Ole Gunnar Solskjaer | W15 D2 L4

[charlenefan]

Not a lot Ole could do today, beaten by the better side and with the half time injuries just didn't have the players to cause them any problems whatsoever

 

[Judas]

Still behind Ole. Forget this result, the test for him will be how he reacts to this setback.

I'd rather lose this game than the one against Liverpool to be perfectly honest.

100% honestly.

Think we all are guilty of getting carried away before kickoff. That's not to say we weren't disappointing, we didn't show up tonight, the occasion seemed to get to us.

 

[Snafu17]

It is kneejerk to suggest that Ole is the definitive solution after 10 games in charge, but not nearly as much as suggesting he shouldn't be because he lost a game against a very good team. Give it time until the end of the season and evaluate then.

 

[Yagami]

The quality of our possession play really dropped off after the first few games. Every team in Europe is well drilled in possession and we need to catch up

It really has.

Remember the amount of passes we were playing inbetween the lines out from the back in Ole's first few games? Now, we rarely attempt them.

 

[Habs]

Thought he was poor today, Mata shouldn't have come on at half time. Also too slow in bringing Lukaku on when we went 2-0 down. Got done by Tuchel.

 

[Minimalist]

I haven't read through the comments yet but I'd be baffled by any criticism of his selection, subs, tactics or whatever.

We were just not good enough.

 

[AJ10]

This game was over once Lingard and martial went off and mata/ sanchez came on. Our play requires fast players which we lacked in the second half and psg felt no danger with slow players up front.

First loss but whats worse is that we lost 2 players due to injury, which is really bad because we have no one with any pace up front, which completely ruins our playing style.

 

[bond19821982]

This results means nothing to me and that's the reason why we shouldn't be making any calls now. Lets wrap all the big games and then see how he is doing.

Also, don't agree with the findings that he will learn eventually or will get better when we get more quality in. He needs to show his talent in these 6 months and that's it. Sorry, we do not have time to give another couple of years to see if anyone will make it.

 

[dove]

I always found it surprising how our fans, media, ex players etc are basically unanimously saying he should get a permanent job. It's very premature IMO and I hope the board haven't made any decision yet. I love what he has done so far and as everyone says he put a smile back and brought positivity. However a few bad results and smiles will go away, I don't think you can win trophies by smiling only. Tactically I am still not fully convinced by Ole, we were completely outplayed today and a few matches before even though we managed to get results. I am really keen to see how we bounce back from this because I fear it took a massive hit on our confidence and knowing our tough fixture list (especially if we lost Martian and Lingard for a while) can bring back doom and gloom very quickly.

 

[Pfmpd]

Ole didn't help much tonight, 2 nil and as it stands your pretty much knocked out the cup.

Lukaku, a 90m striker sat on the bench.

May aswell get him on and go attack heavy. Nothing to lose.

 

[PeteManic]

Muscle injuries = tension & anxiety, so they need on that with the players.

He made bad substitutions as well.

But PSG completely outclassed United.

 

[FromTheBench]

Yeah wasn't great tactically today. Even the subs weren't great.

But then injuries, referee and other didn't help either.

If Martial and Lingard are out then with Sanchez being useless and Mata slow out wide it will be a test for him.

 

[AndyJ1985]

The quality of our possession play really dropped off after the first few games. Every team in Europe is well drilled in possession and we need to catch up

To be fair all that has been knocked out of our team over the last 6 years by terribly negative managers. It's going to take time to coach this team to play football on the same level as PSG, as well as sign more players capable of playing at that level.

 

[sullydnl]

Today doesn't tell us much in and of itself but how we react probably will. If we bounce back, keep going well in the league and do better in the big games coming up then tonight's loss to a much better team isn't particularly damning.

 

[NinjaFletch]

The arguments that Ole was 'tactically outclassed' tonight are, frankly, absurd. The set up was fine, but he was fecked by an unfortunate double injury at half time and PSG took advantage before we'd got to grips with the change. The two options he bought on were, of course, not suited to doing what Lingard (in particular) had done, but he had no other options.

There's simply a gulf in quality between the two sides (even when PSG have two of their key players out injured) and they won the game because of a defensive mistake by us and a moment of quality. Both of those are areas we know we need to improve.

 

[Mister_Stubbs]

Defeat on Monday night which is bound to happen just so Chelsea can spite all those who have called them shit over the past couple of weeks and suddenly it’s not all sunshine and roses.

