I don't understand why everything has to be so polarised here between Ole in and Ole out. Both arguments have some merit.
There's no plan, no tactics/The plan is clear
Ole, McKenna and Carrick are all quite inexperienced at this level and that has shown in a few matches and substitutions. But at the same time they have outwitted some very tactically astute managers. Negating Klopp's full backs, for instance, exploiting Pep's defence and creating spaces for the forwards to run into etc. Often it's not the most brilliant of tacttics, but Wolves play on the counter alot as did SAF, so why is Ole battered as naive for it.
On the other hand though you have had some great performances, others have been unacceptable, with no intensity and seemingly no creativity. This can't be allowed to go on and Ole, if he can needs to eradicate these as soon as possible. But Liverpool aside, there's no team that has put in consistently good performances all season so Utd doesn't differ from other PL teams in that respect.
There's no coaching/Players are improving
This criticism I disagree with, again it might not be the very best, but there is definitely improvement from players. Fred, McT, Rashford, AWB, Greenwood have all improved as the season has gone on. They all seem to know what they are meant to be doing, is it the best plan? Maybe not but to say there is no coaching is just not true.
He left us with a threadbare squad/We've been unlucky with injuries
Losing Sanchez and Lukaku in the summer was definitely a hit, but both were reportedly negative influences on your squad and many people here wanted them gone. My reading of this is that Ole wanted replacements in the summer, he said they would be replaced and the Ed and Judge let him down and failed to recruit in time. In the recent window, I think you were unlucky with Haaland, the belief at OT was I think that they expected him to join. Fernandes looks a good signing, time will tell.
You've definitely been unlucky with injuries, every squad suffers from them, but losing Pogba, Martial, Rashford and McT for long periods is a massive hot that not many teams could take. Had Ole been backed in the summer properly and you'd brought in another CM and FW things would be very different - is this Ole's fault .... honestly none of us know what really goes on behind the scenes.
Sir Alex was given time why not Ole?
You can't compare the two at all, different people, different times and different circumstances. But equally it is very unfair to compare Ole's career so far with SAF's entire career. Just because SAF came good it doesn't mean that Ole will but at the same time it doesn't mean Ole will fail badly either. But Ole has managed one thing that no other manager post SAF has though and that's to truly build a sense of team and keep the dressing room on side through some appalling results, that has to be to his credit, the players obviously believe that something here is right.
Whether Ole is building something good or just not good enough is difficult to tell at the moment as not everything is going wrong, but at the same time it certainly isn't right either. I think the real argument here is, would a new manager now improve things or set things back again?
Cheers. Good post.
Personally i think its not as black and white as either side of the argument here wants to make it out to be. If i were to break down his manager abilities i would say this
Squad management/transfers
Out: Sanchez, Lukaku, Herrera, Fellaini, Darmian, Valencia, Young, Smalling, Rojo
In: Maguire, AWB, Bruno, James.
His critics lambast him for ripping up the squad and leaving us thin, which is true, he did, but imo it was a completely necessary step if we ever were to take this rebuild necessary. The squad, as painful as it would be, had to be trimmed down a bit to make room for other players. Lukaku and Herrera were good players that undoubtedly could have helped this season, but both left for reasons other than them not being good enough. The others were simply not contributing on the pitch to justify having them around.
Transfers in have been good. Yes Maguire was cost an arm and a leg but is comfortably head and shoulder above the rest of our CB's and since hes been made captain he was bought in for more than just his footballing skills. AWB is an amazing defender and a very mediocre attacker, but is still young and learning and Bruno is to early to say but he really looks like something we badly need in this team. And this is not me kissing Ole's arse, i firmly believe he did the right thing here. If can manage to rid ourselves of Sanchez and Smalling + some of the other deadwood that currently play for us. Great. I dont care if we have to promote half the U21's next season. We've been half arsing and postponing this rebuild for years now. We need a full reset from the ground up
Individual player management
Rashford has been having his best season yet and Fred looks like a completely different player. Is this down to Ole? I dont know, maybe its just Rashford developing as he would either way and Fred managing to finally settle. Williams and Greenwood have also been introduced the right way imo, but i dont know how much credit Ole should be given for their performances. Maybe they are simply good players that would have delivered under any manager? Who knows.
Individually, i dont think anyone is looking worse now than they have been. Its not like Lindgard was pulling up trees under different managers and suddenly turned bad this year. Maybe Ole is a good man manager or maybe its just circumstance, its hard to say one way or the other
Tactics/team selection
Regarding team selections i think they largely have been alright. People (understandably) moan about the likes of Lindgard and Pereira, but those two would not have played if Pogba and McTomminay were fit and Bruno had got her in the summer. I dont know much about tactics, but they are alright i guess? We have tried different formations this year with varying degrees of success, but i cant really say if they are good or bad.
Coaching
This is a big one and one of the main points against him.
We. Are. Shit at breaking down defenses and have been all year. That being said though, i know as much about top level coaching as 99% of the rest of the caf, which is the sum of zero feck all. The results speak for themselves and the fact that we look like shite in about 70% of our games is plain to see. The big question is why. If someone with actual insight and expertise could explain why we are so shit at breaking down teams that would be great.
Interviews/Press handling
I think he wants to keep his cards close to his chest, which is the right way to handle the press. One moment he says he wants more players and the next he says hes happy with what hes got. Be vague and serve them some bullshit. That being said though, some of his comments of late has been very Moyesesque and reeks of desperation. The comment about "We coming a long way because City put out their strongest XI" and "Not conceding to Wolves in x games". Just fecking dont. Maybe hes trying to stay positive but thats frankly pathetic. Not saying he should breathe fire like Jose did, but its completely fine to be displeased with going 180 minutes without scoring at OT
Conclusion: Results have been shite, we play like shite in 70% of our games. Pogba and McTomminay are maybe back after the break, so maybe we can hope for a strong run in? If we get CL next season either by 4th or EL i think he deserves to keep his place for now. If we end the season as poorly as our current form suggests, he needs to go. I dont know for how much he and his coaches are to blame, but this is a results oriented business and so far those are not good enough