Ole Gunnar Solskjær | 2021/22 Discussion

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He'sRaldo said:
I'd have Pogba, Matic, and Martial as creative outlets before Lingard or Pereira. I always thought it was odd that one of those two always started in front of Pogba, especially after Pogba had that really good form as the furthest forward in a midfield 3.

After Pogba got injured, I'd sooner have Fred and Scott on either side of Matic getting forward and overloading the box on crosses, than have Lingard or Pereira there doing nothing. Martial as false 9 coming deeper, Matic as a deep playmaker, with legs in Scott and Fred. At least 4 players in the box every time a cross or cutback comes in.

Tbh, I'd do a lot of things before relying on those two to be the creative outlets for half a season. It doesn't make sense to me to rely on some of the least technical and/or composed players for that. But then again this is just me being an armchair manager.
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Pogba has been injured Most of the season, Matic is hardly what you’d class as a creative player, Martial has consistently blown hot and cold up until recently when he’s been more a focal point of the attack. As stated by a poster above, you’re just going to load our midfield into the oppositions box and expect the ball to get there?

Then again armchair managers always know best, as proven never.
 
SirScholes said:
I know I’m jumping in half way but all I see in this is more players in the box which isn’t fixing the creative aspect, who is crossing the ball? Who is playing the killer pass? We don’t have any decent wingers, we have strikers that we’ve played out wide for too long.

Pogba matic martial were being rested, this was a chance for others to come in and prove a point.

I think today just showed that we have few great players but there is finally some grit in this team
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Oh yeah I was talking more about relying on Lingard/Pereira for the past few months in general, not just the last game.

For this game it was inevitable that the backups played. I just don't think we're scoring a goal with them on the pitch so I'd prefer if we rest the good players after a goal or two in the first half instead of the other way around. But we got the win so it worked out in the end.
 
Zen86 said:
Pogba has been injured Most of the season, Matic is hardly what you’d class as a creative player, Martial has consistently blown hot and cold up until recently when he’s been more a focal point of the attack. As stated by a poster above, you’re just going to load our midfield into the oppositions box and expect the ball to get there?

Then again armchair managers always know best, as proven never.
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Even when Pogba wasn't injured he played behind Lingard. That's part of what confused me, I expected Ole to use Pogba as the creative outlet since we couldn't get a decent AM and he displayed red hot form in that role previously.

In any case, the main point is less that I know best, and more that there was most likely a better person or system to rely on creatively in the squad available at the time, than Lingard or Pereira. I mean, check out their productivity vs others in the squad.

If you think the absolute best we could have done creatively is to continually play those two, then fair enough. I just disagree with that.
 
He'sRaldo said:
Even when Pogba wasn't injured he played behind Lingard. That's part of what confused me, I expected Ole to use Pogba as the creative outlet since we couldn't get a decent AM and he displayed red hot form in that role previously.

In any case, the main point is less that I know best, and more that there was most likely a better person or system to rely on creatively in the squad available at the time, than Lingard or Pereira. I mean, check out their productivity vs others in the squad.

If you think the absolute best we could have done creatively is to continually play those two, then fair enough. I just disagree with that.
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I don’t think many people liked having Lingard and Perreira starting so much, and with Pogba injured, I don’t recall there being many alternatives at the time beyond throwing Gomes and some other untested youngsters into the fold in the vague hope that they somehow work out.

Either way, this is a pointless debate. We’re on a good run and through to the FA Cup semi.
 
Zen86 said:
I don’t think many people liked having Lingard and Perreira starting so much, and with Pogba injured, I don’t recall there being many alternatives at the time beyond throwing Gomes and some other untested youngsters into the fold in the vague hope that they somehow work out.

Either way, this is a pointless debate. We’re on a good run and through to the FA Cup semi.
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Agreed, maybe it's just the mere sight of them that sets me on a tirade :lol:

Today's performance felt like a throwback to a few months ago, but hopefully those performances are few and far between.
 
