Again it can be explained very easily because we have a stacked squad, which despite the criticism actually do give a feck and have tons of quality. That adrenaline and inspiration can be seen at the start of games (as explained above) and obviously when we are a goal down because the natural urgency is to chase the game and raise the tempo; it's just competitive spirit and I guess human psychology.
The issue is that without clear coaching and tactics, that energy and quality can only shine in bursts or rather it's being channelled in the wrong methods/areas e.g Bruno pressing high like a mad man and trying high risk passes is good effort but poor implentation as it's not in line with the rest of the team.
Why is it surprising, that these players can find a second wind after playing poorly for a while in one 90min game? No one is questioning the quality, technique and talent of your Pogbas, Brunos, Greenwoods etc. They're questioning why they can't sustain or showcase their talents consistently. That's entirely down on the manager.
Again, I think that is a little bit simplistic. There are certain things that we do that we just do better after scoring.
For example, during the first half Bruno and Sancho seemed to be having an ongoing
dialogue about what to do when the Villareal defence was in possession. The dialogue did not seem to be particularly fruitful either. However, after we scored the dialogue stopped and Sancho (as well as the rest of the front four) started pressing a lot harder.
You see these things every game. There are things United do in every match e.g., our fullbacks overlapping the inside forwards. However, they seem to do them a lot better after scoring. Often times United will do crossing drills pregame. Someone does a lay off to someone who switches it wide, to someone who puts in the box. Then the game starts and its like that idea has been forgotten...
...until a goal goes in. Then it becomes: 'Oh wait. Yes, we can do that!'
Nobody is saying Solskaer is Lobanvoski incarnate. However, the coaching staff clearly does want the team to do certain things. Yet the team is hamstrung by a jitteriness that its hard to explain. Honestly, it was a bit weird hearing Cristiano talk about how the team was nervous going into the match in his postgame interviews. Cristiano always gives off an aura of invincibility. Yet last night (and after the Newcastle game in fact) he spoke about his own nerves and that of the team.
Even Bruno's post match interview was slightly confusing. In so far as he mentioned that the team is aware that with Cristiano and Cavani they have forwards who will feed off any service they put into the box. So why wait until Telles scores to really try to deliver that service into the box?
I don't think its a question of not knowing the kinds of things they should do. There are enough agents buzzing about United, with disgruntled players, who if they really thought Ole's coaching was
that bad it'd be all over the papers. I think its just that there's a mental block with United.
Actually, more than coaching, that is the most concerning element of Ole's management. When we got to the top of the table last season there was a collapse. In the Europa League final we choked. You can list the times where, when its really mattered, the team has got stage fright. A big part of Ole's job must be to help the team prepare, psychologically, to be able to execute when the heat is on.
It's quite clear majority of them don't watch our games and just check the scores.