Ole Gunnar Solskjaer | W15 D2 L4

[Fridge chutney]

Honestly how many expected him to take us on this winning run?

No one could have predicted the impact he's had on the club, nor his impressive results.

I'm very impressed with Ole tactically. I think he's gone from one strength to another. His one blip was PSG and even then it took him losing Martial and Lingard at the same time for him to be on the back foot.

 

[ash_86]

So many injuries but i was worry free before today's match. I know every United player first teamer or debutant would do their Job and get the win. Feck , i missed this confidence for past 7 years.

 

[Rhyme Animal]

Tonight was far more impressive than the Liverpool game.

This was one of Ole's best results for me - Palace away, with all those injuries is no mean feat, but he aced it.

With Pochettino's poor form currently, I think the role is Ole's.

 

[redasian]

I love the positivity around the club, even without 5 of our first choice front 6 we still scored 3 and if not for 1 lapse in concentration would've kept a clean sheet. I'm in disbelief in how well Ole's doing, when people say he "gets what United is about" you can really see what they mean. We shouldn't have to go away to teams like Palace and change our tactics against them, we should trust our quality to beat them into submission which is exactly what we've been doing.

The system is working so well that players can slip in seamlessly, it's a testament to Solskjaer's ability as a manager. When we do need to change tactics (away at Arsenal and Chelsea) we do so very well and remain focused. We've recaptured the "never say die" attitude of United sides of the past, every player on the pitch is actually fighting for each other and we look like a team instead of a collection of individuals. The way that he's already improved so many of the team is brilliant, Shaw and Herrera have gone from good players to outstanding, Pogba's one of the best midfielders in the world on current form, Rashford and Lindelof have gone from strength to strength and even lesser-rated players like Matic and McTominay have stepped up a level.

I'm excited to see what the future holds. The team is still tiring in a lot of the matches, I'm interested to see how we adapt to that next season and if we can improve the fitness which seems to have been neglected in the past or if we'll change the pressing to be less aggressive to avoid tiring out the players, either way there's a great challenge ahead. The fact that he's getting these results with a team he's had no part in putting together is really something, giving debuts and match day experience to players like Chong and Garner is about as Manchester United as it gets.

Whether we can keep this form over the course of the season remains to be seen, however, give him some new signings, a good pre-season to prepare and anything's possible. Plus the Caf's no longer in civil war about Mourinho which is always a bonus.

This. I was confidently predicting we'd put 3 past Palace at the least, even with 8-9 injuries.

Ole even found the time to give Garner his debut.

 

[utdalltheway]

Keep saying it but no one on here, or even at the club probably, would have expected this run we’ve gone on. Unbelievable

The new manager bounce? Yeah, we got that, but that usually only lasts a few games.

 

[roonster09]

I repeat the same point because you don't read or just ignore. But its ok, it happens. I only brought Ole vs poch due to you bringing it in your comment when you posted those additional games, so I doubt its only in my head since you're the one who brought Ole up in your post.

Brought Ole name in Ole thread when comparing managers? Wow

And yeah when you keep repeating 7 games in 4 years shit, it's wrong to post additional games *facepalm*

 

[Mr PG]

Thank God Woody refused to buy Aldeweirwld, Boateng etc. I doubt we even need Koulibaly.... not for £100m. We can bid our time and Tuanzebe will be ready in another year or two.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

He's passing his job interview with flying colours and is probably the right choice for the next manager. The only thing I'd like to see over the next month or so is some of the progressive fluid attacking football we saw early on come back. It's gotten a bit jammy of late but the injuries appear to make that an impossible feat.

 

[antohan]

There's an obvious upside in appointing him: he would stay for absolute bloody ages if things went well.

Manager's sorted. Get the friggin' DoF in.

 

[OT1214]

I keep forgetting that he is an “interim” manager. He is and should be the Manchester United manager. If he can get these results by just bringing smile on faces, imagine what he can do when he learn some tactics

 

[antohan]

Almost 20 years on, I want to put this back up on my desktop screen. Any links to a top quality one?

 

[MikeKing]

He's passing his job interview with flying colours and is probably the right choice for the next manager. The only thing I'd like to see over the next month or so is some of the progressive fluid attacking football we saw early on come back. It's gotten a bit jammy of late but the injuries appear to make that an impossible feat.

