Ole Gunnar Solskjær | 2021/22 Discussion

[dev1l]

It’s as obvious as it was with Moyes that he will never get it right. It’s like City when they had Mark Hughes, they would have never won the league if they kept him despite signing some great players and having a very good team.

People talk about not having the right players, but let’s look at Liverpool. Robertson, Trent, Fabinho, Milner, Matip, Henderson, Wanjaldan, it’s Klopp and coaching that have made these players world class or able to play in a world class team. Let’s not forget that when Liverpool paid £39m for Salah it raised eyebrows, so again it’s Klopp and coaching that has got the best out of him and his forward partners.

Manager and coaching is arguably more important then “right signings” because all of the world’s great teams are rarely made up of 11 signings who are already world class.

Did Klopp get it right from day 1?
Did he start winning cups from the first season?
Did Robertson become a star after 5 games?

 

[Andycoleno9]

Rodgers inherited a better team than Ole did. He didn't need to make massive changes. He simply fine-tuned an already functioning machine

Better team than us? Bloody hell, excuses here are better and better. You really think that?

 

[NJM78]

Good post.

The problem with United is the amount of fairweather fans we have. Hell i am one of them. I was born the year Fergie took the reins and i have only experienced the good times. But talk with any other fan about our current plights and they will laugh in your face.

Maybe Ole is not the right man for the future, but the work he is doing right now, behind the scenes, like trimming some fat from the squad, promoting and buying young, hungry players that bleeds for the badge on not for their paychecks is the medicine we need. Our road to recovery is a marathon, not a sprint

If we start demanding the managers head when he fails to deliver trophies in his first season, we the fans are going to be the clubs undoing

I do not believe anyone is deluded enough to think this squad can win trophies. I think fans will call for his head if he cannot turn this shocking run we are on around.

Trimming the squad is great and something that should have been done before Ole so he gets respect for telling the board that he has no plans to use certain players.

Football is a results game though and not a trophy winning game for the majority of clubs, If any manager cannot turn a slump around that fact should not be ignored just because they are a club legend.

I really hope he turns it around and we have a good season but he will have to do it with his hands tied behind his back, this squad is a couple of major injuries away from being up shit creek and Ole must take some of the blame for not demanding the board get him adequate reinforcements in midfield and attack. He is currently betting his future on some average players and some potentially very good but also very inexperienced teenagers.
Pogba is clearly not going to be that match winning presence week in week out as his head is clearly not with us 100% as he doesnt want to be here.

Long season ahead and the next 6 games after the international break will in my opinion be very important to Ole seeing out this season as manager. Of course it is a marathon but like a sprint the aim of a marathon is to also go forward not backwards. We need to show we are going forward on the pitch via positive results, not by selling deadwood and just running more per game.

 

[Enigma_87]

How in the blue hell is it a lame excuse if its factually true?

Have you any idea of the situation that was on going at Cardiff at the time? Vincent Tan was a disaster owner, who was involved in legal issues along with a few members of the board.

Simple question, how much of our current issues are SPECIFICALLY Ole's fault?

In reality, there is extremely very little that we can is directly Ole's fault, you know why cause he's not even put an arse dent in the managers seat and we've spoiled brats calling for his head since February!



Hardly surprising.

Take your pick of manager, weather its been Moyes, LVG, Jose and now Ole... we are seeing the same problem in our playing style aren't we? The players are not performing to a high enough level consistently. They don't create enough and move the ball too slowly and largely rely on heavy possession.

Again, unless we give it time and continually persist with a set manager who drills it into them to play a set way and builds up a clear definitive change in our playing style and improve things like muscle memory we will not benefit from sacking Ole.



We hired 2 of the most successful managers in the last 30-50 years of football, how did that work out? We've tired that avenue already, it hasn't worked.



By that logic ZZ & Luis Enrique are terrible managers.

BTW, Liverpool supporters right up to Klopp winning last seasons CL were calling for his head unless he won it.

