I'm almost aboard the give Ole the full time job train, but this does bother me a bit.
You are right that we have tended to perform better when the odds were against us (like vs Tottenham (first 'real test'. Arsenal in FA cup "Second real test (lol)", Chelsea away "We have a poor record at the Bridge" and PSG away "No team has ever won after going 2 goals down"....We have bottled games when that we went in expecting to win (the PSG home leg and the Sunday's arsenal game).
When Ole came in, there was 0 expectation for us, the season was almost written off and we played one game at a time to give us a shot at finishing in the top 4.
Now that we have clawed our way back into the fight for top 4, the pressure is on us and we have to win games vs the big teams that we are expected to win so as to qualify for next year's UCL.
I really hope that Ole is capable of leading a team that deals with these expectations and pressures, we got tired of so many false dawns and I hope my fears are proven wrong.
The only reason the odds have been against us is because the team under Mourinho was in a shocking state. Absolutely appaling.
We have 2 losses in 18 games. We have won plenty of games under Ole that we came in expecting to win. Its not the managers fault that we have gotten ourselves into a situation where a game against a top6 side has been a no expectation run.
Beating Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea away coming in as underdogs is a label that everyone just put on the team because of the lackluster performance under the previous manager. It's a made up term based on form. But besides the point, do anyone really come to Stanford Bridge and expect to win? Or hope to win? The top6 teams in the PL aren't exactly pedestrian. Sure you can count yourselves as favorites, but you won't exactly find bookies offering favorable odds for any of the t6 teams facing eachother, it's always a cointoss.
We have 2 games left against t6 teams in the season, the others are against "everyone else". its those games I expect to win. Against the t6 sides I am always happy with a draw, or avoiding a loss. Winning comes entirely as a bonus.
Ole even said something to this effect during a interview before the tottenham game or something I believe. "You always try not to lose against any of the big teams, its against the rest you take all the points".
What i will expect from the team is to not lose against a t6 side, anything other than that is icing on the cake. Against any other team I absolutely expect the team to win.
Also all this talk about top4 needs to go. The conversation should be about securing third. We have 8 games left, 6 games I expect to win, 2 games I hope to win, but ok with draw. Tottenham are collapsing badly, unless they regain form they might miss out on Europe entirely, Chelsea are on a surge and so is Arsenal. Who has the best squad to secure enough points for next season?
My ambition personally for the season is a third place finish and FA cup victory. Id be happy with that.