Ole - The Player

[kidbob]

So this video was suggested to me on youtube and it struck me what an incredibly good player Ole was. I know that everyone here thinks of him as a legend for that goal alone but honestly what are your views on his ability as a footballer?


For me he was honestly top class and even though he was often a sub here he would have been wasted as a main striker at the likes of Spurs at that the time. I really do think his talent demanded that he belong at a top club. It's honestly hard to compare him to anyone from history because he had the talent to be a main player but was often a second choice because of pour options. Just goes to show the strength of squad we had at times I guess. Am I overrating him with that synopsis in your opinion?

 

[Devil81]

If anyone thinks he's a legend for that goal alone then they either never watched United or are in their 20s.

He scored multiple important goals and baring injuries would have no doubt gone on to score more.
The ultimate last minute goal specialist.

 

[Scholesgoals]

Oles main attributes:
Positioning and general game intelligence
Finishing - one of the best finishers I've seen.
Crossing.

Weaker aspects compared to our other strikers.
Pace
Holding up the ball
Shooting at range (although he was ok at placement from distance)

Short Passing

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Top class seems a bit much. If he was, why couldn't he be the star striker for United?

 

[led_scholes]

Him and Saha probably suffered the most from injuries. They were amazing but they couldn't do the step up to top top class players.

 

[RashyForPM]

Top class seems a bit much. If he was, why couldn't he be the star striker for United?

Because Cole, Yorke, RvN, Cantona, Rooney etc were higher in the echelon of top strikers. Pretty obvious that.

 

[Striker10]

Top class seems a bit much. If he was, why couldn't he be the star striker for United?

He was quality but we were blessed with quality forwards. His rather low key profile provably went against him somewhat. He was loyal, a team players and they are easier to keep happy even if its coming on from the bench

 

[11101]

He had fantastic positioning, movement and instinct that allowed him to get away from tired defenders late in the game. It was less effective from the start of a game when everybody is full of energy and concentration.

 

[JJ12]

Baby faced assassin

Or pigeon dick as the outers would now call him.

 

[kidbob]

Top class seems a bit much. If he was, why couldn't he be the star striker for United?

I think that's my conundrum here. He wasn't good enough to be a starter for us but surely he was too good to be a starter at a club like Spurs at the time (who were rumoured to want him). So he was clearly good enough to be here during a very successful time but also wasn't a starter. It's a strange one for me. I do think he's a better player than some of the recent strikers we've had like Lukaku but he'll never have had the stats they have because of the fact that he was a sub. It's kind of like a weird limbo for him.

 

[Lanesy]

As a 7 year old boy, I fell in love with him in his first season. I remember being at a snooker hall where my mum worked and impressing a group of lads because I said he was my favourite player and not the obvious choices like Cantona, Beckham etc.

Such a potent finisher, technically sound, very good in the build up with intricate passes and one twos in tight spaces.

One of my favourite ever goals is that one two he played with Scholes against Newcastle away when we battered them 6-2 in the 02/03 season. Such a clever goal. And the work he did to set up Scholes in the 5-3 home game against Newcastle that season.

Also, very fond memories of his partnership with Ruud in 01/02. A better defence and we could’ve had another memorable season that year IMO.

Who can forget the four goals in 10 minutes against Forest too?! Had he been a consistent starter throughout his career, I genuinely believe he would’ve smashed goal scoring records.

They don’t make them like him anymore, unfortunately. Wonderful player.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

I always remember him as coming of the bench and not a regular starter. Not as good as York Cole or even Sheringham I don't think, but still a great striker, coming of the bench to save the day!

 

[MadDogg]

He's the best pure finisher I've seen at Utd. Ruud was obviously better at getting into goal scoring positions and was a great finisher in his own right (likewise Ronaldo later on), but if the ball is somewhere around the penalty spot and I've got to bet my life on someone putting it away I'd pick Ole every time.

Hopefully Mason will be giving him some competition for that title over the coming years.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Because Cole, Yorke, RvN, Cantona, Rooney etc were higher in the echelon of top strikers. Pretty obvious that.

Pretty obvious that a player who was almost always a backup /sub while being a good footballer was not top class or incredibly good.

 

[Red_Aaron]

There was a period when he played wide for a run of games (think fergie had the arse with becks for whatever reason) and he was excellent, he had a mean cross on him and could put in the work rate of a midfielder no problem.

