Ole Gunnar Solskjær | 2021/22 Discussion

[Andycoleno9]

Let's put it this way: would anyone here rather have Moyes, Van Gaal or Mourinho managing us right now instead of Solksjaer? God I hope there isn't a single poster on the caf who would say yes.

I still think that LVG with right players could have make from us a great side. I don't know what went wrong there tbh.

 

[Andycoleno9]

I don't know what to say anymore about him. I can't deny that we looked very good lately, that we had solid season (if we win EL), that some players upgraded their game, that our general game looks good but some of his decisions (McT, Pogba on the left with Rashy on the right, Hendo no1) are just odd.
Few games because of tactical reasons are fine but he is doing it on weekly basis. Why keep better gk on the bench? Why play two of three best players out of position? Why play McFred?

 

[cyberman]

By what standard, exactly? He hasn't won as many trophies as Jose, the best he's achieved in the league is second place, which Jose also achieved, with more points than we are on now, against a better level of competition.

He's a more liked manager than the ones we have had previously, but this insistence that he has been the best I have never understood. The football we play is hardly swashbuckling, the points and trophy counts aren't exactly mindblowing either. He's done a decent job so far.

Again with this Jose season. Ole has us top 3 for 2 seasons in a row and is about to match Joses 2 best achievements in 1 season.
6th, 2nd then fired..but Jose...

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

I don't know why but he likes to leave it till it's plainly obvious to see before he makes a tactical change. I'm certain this is the last we've seen of Rashford on the right(asides when the front three interchanges). I mean didn't we practice this in training to see that it's obvious he can't play there?

 

[Bobcat]

Poor team selection, poor tactics and poor substitutions. Ole got this game all wrong. Maguire was a big miss, but we were so poor.

Who should have started instead? VdB?

Liverpool was very much up for it and combined with some terrible defending and passing from us it ended like it did. If Greenwood makes it 3-3 at 70 mins it might have ended very differently.

Not everything has to be be some cock up by the manager

 

[Sylar]

I don't know what to say anymore about him. I can't deny that we looked very good lately, that we had solid season (if we win EL), that some players upgraded their game, that our general game looks good but some of his decisions (McT, Pogba on the left with Rashy on the right, Hendo no1) are just odd.
Few games because of tactical reasons are fine but he is doing it on weekly basis. Why keep better gk on the bench? Why play two of three best players out of position? Why play McFred?

What are wrong with some of the decisions?

Up until now, weve played our best stuff in the 442 hybrid with McFred behind Pogba and Bruno (and Pogba drifting to the left with Shaw).
Rashford on the right has compensated for that.
And Henderson number 1 has been good up until last game.

Its obvious why hes been doing it as its been working.
Are we going back to game by game judgments on things and isolating it with no context of previous games and how it worked when judging Ole?

 

[largelyworried]

I have a lot of good things to say about Ole, overall he's been good and moved the club forward a long way from the bin fire he inherited. So I'm no Ole-Outer. However, his lack of tight, technical coaching of players has resulted in a number of weaknesses that keep showing up when it matters. Two of those ways were on display last night - our playing out from the back is routinely awful and our defending of set pieces is just all over the place. My view is that either Ole himself changes his coaching style, or we don't win the league under him.

 

[Pexbo]

4 matches in 8 days, 3 in 5 after playing 2 matches or more per week for virtually the entire season bar one or two weeks. Is anyone surprised we have struggled a bit? In the last month we have played 9 matches compared to their 5. I bet Ole can’t remember the time his players had a proper rest/recovery/training/preparation period between matches.

 

[Acquire Me]

For God sake, train the team to high press and beat a press. He just got schooled by Klopp.

No, this match was not a masterpiece from Klopp. The only difference between the two teams was that one showed up and the other did not.

It’s rough to see so many individual mistakes in one match. It happens unfortunately from time to time.

The most important thing now is to learn from this and finish the season strong.

 

[Red_toad]

Who should have started instead? VdB?