Bit of a random team selection today that almost cost us and that would have been on Solskjaer for sure. The only explanation I can think of is that some that were given game time (Lingard, Dalot, Mata, Romero) have been told they've got a few months to prove they're good enough to play for United and Ole's giving them a fair crack at proving it. Safe to say I think it's curtains for most of them after today. Don't expect many of those names to kick a ball for us again.
 
Talking about transfers and what we can do "if we'll play in the Champions League next season, there are many things like that, which will be factors and decisive in terms of what we can do when the season is over".

So there is acknowledgement that CL qualification is fundamental to signing the right players.
 
crossy1686 said:
Bit of a random team selection today that almost cost us and that would have been on Solskjaer for sure. The only explanation I can think of is that some that were given game time (Lingard, Dalot, Mata, Romero) have been told they've got a few months to prove they're good enough to play for United and Ole's giving them a fair crack at proving it. Safe to say I think it's curtains for most of them after today. Don't expect many of those names to kick a ball for us again.
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We have a feck tonne of games in quick succession. It absolutely makes sense to use a game like this to give some fringe players some competitive minutes.
 
crossy1686 said:
Bit of a random team selection today that almost cost us and that would have been on Solskjaer for sure. The only explanation I can think of is that some that were given game time (Lingard, Dalot, Mata, Romero) have been told they've got a few months to prove they're good enough to play for United and Ole's giving them a fair crack at proving it. Safe to say I think it's curtains for most of them after today. Don't expect many of those names to kick a ball for us again.
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Yeah we almost got embarrassed. I would not have been confident of us progressing if it went to penalties, so what a relief the goal was.

I don't blame Solskjaer that much for today. In that, players have to be rotated sometime, and all the players coming in were supposedly playing for their futures, so i would have expected a lot more effort from them. The game was played at walking pace at times, i couldn't believe it, considering the stakes at play. Safe to say, if we never see them again, we won't be missing anything.
 
Bastian said:
Talking about transfers and what we can do "if we'll play in the Champions League next season, there are many things like that, which will be factors and decisive in terms of what we can do when the season is over".

So there is acknowledgement that CL qualification is fundamental to signing the right players.
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Seems like it. No CL = Forget about players like Sancho.
 
Are people really criticizing Ole's team selection? Guys we're having 2 games every week, and basically each one of them is a must win - which means that there isn't a lot of scope of rotation there. The only way we can provide a rest to our starting XI is by playing our 2nd side in FA Cup and in the latter stages of the games if we're leading comfortably.
 
anant said:
Are people really criticizing Ole's team selection? Guys we're having 2 games every week, and basically each one of them is a must win - which means that there isn't a lot of scope of rotation there. The only way we can provide a rest to our starting XI is by playing our 2nd side in FA Cup and in the latter stages of the games if we're leading comfortably.
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pretty much this. Had an FA cup QF. Into the SF. How doesnt matter. Good job. The end. Goodbye.

just a few Ole bashers out to complain because we didnt win what they designate an ‘easy’ fixture 457 - 0
 
The only criticism i would say about Ole about today is, when we had our whole attack on the pitch at the end, he should have instructed the team to keep the pitch stretched at all times. Especially vs 10 men. You need to keep it simple and keep the ball moving. It got way too congested with strikers stepping on each others toes and the play centered down the middle. That happened far too much and it made it easier for Norwich to keep their shape & defend us.

Apart from, no complaints about the team selection. We have to rotate sometime, and anyone would have thought bottom of the table Norwich was the perfect opportunity beforehand.
 
RedSky said:
​
Joses' 17 Unbeaten Run:
​
CompetitionClubLegScoreResult
Premier League​
Swansea City​
A​
1:3​
Win​
Premier League​
Arsenal FC​
H​
1:1​
Draw​
Europa League​
Feyenoord Rotterdam​
H​
4:0​
Win​
Premier League​
West Ham United​
H​
1:1​
Draw​
EFL Cup​
West Ham United​
H​
4:1​
Win​
Premier League​
Everton FC​
A​
1:1​
Draw​
Europa League​
Zorya Lugansk​
A​
0:2​
Win​
Premier League​
Tottenham Hotspur​
H​
1:0​
Win​
Premier League​
Crystal Palace​
A​
1:2​
Win​
Premier League​
West Bromwich Albion​
A​
0:2​
Win​
Premier League​
Sunderland AFC​
H​
3:1​
Win​
Premier League​
Middlesbrough FC​
H​
2:1​
Win​
Premier League​
West Ham United​
A​
0:2​
Win​
FA Cup​
Reading FC​
H​
4:0​
Win​
EFL Cup​
Hull City​
H​
2:0​
Win​
Premier League​
Liverpool FC​
H​
1:1​
Draw​
Premier League​
Stoke City​
A​
1:1​
Draw​