Ole was just meant for us and we were meant for him. He was absolutely class but I'm not necessarily sure it would've worked out for him elsewhere. Working environment can be underrated when considering a players performance but he suited saf down to the ground and we suited him.

20LEgend

 

[RashyForPM]

Pretty obvious that a player who was almost always a backup /sub while being a good footballer was not top class or incredibly good.

Thing is, he was incredibly good. You can see that from his better record in fewer minutes than certain more illustrious contemporaries. Just my opinion but he was top drawer.

 

[Garethw]

He's the best pure finisher I've seen at Utd. Ruud was obviously better at getting into goal scoring positions and was a great finisher in his own right (likewise Ronaldo later on), but if the ball is somewhere around the penalty spot and I've got to bet my life on someone putting it away I'd pick Ole every time.

Hopefully Mason will be giving him some competition for that title over the coming years.

Ruud was the best pure finisher that I’ve seen at United. Solskjaer was a great finisher, but Ruud was elite level.

 

[Greck]

If anyone thinks he's a legend for that goal alone then they either never watched United or are in their 20s.

He scored multiple important goals and baring injuries would have no doubt gone on to score more.
The ultimate last minute goal specialist.

This. Was my favourite player for a while. A player can only score so many late winners and equalisers for your team before he becomes a favourite. He wasn't starter material but was a star in his role

 

[Lay]

Brilliant player. His debut season, coming from Norway, he scored 18 goals in the league. He quickly became my favourite player.

Lets not forget when Beckham went (and during his time) Ole deputised the right hand side of midfield well, so he was more than just a poacher.

He would walk into our side now.

 

[AshRK]

If he was 20 year old younger he would be our number 1 striker right now.

 

[Rory 7]

A lot of people forget how many games he played on the right wing. He kept Beckham out of the team at one point.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Not as good as Sheringham, Cole or Yorke. Nor Ruud, Rooney, Eric, Hughes for that matter.
Better than Martial (as a centre forward) and Lukaku.

Incredible finisher, ridiculous, but never quite good enough all round to be a long term starting forward for a Fergie side. (Choccy aside but he wouldn’t have started in the proper successful Fergie sides either).
Had a cracking run playing right wing during Fergie and Becks’ fallout.

Adored him though, because he’d have started at most other clubs, such was his quality.

 

[Tom Cato]

Pretty obvious that a player who was almost always a backup /sub while being a good footballer was not top class or incredibly good.

Strange assumption to reach when you've never seen him play like fans in their 30s and older have.

 

[tomaldinho1]

He was unlucky that we became so dominant because he'd have likely started for most PL teams. You only need to look at his stats from when he arrived and was starting regularly to see his abilities.

For the younger fans who are saying he was average and a back up - backups don't score 18 PL goals in a season. If he'd have been rapid, he'd have been incredible and I think that's why he lost out in the end.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

1:40... feck me that pass from Eric

 

[andersj]

He was a regular (more than 2000 minutes) as an attacker for two PL-winning sides. Ferguson-teams. Had approx
twenty goal contribution both these seasons. He was a key player for ten years for a side that dominated english football for a decade more than any side have done since (or will for a long time).

Obviously top class.

 

[Falcow]

Top class seems a bit much. If he was, why couldn't he be the star striker for United?

Top class finisher for sure. Lacked the physical strength of someone like Ruud or Shearer but he was just as good a finisher.

Also lacked pace I guess. But the fact that he wasnt known for strength or pace shows you just how good a goal scorer he was.

 

[georgipep]

Pretty obvious that a player who was almost always a backup /sub while being a good footballer was not top class or incredibly good.

I suggest you read/watch a bit about Ole and what his managers and peers have said about him before making a complete fool of yourself...

 

[Bastian]

In my view he was a top top squad player. Nothing more, nothing less. And a true professional.

 

[Chabon]

Reposting this from when I made it during the early days of lockdown when people were ranking strikers:

And that's with him having a terrible injury record. If he'd been fit his entire time at the club he'd probably be one of our all-time leading goalscorers.

 

[spiriticon]

He turned up when you needed him to and was deadly in the box, but never a top tier class PL striker in the 90's because of the lack of physicality and pace.

If he plied his trade today he might get a lot more kudos.

 

[Garethw]

A lot of people forget how many games he played on the right wing. He kept Beckham out of the team at one point.

Only because of the Fergie vs Beckham fued.

Ole did do fantastically well on the right though.

 

[#07]

Ole was a fantastic striker, who was (in some senses) unlucky to have to compete for a spot with other strikers.

