Ole Gunnar Solskjær press conference: Everton (H)

[MrBest]

Is he really that good? Where do you think he should play

He was one of the most sought after midfielders in Europe before he joined us, was part of the dutch future and was destined for Madrid before he joined us. Then COVID arrived, money dried up in Spain and we got him at a bargain. His first 5 or 6 games for us, he did well but was clearly adjusting to a change of pace in the prem. He should have been fully integrated by now, but his lack of minutes has cost him.

His first full season with Ajax he was mainly played as a CM, a few games as DM too. He returned 11 goals in 34 goals and also 6 assists in the league. Season number two, was played more as a AMC but i would say at least 20% of the time he played more central. I think he returned 9 goals and 10 assists. His third season (covid year) he mostly played central midfield, scored 8 and had 6 assists. He is a guy who likes a run into the box, he won't sit with the ball amd dribble around, he likes to play the ball quick and forward. He has great vision and awareness, is always looking for space and runners, he also likes to pass the ball wide.

At united, with this double pivot system, the only position would be DM, he is not at Brunos level yet, he is not a wide player too. Ive seen him play well with Matic, others have said he has done well with Fred. In an ideal world, we wpuld play him centrally and abandon the double pivot. I would go Matic DVB Bruno ( I think bruno pogba and ronaldo is an overkill and lacks balance with each looking for the spectacular) or Fred DVB Bruno. I would also not rule him out as the DM, the West Ham game showed me he can throw himself in a tackle, track back and chase and also quick get the ball to the guy ahead of him. Im tempted to say that maybe Ole is Moulding him to be the next Matic, his technical ability is on par. However, i dont think Ole is that aware, he clearly is not his player. Its obvious how bad we are in the middle, if he cannot get a game now, he wont in 6 months. The best thing for him is too leave. It pains me to see a player with hige potential and one that i admire and have followed for years, have the life sucked out of him.

 

[MrBest]

End of the day we didn't actually need Sancho or Ronaldo. We did need a DM. So whoever did that fekked out season. The rest is noise.

Apparently (newspapers and YouTube) Ole didn't want a DM and was happy with what we had in midfield. He rates Garner as the next Carrick and should be back next year and also Hannibal as a potential future star. With Fred being 27ish and Scott being a few years younger, it will be some time when they get a chance. Another word on the internet is that he has big plans for Donny, but I have heard that for almost 9 months now, Ole even said it yesterday in the press conference.

 

[MileStolar]

I'm really starting to dislike Ole the manager.

What was the crap about we dominated the game in midweek and the caught us on the counter. Completely inaccurate statement.

His comments on Donny are a joke. If the midfield was functioning well nobody would have a problem with Donny on the bench. But the fact is we are terrible in midfield and this guy should be given a run of games so prove what he can or can't do. I'd rather see him given a chance in the starting 11 than any of Fred, Mctominay or Pogba at this point as all three of those have had ample opportunity and can't get anything going consistantly.

Honestly, Ole is so far out of his depth it's a joke.

And Ole would rather keep his job, so he's playing it safe by playing players he trusts.

While I agree VDB should feature more, ultimately it's Ole's job to decide and he's in a bad place right now and can't be going about experimenting what'll work and what will not, from his POV he'll go for safest bets, which are the options he's most familiar with.

 

[Hawks2008]

It's not just Donny, it's players, I've got a squad of internationals and if we're going to be successful we need positive energy, no sulkers.

We really are Vibes FC aren't we?

 

[lilcurt]

And Ole would rather keep his job, so he's playing it safe by playing players he trusts.

While I agree VDB should feature more, ultimately it's Ole's job to decide and he's in a bad place right now and can't be going about experimenting what'll work and what will not, from his POV he'll go for safest bets, which are the options he's most familiar with.

How is he playing it safe, we are awful on the middle of the field. No solution he goes with at the moment even brings us to par.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Apparently (newspapers and YouTube) Ole didn't want a DM and was happy with what we had in midfield. He rates Garner as the next Carrick and should be back next year and also Hannibal as a potential future star. With Fred being 27ish and Scott being a few years younger, it will be some time when they get a chance. Another word on the internet is that he has big plans for Donny, but I have heard that for almost 9 months now, Ole even said it yesterday in the press conference.

Newspapers and YouTube hahaha

 

[glazed]

Apparently (newspapers and YouTube) Ole didn't want a DM and was happy with what we had in midfield. He rates Garner as the next Carrick and should be back next year and also Hannibal as a potential future star. With Fred being 27ish and Scott being a few years younger, it will be some time when they get a chance. Another word on the internet is that he has big plans for Donny, but I have heard that for almost 9 months now, Ole even said it yesterday in the press conference.

I kinda think Ole is full of it. At least Jose was too arrogant to lie and knew about football. Most of what comes out of Ole's mouth is drivel or deflection.

I think Ed signed Sancho because he will sell for a lot, being young. Ed bought Ronaldo because he sells shirts and low transfer fee. Varane was the only signing made for tactical reasons.