Our Current 13 Unbeaten Run:
​
Competition​
Club​
Leg​
Score​
Result​
FA Cup​
Tranmere Rovers​
A​
0:6​
Win​
EFL Cup​
Manchester City​
A​
0:1​
Win​
Premier League​
Wolverhampton Wanderers​
H​
0:0​
Draw​
Premier League​
Chelsea FC​
A​
0:2​
Win​
Europa League​
Club Brugge KV​
A​
1:1​
Draw​
Premier League​
Watford FC​
H​
3:0​
Win​
Europa League​
Club Brugge KV​
H​
5:0​
Win​
Premier League​
Everton FC​
A​
1:1​
Draw​
FA Cup​
Derby County​
A​
0:3​
Win​
Premier League​
Manchester City​
H​
2:0​
Win​
Europa League​
LASK​
A​
0:5​
Win​
Premier League​
Tottenham Hotspur​
A​
1:1​
Draw​
Premier League​
Sheffield United​
H​
3:0​
Win​
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Thanks.

Up to 14 now after yesterday :)
 
OleBoiii said:
Yeah, win percentage should definitely be a column. And then there's the information behind the stats: who were the opponents? Did we play with a fully fit squad? How many of the goals conceded were "freak goals"/goalkeeper errors?

Going 13 games unbeaten isn't all that impressive. It's all the additional information that makes the current run so great.
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I do agree, it'd be difficult to compile all that information from both runs.

All I know is I'm happy with how we are progressing. There are clear signs that when we have our best players out there something is starting to click.

Yesterday was a perfect example that we saw the fringe / squad players simply aren't good enough in Dalot, Mata & Lingard for example. As he brought on the more senior players our performance improved and we battered Norwich.
 
crossy1686 said:
We were without Pogba and Rashford. We had terrible luck with injuries at the beginning of the season also. We haven't had the players to be anywhere near competing for anything over the last couple of seasons but now we're making good signings and players are clearly getting better.

We're still a young team who, outside our first 11, look pretty average. Another summer of good recruitment if we can, will cement us as a top 4 side and we can kick on from there. Rome wasn't built in a day, Klopp has had 5 years at Liverpool before they won the league, it isn't easy and it isn't given because the fans want it.

As I said before, Solskjaer has won league titles at Molde and won league titles as a United player. He knows what consistency and being focused is about more than 95% of the PL managers.
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Not sure losing Pogba and Rashford made that much difference but yeah the signings not bad at all. Very much a young team that stands us hopefully in good stead. Ole is no Klopp and certainly doesn't have the experience of him either. Ole wont have 5 years either, those days are well and truly gone in football now.
 
Absolutely chuffed he’s proving doubters wrong. He’s improved so many of the players, we are such a better side than what we where and signing Bruno has been a big part of that but the outlook is so positive for us now. I think we even know our strongest 11 now for the first time in years. Think Ole needs to be careful to only make 3 changes max per game from this strongest side to see us through the season though. Sad thing is we could finish strong in the league and still end up 5th or 6th the way it’s shaping up
 
He’s done such a good job so far, it’s incredible people still want him to go and actually believe we’d be better off for it (it would be a massive disaster). Hopefully he can win one of the cups we’re still in, though I doubt even that will shut people up.
 
Keefy18 said:
I do agree, it'd be difficult to compile all that information from both runs.

All I know is I'm happy with how we are progressing. There are clear signs that when we have our best players out there something is starting to click.