Maybe, just maybe the vast majority of supporters are fickle and as much as you don't like reading it haven't a feckin notion what its like to manage a club day to day.

Seriously lad, give your head a serious wobble.

I feel we are going in circles. If Ole is having the excuse of succeeding Jose, then Jose has the excuse of succeeding LvG. It’s a vicious circle.

I have pretty good idea of what the situation at Cardiff was at the time. I also have a good idea that they were playing better under the previous manager and many if not all Cardiff supporters will share that feeling.

We look terrible at the very basics. We’re having an on field debate on who is to take a penalty ffs.

We don’t look like improved on the pitch. We lack basic attacking and defensive plays. His in game management is appalling and don’t tell me he’s learning because he has been a manager for more than 10 years. He hasn’t really improved any player to a big extend over the last 9 months.

If you fail to see that I really have nothing more to say.

You can keep doing those stats and after 10 games or so when results go even more south maybe you will have a wobble that day.

During that time you can go on with the excuses.

 

[dev1l]

Better team than us? Bloody hell, excuses here are better and better. You really think that?

I already explained that their first 11 he inherited, 6 of them are better than ours

 

[Greck]

I might be wrong since I'm not a United fan, but I think a lot of fans are jumping the gun with Ole. Just a couple a months ago people were urging for a rebuilding process of more than one transfer window and a long-term approach and now - 4 games into the season and they are suddenly calling for his head. Even with Klopp it took us 4 years to win a major trophy, but the main reason for the success was the huge support from board AND fans.

I agree that Ole might be still tactical naive and inept. From what I've seen set pieces and build-up play against deep sitting opponent are a huge issue and it seems there is no improvement from last season in that matter, despite a promising pre-season. But he tries to play a fast, attractive type of football with pressing and attacking on the break. He also tries to use his players in their best positions and he is not afraid to ditch under-performing players like Lingard (even though I always hope he starts your games). I remember the cries last season when Mourinho persisted with Lukaku and Matic even though they were having a schocker every week. But Ole doesn't seem so stubborn with players and is more willing to change the starting approach, when things aren't going well. What I think the main issue with the club is - and I don't think Ole can take much of the blame for it - is the lack of squad depth and squad quality. Too much deadwood in the squad to be cleared out for one transfer window. And what is worse - you rushed booting players, who still had something to give to the club. I think Herrera, Smalling and even Fellaini (unpopular opinion) shouldn't have gone before Rojo, Darmien, Matic and Lingard. While I'm sad you kicked Lukaku out and took away the joy of his first touch, shipping out Sanchez as well, with no replacement when you don't have a senior back up attacker is just plain stupid. Now suddenly all the attacking play falls on the shoulders of Rashford and Pogba and when those play like today they are immediately thrown to the dogs. But the problem is that there are no better options. There is a need of at least a right winger, a playmaker and a defensive midfielder and this couldn't simply be bought in one summer. Not nowadays when transfers have become so hard to do for big clubs. But there was a big improvement on the defense this year and I think Ole should be allowed to continue with the rebuild.

It's true that he is still to bring the best out of the likes of Pogba, Rashford and Martial. But the strongest results come long term and I feel changing managers now will bring you a step back. It would only be a temporary relief.

You'd love for Ole to get 4 transfer windows won't you? This reminds me of when I used to religiously back Wenger to my arsenal supporting mates. Looking back no rival will back the manager of a rival they see as a threat. Ole to oppo fans is easy to be patient with

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Ole Gunnar Fraudskjær

I hate shitting on Ole. Loved him as a player. He's so obviously not the man to take us forward though. Everyone can see it. fecking Liverpool and City fans are running #SaveOle campaigns ffs. I hate everything about our club except the name and the badge. feck the board, feck the management, feck the players. Horrible rotten club.

Better team than us? Bloody hell, excuses here are better and better. You really think that?