Liverpool was very much up for it and combined with some terrible defending and passing from us it ended like it did. If Greenwood makes it 3-3 at 70 mins it might have ended very differently.

Not everything has to be be some cock up by the manager

I’d have thought Axel in a back 5 would have given us more stability, plus Rashford in his best position on the left. Lindelof is also better in the middle of a defensive trio as oppsoed to being shunted left and looked absolutely lost. We had 3 players in not their preferred positions and it showed.

We could have been 2 up in the first 11 minutes, but weren’t, so pointless mentioning it, much like the chance Greenwood didn’t convert.

 

[Godfather]

Getting thumped 4-2 against a weaker team on paper yesterday. Congrats

 

[Bebestation]

People act like we got demolished by them.

we were on level to get back to 3-3 and then matic made a mistake.

apparently klopp schooled us haha.

 

[Zen86]

Tactics go out the window when the players on the pitch forget how to pass the ball. It was a shit game, one of those days. Move on.

 

[Bebestation]

No, this match was not a masterpiece from Klopp. The only difference between the two teams was that one showed up and the other did not.

It’s rough to see so many individual mistakes in one match. It happens unfortunately from time to time.

The most important thing now is to learn from this and finish the season strong.

plus United we’re playing with only a rivalry in their head whilst Liverpool were fighting for next season’s champions league and transfers.

the way people cry an extra level about rivals to show this dedication to the club is very weird

 

[Bobcat]

I’d have thought Axel in a back 5 would have given us more stability, plus Rashford in his best position on the left. Lindelof is also better in the middle of a defensive trio as oppsoed to being shunted left and looked absolutely lost. We had 3 players in not their preferred positions and it showed.

We could have been 2 up in the first 11 minutes, but weren’t, so pointless mentioning it, much like the chance Greenwood didn’t convert.

352? We have had about two good games playing that and several terrible ones. Also, as unfamiliar as Lindelof/Bailly is in a pairing, throwing in Axel there as well in a back three would probably have been even worse

Playing Pogba LW is a double edged sword. Hes much better there than in the pivot, but at the same time you have to move Rashford right where hes less comfortable.

 

[romufc]

The same old story for us. We lose blame the manager.

Every goal we conceded came from individual mistakes. First goal, we should be clearing that ball, no way should the ball be pin balled.

2nd goal was a collective mistake from Fred and Shaw

I saw AWB trying to dribble out the back and back heeling and got caught out.

How can people say this is the managers fault? Players need to stand up and take responsibility.

 

[Mickson]

The same old story for us. We lose blame the manager.

Every goal we conceded came from individual mistakes. First goal, we should be clearing that ball, no way should the ball be pin balled.

2nd goal was a collective mistake from Fred and Shaw

I saw AWB trying to dribble out the back and back heeling and got caught out.

How can people say this is the managers fault? Players need to stand up and take responsibility.

Blablablabla individual mistake. You got to ask, why are individual mistakes happening to us more than other top teams? Try to analyze our playing out from the back and you will see a pattern to why individual mistakes are happening. We have conceded more goals than Brighton, we need better players! Buy Brighton! Less individual mistakes!

 

[dove]

The same old story for us. We lose blame the manager.

Every goal we conceded came from individual mistakes. First goal, we should be clearing that ball, no way should the ball be pin balled.

2nd goal was a collective mistake from Fred and Shaw

I saw AWB trying to dribble out the back and back heeling and got caught out.

How can people say this is the managers fault? Players need to stand up and take responsibility.

Every set piece we concede ends up in a dangerous situation. Either a direct shot or a scramble. How is this no a coaching issue? Liverpool hired a fecking throw-in coach, there is no shame in hiring a set piece coach as we clearly need one. I don't remember us being THAT bad in those under Jose (we were bad at everything else though) and we had worse team.

