We are such a weird team in this way.
So often we start matches on the front foot, we look like we might score. Villa was the same. If Bruno or Mason take their early chances...
But when we don't make it count there's little a collective loss of belief. It's like across the pitch the players are thinking: 'The early pressure hasn't worked, now what?" And they sink into this kind of slump of just tapping the ball around aimlessly, like they're in a state of disbelief and fear.
As you say it tends to go on until we concede, and they suddenly have no choice but to go for broke, or Bruno does some mad, off the cuff thing that works out. Then once we score, like tonight, everyone comes alive. It's so strange seeing happen in real time.
Why can't these players have the same belief all the time? For me that's the biggest question Ole has to answer. And it's not about once we score other teams come out. Cos Villarreal didn't change their approach once we scored. We just got better. Better pressing, better passing, better defensive concentration. All just cos Telles scored a worldie.
For me, above everything else, that's the biggest thing I want to see Ole address.
Sir Alex was the best of that. You always knew, at some stage, a United siege was coming. His teams had such a strong sense of belief, which came from him. His players just had that assurance that if they kept playing their game it'd come. With Ole you see the belief's shaky. The players lose themselves within games. Ole's gotta show he can change the mindset of this squad.