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It's not lucky that we have the best shot-stopping keeper in the world; it's not luck that we have Pogba, Rashford, Martial and Lukaku getting the chances; it's not even luck that, at this point, we seem to have the best defensive organization in the league (that's down to the management team and the players' preparedness to listen to them). Even in the Spurs game almost all their "gilt edged" chances were well within de Gea's wheelhouse - either long shots or shots on the wide diagonal (a function of the defense being set up to close down the middle and force them out wide). What you see as luck I see as the characteristics of a well organized winning team. Sure there's room for improvement, there always is, but to ascribe the results to luck is to downplay the influence of the management team and the superior skills of the players.Yeah, I think we have been fortunate to win 12/15 so far. I think we have been more "lucky" than "unlucky" under Ole. I don't think you could ordinarily expect to get 15 points from Palace away, Leicester away, Fulham away, Spurs away and Newcastle away with the performances we did.
Again, you make good points. But I don't feel like I've ever seen United operate a high press in the Klopp/Pep style at any point. Perhaps I haven't been looking closely enough.Yes, I think you’re right about me finding that too reductionist. I think most managers with success to begin with try to develop one clearly defined main style, but then will find that you’ll need plan B and C to develop beyond certain limitations. I think Klopp’n’Pep are two of the most radical proponents of Plan A style football leadership around, yet both have shown in England that they have developped in order to succeed further. Klopp’s high-press direct attack football yielded many big wins and also many big losses due to leaving defence vulnerable, leading people to write him off as having no plan B as recently as last season.
Alisson and VVD have bolstered their defence, but the biggest change his how much they now vary between direct attack and possession, and between a high line and falling back at times during games.
Pep last year took the consequences of not having as totally superior ball players as he had at Barca and Bayern, and the frantic and physical around the box defending in England, to introduce a more counter attacking orientation and more focussed on getting to the line and cutting back than playing through the middle.
I think Solskjær learned at Molde, winning two leagues with possesion football (and locally very good players) but not getting results in Europe, so when he came back to a weaker and younger Molde team, he introduced a more direct attacking style that would alternate between laying low and pressing high. With this he made great strides in Europe against much superior teams, and also in the end dominating the domestic games.
He won’t uproot his kids for any old job, so I doubt you’re right about that.If United don't give him the job it will be a royal feckup by Woodward and the board because he will be managing in the PL next season, United or not.
Spot on. Spurs is the only game where I felt we were under the cosh, the other games were nowhere near as much open.Spurs is the only game where we gave up a ton of chances and should have conceded, but didn't. Lucky is if we get a ton of decisions our way, or penalties, or like that season under SAF where our top scorer was our opponent's own goals for awhile. We earned those wins with Ole.
I think we did the first few games of Ole's reign but then as we saw the fitness wasn't there and we looked knackered after 70 minutes so I think he has dropped them back a bit further and only press that high when we have the numbers in position. Might also be be wanting to get the defensive unit organised first as he said the other day that the defence was being pulled all over the place.Again, you make good points. But I don't feel like I've ever seen United operate a high press in the Klopp/Pep style at any point. Perhaps I haven't been looking closely enough.
The games I felt we were conceding more chances than we needed to were Leicester, Bournemouth and Brighton. I know Burnley did actually score 2 against us but they were literally their only chances. Since Smalling's come in we've conceded less chances and look solid. Against Palace we were missing 5 of our front 6 which meant our "defending from the front" was non-existent compared to previous games, and we really only conceded due to an individual error.Spot on. Spurs is the only game where I felt we were under the cosh, the other games were nowhere near as much open.
Actually it's probably more like the shit (and loads of it to boot) had already chunked up and spattered the fan and half pooled around the base and caked in places when he took over whilst the board initially tried to do their best to keep on adding huge glops onto it of which ole was having none of.I think it's amazing that Ole has done as well as he has yet he still has to prove himself despite setting 2 records already as a manager (most wins to start a managerial career and record for consecutive away wins), yet we are ready to just give this job to a manager from another club without a try out. If Ole doesn't get named as our permanent manager then the shit is going to hit the fan...
Only in parts of games, and more at the beginning of his reign, and more Klopp-style (sprints upfield towards ballbearer and potential recipients) than Pep-style (packing the team around ballbearer for ten seconds). We actually started with this under Mourinho against Arsenal and City last season. But I don’t think Mourinho trains his teams in a way that would make them able to sustain those kinds of exertions for long, I’m tempted to speculate he was talked into trying it more this season, but we were severely punished trying to sustain that kind of pressure against Brighton and Spurs early in the season, so it was back to Mou’s plan A.Again, you make good points. But I don't feel like I've ever seen United operate a high press in the Klopp/Pep style at any point. Perhaps I haven't been looking closely enough.