The team he inherited had Maguire, Ricardo, Chilwell, Ndidi, Maddison, Tielemans and Vardy in it. They would all start for us. We had a stronger squad overall, but they were a far better run club with a clear ideology and philosophy, which we have lacked for years.

 

[fergiesarmy1]

I already explained that their first 11 he inherited, 6 of them are better than ours

Manchester United’s subs was embarrassing.

To do that when you are winning is ok, to do that when you need to win is a disgrace

 

[fergiesarmy1]

Ole Gunnar Fraudskjær

I hate shitting on Ole. Loved him as a player. He's so obviously not the man to take us forward though. Everyone can see it. fecking Liverpool and City fans are running #SaveOle campaigns ffs. I hate everything about our club except the name and the badge. feck the board, feck the management, feck the players. Horrible rotten club.

Ole is not the problem, vent higher

 

[Enigma_87]

I already explained that their first 11 he inherited, 6 of them are better than ours

First 11 don’t make a team that is needed for a long campaign. First 11 you can compare for a one off game, but that doesn’t take into account injuries, style you want to play and bunch of other factors.

Also a manager able to raise the level of those 11 can bridge the gap between a “better” players on paper.

 

[momo83]

Did Klopp get it right from day 1?
Did he start winning cups from the first season?
Did Robertson become a star after 5 games?

No. Neither did Pep. The horse that wins the race rarely leads from the beginning, but you’d be pretty naive to bet on a horse that’s falling and tumbling all over the place early on in the race.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Ole is not the problem, vent higher

Didn't I just say feck the board?

Ole is not a world class manager, which is what we need. My bigger gripes are obviously with the board, but that doesn't mean I can't still point out that Ole is clearly not the man for the job.

 

[buckooo1978]

I respect your opinion but don't agree with a few things.
1. I really do hope that Ole finds the best fit but I don't think he will if he keeps making Rashford sound like a real talent which he isn't.

That's just Ole's personality - who knows what Rashfords potential is? Like I said in the post if he is to become a top player he needs to be given the opportunity - his scoring rate is impressive - Ole is trying to encourage him and to build him up.

2. Failure to understand that Rashford and Martial were not going to be enough in the striker position (even if they were fit) makes me wonder if he's good enough to manage us

what makes you think that Solskjaer didn't want to add to our striking options? We were set to sign Dybala who is extremely talented but, as it turned out, didn't fancy United as much as a massive pay packet - his character wasn't right and if Ole questioned his motivation to play for us I salute him. I think Ole wanted more in there and he's not got what he wanted for a combination of reasons. Lack of a Director of Football to set tranfer strategy. Limited scouting (our transfer targets all English or english based....Dybala was thrust upon us) and a reluctance from Glazers to spend which, across the last 4 windows is clear. How much did the Sanchez wage affect the expectations of transfer targets?

3. Pochettino may have not won trophies but we need a manager who can change his tactics and adapt when faced with adversity. We've been making the same mistakes with Ole and neither have the players or the management team learnt anything. We are already 7 points behind league leaders, Liverpool and it's only been 4 games.

I like Poch and I fancied him as manager mysekf - he wasn't available when we were looking for a manager, he strongly desires the Madrid job which comes up on an annual basis it seems and who knows in the future - he certainly wasn't available in the summer for less than 40m and are the Glazers going to spend that? I don't think so

you also need to consider that Spurs have a considerably better side than us.... man for man and collectively. You are probably talking De Gea ahead of Lloris (who is very overrated IMO), Wan Bissaka over Aurier/Walkers-Peters and thats maybe it - Maguire maybe on a par with Toby/Vertonghan, Pogba is maybe too inconsistent to get in ahead of Erickson, N'Dombele, Dele Alli etc... Son, Kane, Moura and Lamela is much superior to our options.

it's a question of opinions - I'm just willing to give Ole the time to manage this difficult transition

 

[fergiesarmy1]

It’s the useless overpaid players, especially pogba. What he does on the pitch is a fecking disgrace, some people point out how great his ability his all I see is crap he is.

