Remind me again of what happened in the rematch a few weeks later when Pep adapted to what we did in the first match and Ole had no clue how to adjust the entire match. That's the definition of "tore apart"
We can agree that player recruitment has been poor, but a reminder that Ole said it was his choice to spend the budget on the players he did, and be rid of the players he wanted to be rid of with no replacements, the squad is on him. And a vastly better manager would be getting a better tune out of it.
See, in my eyes, that was an exact replica of the game prior, as good as they were in that first half, we were equally that good in the first half of the previous game. Then like them in that game, we came out in the second half, Ole had identified the tactical flaw, and we got a goal back but ultimately it was too little too late.
Listen, I'm not saying its blown my mind this season, but there has been some real positives, granted some real negatives too, but not the whole season. I genuinely don't think there's anyone out there available, who could do any better with this current squad right now, (and I mean right now, with injuries to Rashford, Pogba and McTominay) and I think fundamentally Ole has his first choice team, which, if that was available for, let's say, 90%+ of the games so far, we'd be in the top 4 without doubt, but its been nothing close to that and the issue is only that first 11 are capable of playing that style.
Recruitment wise, If you break it down, Lukaku wanted out, Sanchez has been terrible, Smalling wanted more regular football, Valencia was done, Young wanted a new opportunity, Darmian was dead wood, so all good business or unavoidable. In terms of bringing players in, from the reports I read on the BBC, It was a case of, the money is there, but the if the first choice options weren't available, did we want quick fixes, to which he declined...theres every chance of ending up with another Sanchez scenario so its understandable, right? Also, I don't think in his wildest dreams he would've imagined Pogba being out for so long, Martial out for so long, now Rashford. So wan-bissaka and Maguire were first choice, no problems there. James, I think, was intended to be a squad player but injuries have forced his hand. Other targets were mooted, nothing came through...so I get you're point, but the names were there, the board just couldn't get it over the line...and this window has highlighted that even more so. You've got Liverpool with their only target, done and dusted before the window even opens, like us when David Gill was there, then you've got us with Woodward, haggling over the price of our main target AFTER we've agreed it with a week left of the window, and with someone who is easily worth what sporting are asking, but happy to spend 30 mil maybe more on a 16 year old from Birmingham who no doubt could be unbelievable in a few years, but not right now. So where's the logic there?