 

[romufc]

Blablablabla individual mistake. You got to ask, why are individual mistakes happening to us more than other top teams? Try to analyze our playing out from the back and you will see a pattern to why individual mistakes are happening. We have conceded more goals than Brighton, we need better players! Buy Brighton! Less individual mistakes!

I mean it is obvious the quality of some of the players is not good enough. McFred have made alot of individual mistakes that have let to goals this season.

If you think Brighton haven't made individual mistakes then you need to watch more football.

 

[romufc]

Every set piece we concede ends up in a dangerous situation. Either a direct shot or a scramble. How is this no a coaching issue? Liverpool hired a fecking throw-in coach, there is no shame in hiring a set piece coach as we clearly need one. I don't remember us being THAT bad in those under Jose (we were bad at everything else though) and we had worse team.

I do agree something is wrong with our set play coaching. We seem to concede a chance after every corner either directly or from the second ball.

 

[Mickson]

I mean it is obvious the quality of some of the players is not good enough. McFred have made alot of individual mistakes that have let to goals this season.

If you think Brighton haven't made individual mistakes then you need to watch more football.

You can play out from the back with Lindelof, Shaw, Fred etc, we just don't set up good enough to give the players the right tools for it. Can we upgrade on McFred? Yes. But that doesn't change the fact that we are poor and have not developed certain things, like beating a press, setting a press, or defensive set-pieces. Brighton was an example of a team with lesser players who are set up better to play out from the back and are better at doing that too (and have conceded fewer goals when failing to do so too).

 

[slored1]

Sack Ole, sell Pogba. Potter in! Am I doing it right?

 

[cyberman]

You can play out from the back with Lindelof, Shaw, Fred etc, we just don't set up good enough to give the players the right tools for it. Can we upgrade on McFred? Yes. But that doesn't change the fact that we are poor and have not developed certain things, like beating a press, setting a press, or defensive set-pieces. Brighton was an example of a team with lesser players who are set up better to play out from the back and are better at doing that too (and have conceded fewer goals when failing to do so too).

We do play put from the back? Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw and AWB are forever bringing the ball forward.
Unless you think we lump it forward?

 

[romufc]

You can play out from the back with Lindelof, Shaw, Fred etc, we just don't set up good enough to give the players the right tools for it. Can we upgrade on McFred? Yes. But that doesn't change the fact that we are poor and have not developed certain things, like beating a press, setting a press, or defensive set-pieces. Brighton was an example of a team with lesser players who are set up better to play out from the back and are better at doing that too (and have conceded fewer goals when failing to do so too).

I mean there has been alot of evidence that Shaw can play out from the back this season.

if you go back to my posts, I have always said we are one of the worst passing teams in the PL. If you look around the pitch, I wouldn't trust many of them under pressure to take a touch, come out of it and pass it properly. AWB, Rashford, Mctominay and Fred are all pretty poor on the touch and passing it off. You cannot have poor passers in the engine of the team which is why a DLP is crucial for us.

 

[Mickson]

We do play put from the back? Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw and AWB are forever bringing the ball forward.
Unless you think we lump it forward?

Yes we do, but we don't do it particularly well, hence why Fred has lost the ball three games in a row that has led to a goal.

I mean there has been alot of evidence that Shaw can play out from the back this season.

if you go back to my posts, I have always said we are one of the worst passing teams in the PL. If you look around the pitch, I wouldn't trust many of them under pressure to take a touch, come out of it and pass it properly. AWB, Rashford, Mctominay and Fred are all pretty poor on the touch and passing it off. You cannot have poor passers in the engine of the team which is why a DLP is crucial for us.

That is something we must improve on. Yes, we need new players but also some new ideas. Hopefully, Ole and his team will come up with it in the summer. However, I have my doubts..

 

[Toshey]

We conceded the set piece goal 100% because of Pogba. Gave away idiotic free kick and then got demolished by fecking firmino of all people.

We went out to play football and attack. Liverpool were fighting for their lives and took advantage of some horrible individual mistakes.

Apparently some of you lot would prefer a 0-0 Jose shithouse fest just because it was liverpool. Get a fecking grip.