 

[Bojan11]

I always found it surprising how our fans, media, ex players etc are basically unanimously saying he should get a permanent job. It's very premature IMO and I hope the board haven't made any decision yet. I love what he has done so far and as everyone says he put a smile back and brought positivity. However a few bad results and smiles will go away, I don't think you can win trophies by smiling only. Tactically I am still not fully convinced by Ole, we were completely outplayed today and a few matches before even though we managed to get results. I am really keen to see how we bounce back from this because I fear it took a massive hit on our confidence and knowing our tough fixture list (especially if we lost Martian and Lingard for a while) can bring back doom and gloom very quickly.

Same here.

Away from home when we have space we can look great. But at home we struggled. Burnley, Brighton and Huddersfield we played too slow at times for my liking.

He needs to improve that ASAP.

 

[Slevs]

I don't care about this game. Now is an important time, injuries to key players and very important games coming up, what can he come up with?

 

[Kag]

The arguments that Ole was 'tactically outclassed' tonight are, frankly, absurd. The set up was fine, but he was fecked by an unfortunate double injury at half time and PSG took advantage before we'd got to grips with the change. The two options he bought on were, of course, not suited to doing what Lingard (in particular) had done, but he had no other options.

There's simply a gulf in quality between the two sides (even when PSG have two of their key players out injured) and they won the game because of a defensive mistake by us and a moment of quality. Both of those are areas we know we need to improve.

Well said. A rational post.

 

[settembrini]

We weren't great in the first half by any means but I can't really blame him for the poor result. If PSG had to replace Neymar and Cavani with Sanchez and Mata they would look rubbish too.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

No issue losing at all, the squad is clearly lacking, but hopefully we are going to wait a while yet before we offer Ole anything, not based on tonight, just common sense, surely.

 

[ash_86]

FFS stop posting OGS match stats on the Title. If people wants to know the record, they'll google it.

 

[breakout67]

What does this actually change? PSG are one of the best sides in Europe and we were always going to struggle against them. You could see the difference in quality, Mbappe miles better than Martial and Rashford, Pogba having to fight off 2 midfielders in most situations because Herrera and Matic are too ponderous in possession. Ashley Young being downright horrible except for clattering Di Maria a few times.

The former manager despite being a clown this season knows quality when he sees it and he knew that this team wasn't good enough to challenge at the highest level. Mata and Sanchez coming on killed the game for us, when Lingard and Martial are your go to men there's a problem. These aren't elite players yet they are our first options.

 

[Look-a-Hill]

He could have made any change he wanted and the narrative here would have been 'Ole made a mistake not bringing X on'; 'He should have brought X on sooner'. The idea that Lukaku is the solution is laughable. He wouldn't have gotten a sniff against Thiago Silva or Marquinhos.

 

[Leftback99]

I'm not going to criticise Ole, he's doing better than i expected with what is still a far from good enough first XI.

It's a reality check for the rest of the season because our remaining games on paper are far more difficult than the first 12 have been and there will be more defeats to come.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

This match doesn't say much about Ole, it says more about the squad. Mourinho did and said much wrong, but one thing he was absolutely spot on about is that the squad isn't good enough to challenge for top honours. What can you do with Ashley Young for example...

Ole has done brilliantly well so far, but he can only make the squad so much better than it actually is. We are a top 4 team, but not a title winning and certainly not a CL winning team. Whilst obviously I'd have loved for the Ole train to keep rolling like everyone else, this loss helps stop a potentially dangerous mindset of thinking Mourinho was a bigger problem than he actually was. We have already messed up somewhat by giving Jones a new contract.

The overall run of games coming will be a bigger indicator of where Ole is at. We need one of, if not the biggest transfer windows in our history, regardless of who is our manager come July. We also need time for coaching because we still crack under pressure when we have possession.

Pretty much this.

The caf predictably turns on Ole after his first defeat in a tough fixture in which we lost both our wingers in the first half, and where both goals were from defensive mistakes, and which the referee killed with his poor decisions. You could lay the lack of an attacking threat at his feet, but even that is mitigated by the fact that our backup options are far from CL quality.

I'd said before the Fulham game that we should assess him mid-March, and I'll stick with that. This result strengthens the argument that we are a defensive shambles, and that some members of our squad are not ready to play at the level we want them to. I was nervous as soon as I saw Bailly on the team sheet, and he was the square culprit for Mbappe's goal. Our full-backs can't defend or attack, and our attacking backups are very poor. Pereira, Sanchez, Lukaku and to an extent Mata are not good enough to play at this level.

That said, I think we lost this tie because we gave them too much respect in the first half and didn't move the ball quickly enough in attack. If we'd gone blitzkrieg on them at the beginning and got a goal or two, this game would have been very very different.

