamed now.

You are avoiding the point though. They are not happy with mid table long term, are they?

Whether they believe it’s not Ole’s fault or he’ll turn it around, whether you think that is incorrect or not, the point remains they do not want mid table for this club.

 

[Wumminator]

No Twiggs, the logic doesn't follow that a guy with 2 successive Premier League titles to his name and 12 points ahead of OGS in the league is a bad manager.... ever.

OGS however, might just be that. City have an issue at CB, but they'll still finish 2nd at worst, we might well finish 10th. The jury is massively still out on our manager, it certainly isn't for Pep Guardiola.

RAB, I completely get that some posters don’t think Ole’s good enough. I get that. I just don’t like when he gets shit on for invalid points. We could easily have not got Maguire in and got a midfielder and had a defence this year of Lindelof and Rojo with similar results.

Obviously Pep is a good manager. Ole was unfortunate with his midfield gamble, that is all.

 

[Mainoldo]

You are avoiding the point though. They are not happy with mid table long term, are they?

Whether they believe it’s not Ole’s fault or he’ll turn it around, whether you think that is incorrect or not, the point remains they do not want mid table for this club.

They are. We are mid table and everyone is blaming externals. It's not an Emery like revolt. People are 'happy' to give him time.

 

[Keefy18]

So is our rebuild just going to be a big doughnut as we just keep ignoring our CM. I mean we are targeting back up strikers when we need a first team midfielder.

Who says we are ignoring it?

With Herrera going its afforded McTominay to take his spot and he's having as good a season as any of our holding mids have had since the days of Carrick. I'm sure they will expect Garner to also step up, but they will likely move Matic on and replace him.

A midfield quartet of McTominay, Garner, Fred and a new signing for those 2 holding mid spots would be fine. We need more creativity to compliment Pogba or likely replace him too.

Folks ignore just how big a rebuild job is needed here at the club and it's going to take time regardless of the name on the managers door.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Obviously Pep is a good manager. Ole was unfortunate with his midfield gamble, that is all.

In my personal opinion, the only unfortunate thing was starting the season with Pogba and McTom as deep lying midfielders and Andreas as a number 10 when the obvious thing has always been McTom & Fred with Pogba at 10.

So that above is shite managing in my opinion and he didn't need to buy anyone in order to still put out a decent midfield.

 

[Giggsyking]

Some fans are just happy with mediocrity. But please don't drag the team with you. United is supported by 600 million around the world and the vast majority want the manager out.

 

[Mainoldo]

Who says we are ignoring it?

With Herrera going its afforded McTominay to take his spot and he's having as good a season as any of our holding mids have had since the days of Carrick. I'm sure they will expect Garner to also step up, but they will likely move Matic on and replace him.

A midfield quartet of McTominay, Garner, Fred and a new signing for those 2 holding mid spots would be fine. We need more creativity to compliment Pogba or likely replace him too.

Folks ignore just how big a rebuild job is needed here at the club and it's going to take time regardless of the name on the managers door.

He's ignoring it because you've just said we need 2 midfielders. Holding and a Pogba replacement but yet we got non. So it was ignored.

 

[Keefy18]

Some fans are just happy with mediocrity. But please don't drag the team with you. United is supported by 600 million around the world and the vast majority want the manager out.

Do they?

Everywhere I look on any forum or in my own circle of friends its about 50/50.

Don't think its true at all to say the majority want rid of Ole.

 

[Wumminator]

In my personal opinion, the only unfortunate thing was starting the season with Pogba and McTom as deep lying midfielders and Andreas as a number 10 when the obvious thing has always been McTom & Fred with Pogba at 10.

So that above is shite managing in my opinion and he didn't need to buy anyone in order to still put out a decent midfield.

Were there any games when we played Pogba/McTom and Andreas and we didn't look good?

Wasn't Fred not fit at the start of the season?

 

[Keefy18]

He's ignoring it because you've just said we need 2 midfielders. Holding and a Pogba replacement but yet we got non. So it was ignored.

That isn't ignored, that's simply not being able to address all key issues immediately.

Which the FIFA generation supporting twats around today can't comprehend.

Pep needed and still badly needs a CB...

Did he ignore that need? Does it make him a failure? Should he be sacked for it?

 

[Tarrou]

They are. We are mid table and everyone is blaming externals. It's not an Emery like revolt. People are 'happy' to give him time.

Jaysus, can you be any more obtuse about this?

Being happy to give him time is obviously a different thing.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Some fans are just happy with mediocrity. But please don't drag the team with you. United is supported by 600 million around the world and the vast majority want the manager out.

Most of them also wanted Fergie out when United failed to a win a league title on the odd season when Arsenal were flying and Chelsea bought everyone in the early 00s.

 

[Freak]

I think it's easier for fans to have patience if the manager has true pedigree. The problem is, that allowing a rookie Premier League manager to implement fundamental change from the bottom up at a club like Manchester United is a frightening prospect.

LVG and Mourinho had true pedigree.

 

[Keefy18]

The reality is this, our defense was a massive concern going into this season and we badly needed quality across the back line.

For all the Joseites in here and across our "supporter" base they cried, bitched and moaned about him not getting Maguire last summer. We got him and we added AWB as well at RB to cover the soon to be retired / sold Young.

He's rebuilding the team from the back, if folks just calmed the feckin jets and afforded him another transfer window or two I'll say matter of fact the club will invest in a CM and another attacking / CF player.

Slowly adding a spine to the team with long term in mind.

 

[Giggsyking]

Do they?

Everywhere I look on any forum or in my own circle of friends its about 50/50.

Don't think its true at all to say the majority want rid of Ole.

In my united circle not a single one want Ole at the job, including my father that supports united since 1962 who I never thought will ever give up on Ole. I know Ole still get some support on mostly english united fans forums like the Caf. But I write on an arabic forum and only 1 of 10 wants him at the job. I dont have official statistics but many websites and known twitter accounts did poles on him and the majority wanted him out.