 

[sport2793]

He was one of the most sought after midfielders in Europe before he joined us, was part of the dutch future and was destined for Madrid before he joined us. Then COVID arrived, money dried up in Spain and we got him at a bargain. His first 5 or 6 games for us, he did well but was clearly adjusting to a change of pace in the prem. He should have been fully integrated by now, but his lack of minutes has cost him.

His first full season with Ajax he was mainly played as a CM, a few games as DM too. He returned 11 goals in 34 goals and also 6 assists in the league. Season number two, was played more as a AMC but i would say at least 20% of the time he played more central. I think he returned 9 goals and 10 assists. His third season (covid year) he mostly played central midfield, scored 8 and had 6 assists. He is a guy who likes a run into the box, he won't sit with the ball amd dribble around, he likes to play the ball quick and forward. He has great vision and awareness, is always looking for space and runners, he also likes to pass the ball wide.

At united, with this double pivot system, the only position would be DM, he is not at Brunos level yet, he is not a wide player too. Ive seen him play well with Matic, others have said he has done well with Fred. In an ideal world, we wpuld play him centrally and abandon the double pivot. I would go Matic DVB Bruno ( I think bruno pogba and ronaldo is an overkill and lacks balance with each looking for the spectacular) or Fred DVB Bruno. I would also not rule him out as the DM, the West Ham game showed me he can throw himself in a tackle, track back and chase and also quick get the ball to the guy ahead of him. Im tempted to say that maybe Ole is Moulding him to be the next Matic, his technical ability is on par. However, i dont think Ole is that aware, he clearly is not his player. Its obvious how bad we are in the middle, if he cannot get a game now, he wont in 6 months. The best thing for him is too leave. It pains me to see a player with hige potential and one that i admire and have followed for years, have the life sucked out of him.

He wasn't that sought after, only RM (his first choice) and us were in for him and the former were hardly going to start him. His former teammate and fellow midfielder Frenkie De Jong was considered to be the far greater talent of the two and as a result had the likes of PSG and Barcelona (who eventually got him) in for him. Donny got a chance to shine more after both De Jong and De Ligt left but one can't say he was as rated as those two.

In his primary position (CAM), he wasn't even first choice, that would have been Jack Grealish, but with Pogba running his contract down they could only afford Donny.

 

[ExoduS]

I am not impressed how Ole handles media. I hope his talks are better in the locker room. There is this saying - If a player more deserving is seating on the bench, the guy who plays instead plays crippled as he knows subconsciously that he does not deserve to be on the field.
Pogba, Fred and McT have not impressed at all this season. Pogba started well but that is about it. It seems he can't handle Ronaldo's arrival at all.
Our only reliable midfielder this season is Matic as a sub, not as a starter.

The problem is Pogba needs to find his form and Ole's job is to help him. I don't think putting Pogba on the bench will make us better. It will give media another tool to cause even more dysfunction. There is dysfunction in this team. They can try to mask it all they want, but product on the field is absolutely disastrous. It's not even bad for "Manchester United" standards, it is just bad.

 

[Bondi77]

Yeah, learning in this case probably means McFred tomorrow. Which is not the lesson I'd like to hope he'd learned.
Ole appears so simple in his press conferences like he really has no clue. He talks abouthow he could talk for hours about tactics. I'd like to hear him speak a minute.
He says he's not the coach but clearly he must see that the coaching isn't good enough. As Ive said many times, his stubbornness will be the death of him. We can not keep getting lucky. Sooner or later our performances will catch up to us. Ronaldo's lack of pressing and Rashford's return is really going to cause issues. I can't wait to see how he copes with the midfield.

I think Ole is more Utd fan than coach and he probably could talk for hours on tactics but he does not seem able to implement the correct ones.
After watching the Southampton and Wolves games and highlights of the Euro games I cannot see what he has to lose in starting Donny on the weekend as he will give better passing so that means more control and that is what we need.
It is great to win games when we have been outplayed but so long as the manager knows that and he addresses the issue which led to us being outplayed and I am not seeing that at the moment.

 

[tenpoless]

Them Rashy, Rony, Pogby, Shawy, Harry and Varany.
Also De Ge-y has done really well.
We played too quick against Aston Villa.
Psshh we go on the next one to win it. Magical Old Trafford.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

True but when Fred who hs been shit all season and McTom has been out injured and straight back in there is obviously more going on than getting a chance. Cant see why Ole bought him and if he didnt Ole is a liar for saying he has the final say.

He’s not a DM or a CM and never will be. His best is further up the pitch. The only one he could displace is Bruno IMO and he’s not going to do that

 

[MileStolar]

How is he playing it safe, we are awful on the middle of the field. No solution he goes with at the moment even brings us to par.

He's playing it safe by trusting players he has trust in, I never claimed it's yielding results.

It's just that he's uncomfortable with trying something new when he's under immense pressure.