If one thinks the press and social media do not feed off of this negativity, they would be wrong. Yes, the transfer window was horrible and yes, the start to the season has been horrible but this incessant negativity devoid of any perspective and patience on the Cafe and social media only perpetuates the toxic cycle. No wonder it feels as if the manager's days are numbered. The negativity is relentless!
It's been 3 games into the new league season after a non-existent break and pre-season and people are calling for Ole's head already?! The absolute state of the fanbase! Three games! One of which we won even if it was undeserved. Yes, Brighton were unlucky not to score more but United didn't exactly lie down and roll over. Don't forget United went ahead after going a goal down, and who knows maybe United would have scored their third from open play if Maupay hadn't handled the ball and instead of this gloom-and-doom all around, the fans would have been a bit more positive.
Never mind the fact that United absolutely imploded against Spurs by getting a red card and giving away absolutely schoolboy-esque 4 goals all in a space of 30 mins (and 2 more similar goals in the second half). Never mind that the defending champions with 11 men under Klopp got trounced against Aston fecking Villa, who were playing under the same manager that Ole won against last season. Never mind that City under Pep are not that far off in terms of results and performances. But Ole is the PE teacher? David Moyes managed a club the size of Everton for 11 years and finished in top 7 for 8 of those years and promptly took United down to mid-table, whereas Ole left Cardiff in a bad table position but then got United to finish third in his first full season with a depleted squad that was also probably the youngest on average in the league. But Ole is the PE teacher? There is just no nuance and some people are so quick to paint with broad brushes.
I am not saying give Solskjaer an infinite number of chances but let the team get up and running this season FFS. We have seen how well the team can play, in terms of both results and performances, when all the players are fit and have had a regular schedule. Yes, one might say having a full, fit squad and easy schedules are luxuries a top club manager may not always get but these are extraordinary times. The upcoming run of games might make things even worse. It is rare to play 3 "Top 6" sides in a span of 4 games. Yes, this might sound like yet another excuse for the manager but it's not, it's merely an acknowledgement that things have been less than ideal. At least wait till it becomes apparent that United won't finish top 4, right now it's too early.
Someone who supports the manager is accused of sentimentality and putting the man before the club whereas someone who cannot take not winning trophies year after year and throws nasty insults towards the manager is a real fan, thinking only good of the club. Seriously? Sentiment is knowing that a football club is ultimately its peoples, past and present. Solskjaer is an indelible part of Manchester United. Yes, he is far from an elite manager but at the same time he is far from a disaster at this moment. I, for one, am excited to see an ex-player, who knows what the club is all about, who "gets it", managing the club. He has the players playing for him and for the shirt (maybe except Pogba). The team is generally playing far better football than LVG and Mourinho, elite "coaches" both. United have a decent crop of young players, some of them from the Academy who take to the field every game. This is what United is about.
One might point to Liverpool and say their delusion and sentimentality cost them 30 years of title-less seasons. I'd say that's a fair point, that is entirely possible at United. After all, winning trophies is also what United is about. But it is also possible that United come out of the mess quickly and find their footing AND stay true to traditions (and sentimentality). Choosing to believe in this possibility is worth it. After all, whenever a team plays its fans choose to invest in the upside: it's the possibility that the team wins. United IS different and the United fans ARE different. Stand by the manager and the players when the going gets tough because rest assured, the owners will sack Ole the moment he misses out on top 4.
The Glazers, Woodward, Matt Judge definitely shoulder a major part of the blame and the buck stops with them, everyone knows how much they have ruined the club. Even if Woodward himself shoved the aforementioned broad brush, bristles first, up the arseholes of some of the moaning folks, they'd still find a way to turn around and call Solskjaer every name under the sun.