We would have settled for some of that until the summer, with or without the wins. Instead we got a far more well rounded flexible manager capable of several different tactical nuances needed to get the 3 points, no matter who we face and who we are lining up with, without ever feeling we didn't deserve to score from our play.

 

[Rolaholic]

Almost 20 years on, I want to put this back up on my desktop screen. Any links to a top quality one?

A couple of other options while we're at it...

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Thank God Woody refused to buy Aldeweirwld, Boateng etc. I doubt we even need Koulibaly.... not for £100m. We can bid our time and Tuanzebe will be ready in another year or two.

No we currently don't have a CB of Koulibaly's level at the club. If we want to be serious contenders again in Europe and the league we need a rock solid CB.

 

[FrantikChicken]

I don't see how he doesn't become permanent manager at this point. I think the vast majority of the fan base would be massively disappointed and thus automatically negatively predisposed towards however were to come in next.

 

[Beanz]

Seeing us win against palace away with a thinned out team just makes me hate mourinho more. I usually think i'm over it then wins like these make me realise how fecking useless he made us in the first part of this season and it just grates at me. Sorry for bringing him up won't happen again

 

[rampo]

Don't forget subbing Bailly in and pushing Young forward, which resulted in Zaha taken out of the game and Young getting a goal.

This was too good. We were being bossed from that left side before that sub and then suddenly everything changed. We got back the control of the game

 

[Chicharo]

Give the man a contract no matter if we finish in top 4 or not
This is United

 

[Kapardin]

He's passing his job interview with flying colours and is probably the right choice for the next manager. The only thing I'd like to see over the next month or so is some of the progressive fluid attacking football we saw early on come back. It's gotten a bit jammy of late but the injuries appear to make that an impossible feat.

The funny thing is we played with our second string yesterday with atleast 5 players out due to injuries and our football was still better than most of LvG's tenure or what we played during Mourinho's amazing, stupendous, miraculous 2nd place achievement.

At this point, I think he already has the job regardless what happens next.

 

[Treble]

Incredible job so far, he has surpassed the expectations of most people, surely.

 

[roonster09]

Play attacking football - ✓ (only City and Liverpool have scored more goals and they scored just 1 goal more than us)
How he sets up team against big teams - ✓ (Wins against Spurs away, Arsenal away, Chelsea away, draw vs Liverpool with depleted squad and injured striker playing whole game)
How he changes when we are trailing - ✓ (From 2-0 down to 2-2 vs Burnley)
How his team reacts after losing a game - ✓ (lost vs PSG and then won vs Chelsea with superb performance)
How he manages team when first choice players are not available - ✓ (Vs Liverpool he got draw and vs Palace it was good performance considering only Pogba was fit from midfield and attack)
How he promotes youth players - ✓ (Gave debut to Chong and Garner. Would have been even better had we drawn lesser teams in cups_
How he improves players - ✓ (We have players who are playing better than ever)

He is ticking every box, all that is left is how good he is in identifying the players to improve the team. Maybe that's something board can work by appointing DoF.

 

[Red_Beans]

Having changed my vote to Ole, it's worth considering the downside of appointing him.

For me, he's playing football the United way. My only fear is that it might be an outmoded tactic. The previous two managers failed because they tried to change tactics and couldn't make it work. Ole is largely working because he's gone back to SAF basics. But the two outstanding teams in the league play with a high press. Are we really likely to do better than them over the course of a season with a counter-attacking formation. Or is it the kind of strategy that will give us top four but not silverware?

I think we need to add another level of tactical sophistication to our play. Not sure who in the current coaching team has that kind of bandwidth.

There is more than one way to play football. We should stop worrying about how other teams play and focus on how we want to play

 

[CG1010]

Play attacking football - ✓ (only City and Liverpool have scored more goals and they scored just 1 goal more than us)
How he sets up team against big teams - ✓ (Wins against Spurs away, Arsenal away, Chelsea away, draw vs Liverpool with depleted squad and injured striker playing whole game)
How he changes when we are trailing - ✓ (From 2-0 down to 2-2 vs Burnley)
How his team reacts after losing a game - ✓ (lost vs PSG and then won vs Chelsea with superb performance)
How he manages team when first choice players are not available - ✓ (Vs Liverpool he got draw and vs Palace it was good performance considering only Pogba was fit from midfield and attack)
How he promotes youth players - ✓ (Gave debut to Chong and Garner. Would have been even better had we drawn lesser teams in cups_
How he improves players - ✓ (We have players who are playing better than ever)

He is ticking every box, all that is left is how good he is in identifying the players to improve the team. Maybe that's something board can work by appointing DoF.