Played 90 minutes of crap today, played 2 months of crap towards the end of the season.

 

[Random Task]

Ole Gunnar Fraudskjær

I hate shitting on Ole. Loved him as a player. He's so obviously not the man to take us forward though. Everyone can see it. fecking Liverpool and City fans are running #SaveOle campaigns ffs. I hate everything about our club except the name and the badge. feck the board, feck the management, feck the players. Horrible rotten club.

That's some post.

 

[mu4c_20le]

Mourinho is one of the all time football greats and actually did ok with us despite our shortcomings as a club. His third year doesn’t really count he was already checked out pre-season.

So world class managers can 'check in, check out' anytime they want, and not be judged for that season. Interesting.

 

[Keefy18]

I feel we are going in circles. If Ole is having the excuse of succeeding Jose, then Jose has the excuse of succeeding LvG. It’s a vicious circle.

Ironic saying its a circle, it will be if we continually keep sacking managers when all them have faced the issues as I pointed out above.

We look terrible at the very basics. We’re having an on field debate on who is to take a penalty ffs.

We've been terrible at the basics even going back to Fergies final years. So how is that a direct fault of Ole's? Again, what is he specifically at fault for?

Mate, don't buy into the tabloid BS about the penalty stuff. Gary Neville going all high pitched and squeaky.

Andy Cole was far more mature and balanced in his sentiments about it and said it happened in his career also.

https://talksport.com/football/5912...-paul-pogba-missed-penalty-manchester-united/

We don’t look like improved on the pitch. We lack basic attacking and defensive plays. His in game management is appalling and don’t tell me he’s learning because he has been a manager for more than 10 years. He hasn’t really improved any player to a big extend over the last 9 months.

If you fail to see that I really have nothing more to say.

Again, over the last 6 years this has been a repeated complaint...that we are so poor on field. We eventually have to bite the bullet and say someone deserves to see out a full cycle of their contract even if it involves a period of failure.

He's barely in the managers seat FFS lad!

Seriously question who do you hire to replace him?

If they also fail instantly like Ole do they get sacked and we hire another? Who is that other hire?

Our supporters are absolute pure and utter poison at this point.

Part of me will be fine with a period of failure to lose some of them.

 

[Bwuk]

Honestly I want Ole to be a success, but it’s just not working for various reasons.

 

[cheeky_backheel]

Until there is a competent upper management, one cannot make an accurate judgement of the quality of the manager.

Moyes, LvG, Mou and now Ole have all been handicapped (to different degrees) by Ed and his incompetence.

Feel free to bring Poch or any other manager, and the story will still be same

 

[Frank Grimes]

Knee jerking is so trendy...

Supporting a loser also seems to be. 8 months and no improvement. Ole out!

 

[fergiesarmy1]

Didn't I just say feck the board?

Ole is not a world class manager, which is what we need. My bigger gripes are obviously with the board, but that doesn't mean I can't still point out that Ole is clearly not the man for the job.

Sorry I just jumped in (like some prick called haram did last night)

We could put fergie back in charge of these lot and we are still doomed.

 

[dev1l]

Until there is a competent upper management, one cannot make an accurate judgement of the quality of the manager.

Moyes, LvG, Mou and now Ole have all been handicapped (to different degrees) by Ed and his incompetence.

Feel free to bring Poch or any other manager, and the story will still be same

We tend to blame Woody a lot (and rightly so) but apparently one of the clueless Glazers is involved a lot more than it was assumed.
According to a report in the athletic, Woody is in contact frequently with one of them through video conferencing.
Apparently there is some truth in the Glazers blocking Rojo to Everton or the sale of Martial by Mourinho

 

[Frank Grimes]

Last 16 games:

3 Wins 4 Draws in 16

OR

13 out of 48 points

Now that is abysmal.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Sorry I just jumped in (like some prick called haram did last night)

We could put fergie back in charge of these lot and we are still doomed.