Pogba is worrying me. He needs to step up big time for the final..

 

[cyberman]

Yes we do, but we don't do it particularly well, hence why Fred has lost the ball three games in a row that has led to a goal.




That is something we must improve on. Yes, we need new players but also some new ideas. Hopefully, Ole and his team will come up with it in the summer. However, I have my doubts..

I cant see how this can be true. We wouldn't go undefeated away from home for a year and a half if we were average at passing it out under pressure . That would mean more teams were pressing us high up at OT than at their own ground which plainly isnt true.
Just look at how we work Shaw and AWB up the pitch. Theyre 2 of our most reliable attacking outlets

 

[romufc]

That is something we must improve on. Yes, we need new players but also some new ideas. Hopefully, Ole and his team will come up with it in the summer. However, I have my doubts.

I mean if we don't sign a CDM this summer, there is no way we improve on our league position. There is no chance we win the league with them two.

The reasons the likes of Liverpool, City dominate games is they have someone in midfield. Liverpool struggled when Fabinho wasn't in their midfield.

We need someone who will clean up and is composed on the ball.

 

[Karlos PFC]

Andddd where live!!!!

Hopefully he gets the momentum back. We need to win this final. Him and this team others next season is going to be a Rollercoaster.

Even though I'm on the fence with Ole and conceded that hes done ok(ish), can't help but feel that next year we'll be struggling for 5th or 6th. The excuses have already started appearing "no backing, McFred, past it CF, Glazers fault, etc".
Next year will be make or break, enough with lame excuses. If he can't get this team to play football and challenge for the biggest trophies after 3,5 years, there is no point in insisting with.

 

[Olecurls99]

Even though I'm on the fence with Ole and conceded that hes done ok(ish), can't help but feel that next year we'll be struggling for 5th or 6th. The excuses have already started appearing "no backing, McFred, past it CF, Glazers fault, etc".
Next year will be make or break, enough with lame excuses. If he can't get this team to play football and challenge for the biggest trophies after 3,5 years, there is no point in insisting with.

If he gets 2 players(Saul, Grealish) I would expect him to challenge next season. If he doesn't then I don't see how we're supposed to catch up City.

Poor performance last night. Terrible defending all round. At least it doesn't matter too much, but we need to build some momentum going into the final. Come on United.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

I like the part where we play two DMs every game and still conceded 12 goals in our last 5 games. Awesome.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

4 matches in 8 days, 3 in 5 after playing 2 matches or more per week for virtually the entire season bar one or two weeks. Is anyone surprised we have struggled a bit? In the last month we have played 9 matches compared to their 5. I bet Ole can’t remember the time his players had a proper rest/recovery/training/preparation period between matches.

A huge problem is that we literally can't get anything out of our squad players. Its first XI or bust and thats awful in every aspect.

 

[Bebestation]

I like the part where we play two DMs every game and still conceded 12 goals in our last 5 games. Awesome.

well we don’t play 2 cdms, we play 2 box to box midfielders in cdm double pivot just to let you know..

 

[Josh 76]

well we don’t play 2 cdms, we play 2 box to box midfielders in cdm double pivot just to let you know..

A box to box player is Someone who can defend and score goals. Fred is not that.

 

[Womp]

Again with this Jose season. Ole has us top 3 for 2 seasons in a row and is about to match Joses 2 best achievements in 1 season.
6th, 2nd then fired..but Jose...

He's yet to finish with points even comparable to that season under Jose though and Jose was deemed not good enough.

By the standard that the club doesn't feel so toxic and horrible, while Ole also has us in strong finishing positions. Winning the EL and finishing second is as good as Mourinho in terms of accolades (more or less), while there isn't such a poisonous, filthy feel to the club. There was never a sense of togetherness or cohesion at United under Mourinho, it was one rancid affair after another. Weird situations with players was the norm under Mourinho, it's undeniable that the likes of Shaw and Pogba are now thriving since that wanker has left the building. These insane comebacks are undoubtedly a telling indicator of the self-belief that Ole has managed to instil. We just need a few more pieces and we'll be a much more complete outfit.