I think in addition to dialing back the pressing due to fitness issues, it also works as having sent a message: 'As you've all seen, wWe can play that way and get results. So don't try to come at us like you've been wont to do the past few years anymore. You do that and we'll just turn this back on.'I think we did the first few games of Ole's reign but then as we saw the fitness wasn't there and we looked knackered after 70 minutes so I think he has dropped them back a bit further and only press that high when we have the numbers in position. Might also be be wanting to get the defensive unit organised first as he said the other day that the defence was being pulled all over the place.
Maybe we will see it next season once they have had a proper pre season conditioning.
Good post. I guess you need a really decent sized and super fit squad to high press for a whole season.Only in parts of games, and more at the beginning of his reign, and more Klopp-style (sprints upfield towards ballbearer and potential recipients) than Pep-style (packing the team around ballbearer for ten seconds). We actually started with this under Mourinho against Arsenal and City last season. But I don’t think Mourinho trains his teams in a way that would make them able to sustain those kinds of exertions for long, I’m tempted to speculate he was talked into trying it more this season, but we were severely punished trying to sustain that kind of pressure against Brighton and Spurs early in the season, so it was back to Mou’s plan A.
I’m also guessing Solskjær and co started noticing the team was trained for a certain kind of football even before the injuries set in, as in my mind they started to ease up on the proportion of high pressing already after Newcastle.
It’ll be interesting to see how it will look after a full preseason, though. As you can tell, I’m guessing quite a bit so far ...
Thanks for posting. Enjoyed listening to thatOle went on the Men in Blazers podcast and discussed everything about taking over as manager for Man United. It's a good listen, and Rog does very well to keep the conversation interesting and flowing.
Are you trying to imply something?since which match has Ole started wearing a Suit and tie?
inddedAre you trying to imply something?
Since his first match!since which match has Ole started wearing a Suit and tie?
I may have missed that.Since his first match!
Depends on the weather and temperature, I guess.I may have missed that.
But he certainly has not been wearing a suit every match.
I imagine he'd take a job at a struggling Schalke level club and do badly tbh. Then again he could just take the job here and do amazingI was going to start a thread on this, but I’ll just ask here...
If United DON’T hire him.. Where do you think he ends up?
Surely United’s best performing manager since Ferguson doesn’t stay at Molde next season..
I can't remember a match when he hasn't. Sometimes he has a jacket over the top, and sometimes he's wearing a jumper under his suit jacket.I may have missed that.
But he certainly has not been wearing a suit every match.
or it may be wishful thinking on my partDepends on the weather and temperature, I guess.
Rooney still only putting the success down to bringing smiles to players faces i see.https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...-news/man-utd-solskjaer-wayne-rooney-15909475
Read what Rooney said about him when they were on the bench together.
This must be the show that airs on US NBC TV tomorrow at 2:30.Ole went on the Men in Blazers podcast and discussed everything about taking over as manager for Man United. It's a good listen, and Rog does very well to keep the conversation interesting and flowing.
Did you read the article?Rooney still only putting the success down to bringing smiles to players faces i see.
Rooney continued: "I remember when I was a young lad, I was on the bench, and I was sat next to Ole Gunnar, and he said to me, ‘just keep watching the strikers and the defenders and watch them, watch their movements, and keep visualising what runs you can make when you come on’."
Ole went on the Men in Blazers podcast and discussed everything about taking over as manager for Man United. It's a good listen, and Rog does very well to keep the conversation interesting and flowing.
This is very important. Let’s keep the tension till the end of the season. Also since the players loved him so much they will fight even harder to make sure he gets the job. We know this lot from these past few years and they need the determination. It’s still to early to announce anything.I reckon he's got the job. However, I don't think we should announce it yet. The press and everything will make it a distraction and right now we're in a right old battle to get top four. All concentration needs to be on our games. Let's just get through this without adding anymore unnecessary attention.
Sounds like probably a very fair assumption. I think José Mourinho, who did best with a set eleven and who contrary to popular belief knows a whole heap about what it takes for a team to perform at the top, several times has stated that certain types of playstyles is impossible to keep going in three tournaments for a whole season without heavy rotation. With very few exceptions, I think he’s very right about that. (Phew, it’s so good he’s out of the house now!).Good post. I guess you need a really decent sized and super fit squad to high press for a whole season.
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Love itIt is virtually certain Solskjaer will be given the job on a permanent basis, but United are still to confirm it.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/football/47420616?__twitter_impression=true