Prime Fergie would finish top 3 with this squad. Not joking.

Between 1992 and 2013 we never finished outside the top 3. Since 2013 we have finished in the top 3 once. The man was a footballing God.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Like who are those managers?

How about Pep Guardiola, for starters?

My point is proven managers get extra time because they have proven they can steer a club/team in a right direction.

We don’t have any evidence Ole will come good.

Appointing him first place is a huge gamble, but when you also have a very bad string of results surely that means only one thing?

There isn’t any evidence what he is saying will come true, after all owners take calculated risks and when coupled with a team that pretty much anyone can see isn’t good enough to claim top 4, the results are hardly surprising.

All managers that have distinct identity has shown right away that they want a team to play a certain way and they don’t need 3-4 years to build a team. They have to improve what they have.

I don’t really know what point you’re making with the rest of this post. That Ole shouldn’t be allowed a free run of 3 or 4 years to build a successful team? If so, then I agree.

Whatever, my point stands. Ole is an inexperienced manager. So taking issue with him not having a track record of “turning things round” is nonsensical. We’re all hoping that’s something he does, for the first time, at United. Well, I say “all”...

 

[Stacks]

Regarding the topic, why shoud we highlight his record after being permanent?

Sensationalism at its best to be honest.

Caretaker roles = minimal pressure "go out there and have fun lads. Just enjoy it.

Permanent roles = extreme pressure. "We have to win every game lads or I won't be able to afford Christmas this year"

 

[Annihilate Now!]

No idea what he was trying to achieve with that double sub today. I mean i get he wanted to push Pogba forward, but I mean... Matic and Lingard?

 

[Enigma_87]

Ironic saying its a circle, it will be if we continually keep sacking managers when all them have faced the issues as I pointed out above.



We've been terrible at the basics even going back to Fergies final years. So how is that a direct fault of Ole's? Again, what is he specifically at fault for?

Mate, don't buy into the tabloid BS about the penalty stuff. Gary Neville going all high pitched and squeaky.

Andy Cole was far more mature and balanced in his sentiments about it and said it happened in his career also.

https://talksport.com/football/5912...-paul-pogba-missed-penalty-manchester-united/



Again, over the last 6 years this has been a repeated complaint...that we are so poor on field. We eventually have to bite the bullet and say someone deserves to see out a full cycle of their contract even if it involves a period of failure.

He's barely in the managers seat FFS lad!

Seriously question who do you hire to replace him?

If they also fail instantly like Ole do they get sacked and we hire another? Who is that other hire?

Our supporters are absolute pure and utter poison at this point.

Part of me will be fine with a period of failure to lose some of them.

Ole came out and said we don’t have a designated taker mate it’s not paper bs.

We gradually become worse and worse at pretty much anything and he has been here for 9 months.

Enough with the excuses. Our form is laughable and not a single top club will leave someone at helm with 3 wins in 16.

I didn’t want Moyes from the off as it was pretty clear it will go badly. Was unsure about LvG as his best times has passed, backed Mourinho because he was someone who could make us competitive and for a short span he did.

I’d back a manager who deserves is as I want the best for the team/club and Ole is the worst manager/ coach that I’ve seen manage our club and dare to say in Premiership if we include his Cardiff stint.

I’m all for biting the bullet and backing one, but just not the worst of them all.

 

[red4ever 79]

Not seeing any signs to give me confidence. What's that 5 points from 12. That's dreadful. Rashford was garbage today yet managed to stay on 90 mins. We needed a goal when they went down to 10 men so what does he do he brings on Lingard and Matic. Let that sink in. He brought on Lingard and Matic when we needed a goal. Too late bringing Greenwood on again. No Gomes in the squad. Playing Pogba far too deep.