He was one of my favourites from the time he joined. At the time, I gotta be honest, I was actually a little pissed about it. At the time I wasn't Andy Cole's biggest fan shall we say. We'd been linked to Shearer and he'd gone to the barcodes. Solskjaer didn't seem like he'd make much difference. How wrong was I?! Top scorer 1996-97, a big part of another league title in a year where Cantona was for a few months in the autumn a long way of his imperious best.

For me, as a pure finisher, during Solskajer's career at United only Van Nistlerooy was in the same class. Ole was simply cold blooded in front of goal. If you needed to win a game you'd want Solskjaer on the end of that chance at the one chance at the death you knew was coming. Having him on the pitch, as either a starter or a sub, always made me feel confident.

He was badly served by getting serious injuries just when it was going to happen for him. In 2001-02 he forced his way back into the first XI and struck up a great partnership with Ruud. Then after 2002-03, just after he'd benefited from Fergie's fall out with Beckham and become an unexpectedly good option on the right of a front three, he got injured. Basically spent the next three years out.

I was so happy when he scored that goal at Charlton at the start of 2006-07. It was just great to see him back in the goals.

Had Ole been 20 years younger he'd have been starting for this Man Utd squad. None of the forwards we have today have anywhere near his awareness and positioning within the penalty area, or his ability to score. They might be better all around players but as strikers they're not even in his class.

 

[DickDastardly]

Oh my.....that pass from Scholsey at 7:26.

What a team that was.

And OLE was a magnificent player. So many vital and remarkable goals, he's more recognizable then Cole or Yorke by themselves.

Take me back to my Lego Pirates and glorious Manchester United.

 

[Jim Beam]

Best sub of all time. You will hear that compliment even from many neutral fans.

Also, he was really appreciated and well received by pretty much everyone. Which is a bit strange considering he was never a star player in our team.

 

[edcunited1878]

Scholes is a legendary player just like Ole, however because of their low key nature compared to their teammates and the fact that they didn't always start...in the case with Ole he was usually the impact sub who pretty much always gave you a goal, they get lost in the conversation.

He's a legendary player for this club. His output backs that up and his biggest moment as a player backs that up as well.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

I think that's my conundrum here. He wasn't good enough to be a starter for us but surely he was too good to be a starter at a club like Spurs at the time (who were rumoured to want him). So he was clearly good enough to be here during a very successful time but also wasn't a starter. It's a strange one for me. I do think he's a better player than some of the recent strikers we've had like Lukaku but he'll never have had the stats they have because of the fact that he was a sub. It's kind of like a weird limbo for him.

not just rumouredUnited accepted a bid from Spurs of circa £5.5m. Sir Alex told him he couldn’t guarantee he would start, and wanted him to stay, but accepted the offer as Spurs would play him as a first choice striker. We left it up to him, and he wanted to stay.

we had an incredible forward lineup. I vividly remember his debut against Blackburn.

an excellent player, who would also have had a fantastic ‘second career’ as a right winger/ inside forward if it wasn’t for injuries that cut his career short.

someone posted his goals/ min stats in the thread. I didn’t realise it was that good.

he was very much part of a brilliant squad, never world class, but you can argue that most of our strikers weren’t world class, including Cole, Sheringham, Hughes, hell even maybe Cantona as he never did it in Europe. Yorke having the best individual season of that era in 1999.

we played, and won as a team, the whole being far more than the individual parts, having said that we probably had the best midfield in the world for a time with Keane, Scholes, Beckham and Giggs.

key part in our success, and defiantly not just for that one goal.

 

[Oranges038]

Excellent finisher and ultimate team player. No point in ranking him against main strikers he wasn't that and he knew it, otherwise he would have went to Spurs when he had the chance. He knew he was loved at Utd and loved the club, that's why he stayed until the end.

Club legend, even if he only ever scored that one goal in the Champions league final he would still be one.

 

[Lay]

That same season what we did to Bayern, we did to Liverpool in the FA Cup, Yorke in the 90th and Ole in injury time to win 2-1

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Scholes is a legendary player just like Ole, however because of their low key nature compared to their teammates and the fact that they didn't always start...in the case with Ole he was usually the impact sub who pretty much always gave you a goal, they get lost in the conversation.

He's a legendary player for this club. His output backs that up and his biggest moment as a player backs that up as well.

Scholes gets lost in the conversation? Wtf.
He’s one of the most talked about former stars, and somehow is now rated even higher by most than the likes of Keane and Giggs.