Yesterday was a perfect example that we saw the fringe / squad players simply aren't good enough in Dalot, Mata & Lingard for example. As he brought on the more senior players our performance improved and we battered Norwich.
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I don't think the fringe players are that bad per se, I think rustiness definitely played a major role in the performance. Other than Fred, Maguire, McTominay, Bruno, Shaw; that was the first substantial minutes that team has had all season. My only qualm with the starting line up was Bruno starting instead of Pogba. Otherwise, that lineup had more than enough to beat Norwich comfortably.

I will say though, that the players you mentioned need to move for the good of their own careers (in Mata's case, retirement)
 
Nice to see some understanding and nuance in this thread's reaction to yesterday's game.

I think for a lot of those players who played and let themselves down again, there won't be too many more chances forthcoming for the rest of this season, IMO.
 
This season has been an absolute travesty / disgrace but I've got to applaud Solskjaer for the results of the season reboot and the extent of the overall run we've had since Bruno etc.

I've assessed Ole with much skepticism and while I still think we are a little way off in terms of the quality of our build up, creativity and breaking down teams I can't fault the results we've had in what is now coming up to 14 games. Add our record against the top 6, (though some of our football has been woeful) Solskjaer has made it definitively harder to establish the difference between being justified for sacking and doing enough to lead us forward and warrant time.

There was a solid few months where the lines were blurred especially when it came to looking at the progression of the team but I think the remainder few games will spell out the trajectory in the success of his tenure moving forward.
 
rotherham_red said:
Nice to see some understanding and nuance in this thread's reaction to yesterday's game.

I think for a lot of those players who played and let themselves down again, there won't be too many more chances forthcoming for the rest of this season, IMO.
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We have the second leg of the Europa tie were already 4-0 up in. Could be the last appearance for a few lads that.
 
Its kinda pointless throwing in 7 or 8 new players and asking them to perform having not played since before the lockdown. Surely, 3 or 4 changes at max and allow some of the fringe players to play alongside the in form guys.
 
I'm happy with the selection yesterday because it fully exposed our lack of quality squad depth. Ole and/or the board don't act until a problem in the team is as clear as the sunshine
 
Di Maria's angel said:
Its kinda pointless throwing in 7 or 8 new players and asking them to perform having not played since before the lockdown. Surely, 3 or 4 changes at max and allow some of the fringe players to play alongside the in form guys.
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If we made 3/4 changes at max, which of the squad players do you leave out?
 
crossy1686 said:
I thought they just followed the same format they were doing in the Champions League? Seem's like it's going ahead now, I'm sure they mentioned they were single-legged affairs though at some point.
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I think the next round will be single games.

But they'll likely finish out the previous round possibly? Who knows, could be subject to change...
 
Sometimes the result is the most important thing. If you can not play well and win while making a lot of changes then sometimes you have to sacrifice on performance. Especially given the current context.

The bigger picture is that we have to manage the squad, not only to get through this season but also go through a short break and right back into competitive football again. It is a difficult task. Especially when so many games have a lot riding on them.
 
Wumminator said:
If we made 3/4 changes at max, which of the squad players do you leave out?
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Maybe Mata, Lingard and Fred/Scott since the latter two have featured a lot this season as it is. Could probably have given them the last 30-35 minutes if we had a better first half.
 
Rotating the squad was the right thing to do, even if it did provide a duff performance. It's hardly surprising it turned out that way though. This is the same as starting a new season and these first couple of games are the equivalent of pre-sesaon friendlies in terms of fitness. Except instead of playing a Bristol Rovers Select XI or Guangzhou Pharmaceutical you're up against much stronger opposition. Making eight or nine changes will more often than not lead to a disjointed performance, but when the players in question haven't played a game for months and haven't even been able to train normally then it's totally understandable that a lot of them looked off it.

The squad players had to play. Because there's no way our first-choice XI is playing every game in this schedule and if we dropped these players into a vital league game having not played for months then we might well drop points which might ultimately cost us top four. We're going to need these players to be ready in league games and now they have some miles in their legs they'll be better equipped to help us out when needed. Some of them can also play against LASK in the second leg too for further match practice.
 
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