Would prefer to see Pogba in the number 10 with Fred and Darren Fletcher's love child behind. I want Ole to succeed, I love Ole. I just dont think he has it there tactically.

 

[fergiesarmy1]

Prime Fergie would finish top 3 with this squad. Not joking.

I’m his biggest fan hence my name but even he couldn’t pull a performance out of these pricks.

What I saw today was criminal especially from the balloon door nominee of some of these “apparent united fans”

 

[dev1l]

Supporting a loser also seems to be. 8 months and no improvement. Ole out!

Constant moaning is not a sign of a winner either.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

No idea what he was trying to achieve with that double sub today. I mean i get he wanted to push Pogba forward, but I mean... Matic and Lingard?

Matic allowed Pogba get forward and Lingard added a bit of pace and movement in behind him. Lingard actually carried the ball forwards very well a few times. Less said about his final decision the better.

My main issue with the subs was the timing. 10 minutes after conceding, then 10 minutes after the red card. Not exactly decisive.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Not seeing any signs to give me confidence. What's that 5 points from 12. That's dreadful. Rashford was garbage today yet managed to stay on 90 mins. We needed a goal when they went down to 10 men so what does he do he brings on Lingard and Matic. Let that sink in. He brought on Lingard and Matic when we needed a goal. Too late bringing Greenwood on again. No Gomes in the squad. Playing Pogba far too deep.

Would prefer to see Pogba in the number 10 with Fred and Darren Fletcher's love child behind. I want Ole to succeed, I love Ole. I just dont think he has it there tactically.

Have a think about how the stuff in bold may be connected.

 

[Enigma_87]

How about Pep Guardiola, for starters?



I don’t really know what point you’re making with the rest of this post. That Ole shouldn’t be allowed a free run of 3 or 4 years to build a successful team? If so, then I agree.

Whatever, my point stands. Ole is an inexperienced manager. So taking issue with him not having a track record of “turning things round” is nonsensical. We’re all hoping that’s something he does, for the first time, at United. Well, I say “all”...

Pep didn’t have 10 years of managerial experience under his belt, mate.

Saying Ole is inexperienced, considering he has been managing clubs for 10 years is like saying Lingard is young.

How much time do you give him then?

And what do you count as not being a free run?

To me failing to reach CL qualification and top 4 is failure.

Pep kicked it off right away. Same with Zidane. They didn’t manage other clubs for 10 years like Ole compare them fairly.

 

[Frank Grimes]

Constant moaning is not a sign of a winner either.

I dont manage Manchester United you berk.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Matic allowed Pogba get forward and Lingard added a bit of pace and movement in behind him. Lingard actually carried the ball forwards very well a few times. Less said about his final decision the better.

My main issue with the subs was the timing. 10 minutes after conceding, then 10 minutes after the red card. Not exactly decisive.

I mean he could have just asked Pogba to play further up and get McT to sit in, which would have kept Mata on the pitch, who was one of our better players.

Andreas had to come off, i guess it's the paucity of our squad/bench right now that it had to be for Lingard.

Agree though, he needed to be decisive, especially after the red card

 

[Frank Grimes]

Until there is a competent upper management, one cannot make an accurate judgement of the quality of the manager.

Moyes, LvG, Mou and now Ole have all been handicapped (to different degrees) by Ed and his incompetence.

Feel free to bring Poch or any other manager, and the story will still be same

Of course we can make a judgement. He was shit at Cardiff and is now shit at United. Not up to the job.

 

[dev1l]

I dont manage Manchester United you berk.

I won't stoop to that level. Sorry

 

[0le]

Honestly I want Ole to be a success, but it’s just not working for various reasons.

Its how I feel too. You want the guy to succeed, but some of the decisions are baffling. His game management is very poor. I think he needs to be a little bit more brave and put Gomes and Greenwood in the starting 11, ahead of Rashford and Pereira.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Can't we sack Woodward first? Maybe get some new owners in. Ole's shit, but he's the last of our problems right now.