What does any of that have to do with the quality of what they've achieved though? Whether or not the place was toxic with Mourinho, he's still won more than Ole has in the same time, accumulating more points than Ole has too. If the argument is whether or not the players like Ole more and he's a more likeable bloke, I'd agree. I disagree that Ole has achieved more than Mourinho for us though, regardless of what people may think of him. Not yet, anyway.

 

[cyberman]

He's yet to finish with points even comparable to that season under Jose though and Jose wasn't deemed good enough.



What does any of that have to do with the quality of what they've achieved though? Whether or not the place was toxic with Mourinho, he's still won more than Ole has in the same time, accumulating more points than Ole has too.

Jose wasnt good enough. Wasnt good enough to get top 4 any more than once. Not good enough to get to a EL final without tanking the league, not good enough to win anything while finishing second. In a poorer era as well. Ole is battling when English sides are the best in Europe in a covid season. We all saw how Jose dealt with covid
Ole could match both of Joses best achievements into 1 season and be comfortable at it as well.
So no, Jose wasnt good enough, Ole built on a top 4 finish. Jose was fired.

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

Even though I'm on the fence with Ole and conceded that hes done ok(ish), can't help but feel that next year we'll be struggling for 5th or 6th. The excuses have already started appearing "no backing, McFred, past it CF, Glazers fault, etc".
Next year will be make or break, enough with lame excuses. If he can't get this team to play football and challenge for the biggest trophies after 3,5 years, there is no point in insisting with.

Not being backed this window is a good excuse if we don't challenge next season.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Jose wasnt good enough. Wasnt good enough to get top 4 any more than once. Not good enough to get to a EL final without tanking the league, not good enough to win anything while finishing second. In a poorer era as well. Ole is battling when English sides are the best in Europe in a covid season. We all saw how Jose dealt with covid
Ole could match both of Joses best achievements into 1 season and be comfortable at it as well.
So no, Jose wasnt good enough, Ole built on a top 4 finish. Jose was fired.

Jose did go up against a much better City side before he threw his toys out the pram. That said, Jose was a complete failure. Not saying he wasn't.

But I don't see enough evidence that Ole is good enough for us to win titles.

 

[Womp]

Jose wasnt good enough. Wasnt good enough to get top 4 any more than once. Not good enough to get to a EL final without tanking the league, not good enough to win anything while finishing second. In a poorer era as well. Ole is battling when English sides are the best in Europe.
Ole could match both of Joses best achievements into 1 season and be comfortable at it as well.
So no, Jose wasnt good enough.

I agree he wasn't good enough, the rest I don't agree. We have achieved second place this season with 70 points, that would have resulted in a 6th place finish in Jose's first year. Funnily enough, that was where Jose finished. He also finished that season with a League cup and a Europa.

The season after, we finished second with 81 points, more points than Ole has ever accumulated, against arguably the most dominant side in EPL history. That City team finished with 100 points. The season after, Liverpool and Man City once again had 98 and 97 points respectively.

This season, City has already won the league with 80 points. Don't think it's as easy to say that this is the best English teams have been, at least domestically.

So Jose in his first season, won more trophies than Ole has in over two and managed to secure more points against a more dominant City side and yet was deemed not good enough. Interesting.

 

[cyberman]

Jose did go up against a much better City side before he threw his toys out the pram. That said, Jose was a complete failure. Not saying he wasn't.

But I don't see enough evidence that Ole is good enough for us to win titles.

I think that City side only looked better because of the weakness of the league. This City side has walked all over Europe and only a fellow CL finalist is stopping them winning a quadruple.
A Utd side with Herrera, Fellaini, Mata and that back 4 wouldn't be where we are today. The league is undoubtedly more conpetitive todsy imo. Our top teams were a bit of a mess back then