Also add:

- Defensively solid (least goals conceded in the PL since he became the manger)
- Knows the best way to manage the game after you are ahead is to control the ball or make attacking subs to push the other team back, not 10 men behind the ball all the time
- Knows his best XI
- Knows how to handle the press and press conferences

 

[Massive Spanner]

if he keeps up this sort of form until the end of the season, and gets top four (or as close as possible), there's simply no way we can't give him the job. It could be a mistake, we don't know how things will go when the attitude around the club isn't as positive (if we hit a bad patch), but any other manager coming in off the back of this would be royally fecked the moment they start underperforming now.

 

[Josh 76]

Seeing us win against palace away with a thinned out team just makes me hate mourinho more. I usually think i'm over it then wins like these make me realise how fecking useless he made us in the first part of this season and it just grates at me. Sorry for bringing him up won't happen again

Just wish Sanchez didn't score that winner against Newcastle. Jose would have been sacked and we probably would have had 10 more points and in the title race.
The only good thing Sanchez has done this season and he still managed to feck it up.

 

[Chresta]

Just wish Sanchez didn't score that winner against Newcastle. Jose would have been sacked and we probably would have had 10 more points and in the title race.
The only good thing Sanchez has done this season and he still managed to feck it up.

 

[deef]

Just impressive!

Under the last two managers I always had the feeling that the players were scared of making mistakes! Ole took that fear and lets them express them self.

He is getting he's tactics right and knows what needs to be done to improve us further. At this stage Poch would be a higher risk if you ask me...

Still a lot of work needs to be done and a long way to go to be back were we belong, but with Ole at the wheel I feel confident.

It's been a while since it felt this good to fully back the manager and the team!

 

[roonster09]

Also add:

- Defensively solid (least goals conceded in the PL since he became the manger)
- Knows the best way to manage the game after you are ahead is to control the ball or make attacking subs to push the other team back, not 10 men behind the ball all the time
- Knows his best XI
- Knows how to handle the press and press conferences

Yeah, remember few saying he doesn't change the game with subs or when opposition adapts. He did against Huddersfield by bringing on Young and Herrera for Dalot and Fred (I think). Yesterday he brought Bailly and moved Young to wing position. Defensively it was good move and then Young scored goal.

 

[GBBQ]

He is ticking every box, all that is left is how good he is in identifying the players to improve the team. Maybe that's something board can work by appointing DoF.

This is an interesting point. I was all for the DoF when its was Moody Mou in charge because I wasn't convinced of his transfer plans (especially after the names bandied about this summer). If Ole is more in the old style of SAF and wants to bring in players specific to his vision should he be allowed do that?

 

[roonster09]

This is an interesting point. I was all for the DoF when its was Moody Mou in charge because I wasn't convinced of his transfer plans (especially after the names bandied about this summer). If Ole is more in the old style of SAF and wants to bring in players specific to his vision should he be allowed do that?

Any decision is a 50-50 for now. We really don't know how it would be with DoF. I just posted that as I really don't know how good Solskjaer is in identifying players to improve the team.

 

[Lentwood]

I thought Ole was a good short-term appointment when it was announced that he would be taking over until the end of the season but really did not believe he could dot the job full-time

I am now a believer! Absolutely 100% has to get the job now. It won't solve all of our problems but having a manager that is positive, understands the 'United way' and has the players/fans/staff/ on-side has already made a huge difference

Now, over to you Ed/Glazer family....we know where the weaknesses in the squad are, we've seen we're not far off PL title-challenging quality but are some way off in Europe....what are your ambitions? We under-spent last summer and spent nothing in Jan., so I am expecting an absolute minimum of £200m spent this summer

 

[AJ10]

Brought Ole name in Ole thread when comparing managers? Wow

And yeah when you keep repeating 7 games in 4 years shit, it's wrong to post additional games *facepalm*

Well, I never said you were comparing but that you brought Ole in the discussion as I was just refereeing to your example and not making it manager vs manager, so I guess you should really read first then comment.......maybe its in your "head"?

please show me (I am sure you won't read this part) where i said its wrong to post additional games?. If you actually read first then you'll realise I said if you posted those examples before i wouldn't have commented (How hard is that for you to understand?).

