What the ...? He wasnt as bad as he usual is during the games against Tottenham and City but he wasnt good or important during those games either. He did nothing a better player cant do and a better player will also be able to do things Lingard wont do.
If Ole is really serious and thinks those performances are good enough and a reason to not get rid of Lingard i am joining the Ole out brigade. Not that it matters much because if he keeps playing Lingard he will make sure to get sacked himself.
Im just hoping this is just protecting one of his players but that internally he is looking for replacements.
You are out of your mind if you think a manager who's key focus is to keep his squads spirit high, is going to go out in public and criticize his player for a lack of form he and everyone knows about. Ripping Lingard a new one to the press accomplishes nothing. And you damn well know if doesn't.
The only sensible thing Ole can do is
A) point out that he's had some downs (everyone knows this),
B) point out the goods (Tottenham and City WERE good very good games from Lingard)
3) Stand behind your man, no matter the struggle. This is excellent man management. Ole's ONLY job when speaking to the press is to present a united front. He is not there to cater to your criticism train and contribute to the echo chamber. Now, you can disagree with that all you want, and even think that he shouldn't when its so obvious it's bull****, but that's what leaders do, they stand there and they have your back and take the grievances outside of the public eye.
IV) Keep any hint of squad movement strictly to the back office and avoid disrupting the cohesiveness of the squad.
Any manager who attacks his own players in public is never going to build a team that wants to fight FOR the manager, and quite frankly you want players who will go to war for you, not someone who outright hates you.
There is a real feelgood story here, not that we know that Jesse has had a legitimately shitty year, no matter how much money he earns. If he comes back from so much adversity and scores on Old Trafford again, I hope the whole stadium is buzzing for him.