Ole has done exceptionally well to take us to top four riding a wave of confidence, I'm very interested to see how we respond to this humbling defeat.

 

[Minimalist]

Really poor subs. Not bringing on Lukaku has come to bite him in my eyes. Rashford vs Bernat was calling out for it, and Lukaku could be more physical against their three center backs.

It’s a shame with the injuries

Lukaku who can barely look like a footballer of late? Aye, it was real obvious to bring him on wasn't it?

 

[John Johnson]

I'm not going to criticise Ole, he's doing better than i expected with what is still a far from good enough first XI.

It's a reality check for the rest of the season because our remaining games on paper are far more difficult than the first 12 have been and there will be more defeats to come.

We never win at stamford bridge so the next one will be on monday

 

[Sanchez7]

We got schooled tonight but not due to the way Ole set us up. We played against a team that has been well coached for years in playing a style of football with defined patterns of play and positioning both in offence and defense. it is something we have lost since SAF retired and only time and a solid manager can restore it.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

The arguments that Ole was 'tactically outclassed' tonight are, frankly, absurd.

Lukaku should have come in for Lingard. Both are shite options, but I'd take Lukaku over Mata at right wing.
Even at the end Lukaku should have come in for Sanchez rather than Rashford.

 

[Catt]

Serious question would you guys really want Ole now? not even just on this loss but in general. United next appointment is so and I cant emphasize this enough SO important or United risk falling into Liverpool levels of shet and really falling behind the other teams in the League. Ole is a great guy and everyone loves him but is he the right choice ?

To be blunt, no. I want the club to go for someone else. I have concerns he is not up there tactically and said as much when he was appointed in desember.

 

[Acquire Me]

We need to invest in our squad for the next season. PSG could afford to have key players out, we cant. Thats the difference.

 

[el3mel]

Mata sub was a poor but the replacement was Lukaku. Can't think I can blame him much. Some of our players had shockers tonight.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

This was his first big test. The first one where a major trophy was at stake. Where does this leave OGS?

 

[#6pogba]

Lost against the better team. Can't complain. The injuries didn't help. As for Luke Shaw he got caught out 2 times before the corner that lead to there goal. He simply is not good enough

 

[AndyJ1985]

This was his first big test. The first one where a major trophy was at stake. Where does this leave OGS?

Hopefully it leaves him in Woodward's office begging to replace half our squad in the summer.

 

[Amadaeus]

Some United fans needs to take of the red tinted glasses they have. We played PSG at their weakest. This is PSG without one of the best footballer on the planet. We didn’t trouble Buffon and we looked void of any creativity in the attack. If this was City, Liverpool and to a lesser extent, Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea, they would have at least tested Buffon.

I saw Tuchel on the sideline screaming at Every misplaced passes and orchestrating how he wanted his team to play. He looked much more hungry for the victory than Ole did. After this game, I would say Tuchel has now bumped Ole from my second spot, but that may be a bit knee jerk of a reaction.

Either way, how we react in the next leg will be interesting. The playing ground will have even up with us losing Pogba and them without Neymar. Let see what type of performance Ole can showcase against PSG at their home. If Tuchel can put on such a performance at Old Trafford, we should be able to do the same at le parc des princes

 

[Dec9003]

Doesn't deserve any blame for tonight, nothing went our way and Martial+Lingard coming off killed the tie before the goals.
The idea that he was tactically outclassed is laughable, I'd love to know how we should have set up to win that match.
Bad loss, shit happens, onto Monday? Against Chelsea.

 

[Judas]

Lukaku who can barely look like a footballer of late? Aye, it was real obvious to bring him on wasn't it?

Might as well have had him in the middle instead of tossing the ball into no one. We did the same against Burnley, it was brainless football.

 

[Catt]

Now the members of Redcafe are understanding my assessment of Ole. I saw this coming and if some of our fans actually watch games rather than score line, they would have notice this as well when we played Pochettino Spurs.

Ole has now been tactical outsmarted by Tuchel and Pochettino. Tuchel were playing without two of their best attacker and we barely troubled Buffon.

Many fans jumped the bandwagon, but I stated that it is good to wait and see. Ole has done well to dominate the smaller team, but he has not passed Amadaeus test on showing such dominance against a top team. It will be an uphill battle next leg without Pogba, but if Ole can come through that, then he will definitely earn a lot of praise.

It is unfortunate now. I really wanted us to go through as we would not look so desparate when we try and go after Pochettino. Regardless, if Ole doesn’t go through, the season is still long and he still has a chance to be my number 1 choice.

I agree. The team obviously need investment but I don't think it's the right time to go with/gamble on Ole.