Really Ironic since you're the one telling me to read first then comment.

I have made the part BOLD where you need to pay attention.

 

[glazed]

mate we are ahead of Klopp and Pep since Ole arrive. same goals and less conceded. he doesn't need to add anything except 3/4 players and full pre season to work on fitness.

See that's where I disagree. Ole often wins games but we don't always look dominant like a champion should. Remember Spurs, for example? I think we're a good shout for top three under Ole, but he'll need to do more to win. And he'll need to know what that more is, so he can buy the right players, like Pep bought Allinson. And I'm not sure yet that he does.

 

[roonster09]

Well, I never said you were comparing but that you brought Ole in the discussion as I was just refereeing to your example and not making it manager vs manager, so I guess you should really read first then comment.......maybe its in your "head"?

please show me (I am sure you won't read this part) where i said its wrong to post additional games?. If you actually read first then you'll realise I said if you posted those examples before i wouldn't have commented (How hard is that for you to understand?).

Really Ironic since you're the one telling me to read first then comment.

I have made the part BOLD where you need to pay attention.

It's not my mistake that you took the number of games posted was the full number of games, that was just example. It's not even hard to understand.

Meh this is just waste of time. You have no point and just posting nonsense. Keep posting few more smileys, that makes more sense than what you type.

 

[podurban2]

See that's where I disagree. Ole often wins games but we don't always look dominant like a champion should. Remember Spurs, for example? I think we're a good shout for top three under Ole, but he'll need to do more to win. And he'll need to know what that more is, so he can buy the right players, like Pep bought Allinson. And I'm not sure yet that he does.

But Liverpool were dominant against an injury-plagued United team?

Give me a break, you are making little sense in your arguments. Over the course of a season you won’t dominate all games.

And Pep bought who?

 

[glazed]

But Liverpool were dominant against an injury-plagued United team?

Give me a break, you are making little sense in your arguments. Over the course of a season you won’t dominate all games.

And Pep bought who?

Err Ederson. Still waking up.
Look, fans over react to both success and failure. That can't have escaped the notice of even the most hard core supporter. Just think we should take a step back and look at what Ole's run does and does not prove. For me it proves he's right for the job, but not yet that he can win the league.

 

[Paul778]

See that's where I disagree. Ole often wins games but we don't always look dominant like a champion should. Remember Spurs, for example? I think we're a good shout for top three under Ole, but he'll need to do more to win. And he'll need to know what that more is, so he can buy the right players, like Pep bought Allinson. And I'm not sure yet that he does.

Wow. Real glass half empty post. Remember the first week of december? Remember how bad we were and how all of our best players wanted to leave...

Ole hasn't got the experience to manage big names and big egos. Ole will struggle when he meets a top team like Spurs. Ole is just a cheerleader and doesn't have the tactical mind to compete in the big games. Ole will struggle when he needs to rotate...

All of the above have been cited and dismissed. He has got every one of our players playing better than before and all of this with a smile on his face always projecting positivity.

For me as a utd fan of 40 years he is a breath of fresh air. Sure, there are challenges down the line but i trust Ole and his very competent team of utd legend backroom staff to meet all of these head on with the same positivity. ALL utd games are now non missable events.

All this achieved without a transfer window using someone elses players. As far as signings go he has already made noises in the right direction - he's name checked Sancho in post match interviews over the past few weeks.

There may be trouble ahead but as a previous man utd great said "what a beautiful adventure"

 

[GBBQ]

Any decision is a 50-50 for now. We really don't know how it would be with DoF. I just posted that as I really don't know how good Solskjaer is in identifying players to improve the team.

Likewise, he's had nowhere near the funds or the draw of Manchester United in his previous jobs so its an unknown. I'd be interested to see his approach though, I reckon he knows exactly what we need to cement our attacking line up though perhaps might not be as comfortable in sorting defenders. who knows!

 

[roonster09]

Likewise, he's had nowhere near the funds or the draw of Manchester United in his previous jobs so its an unknown. I'd be interested to see his approach though, I reckon he knows exactly what we need to cement our attacking line up though perhaps might not be as comfortable in sorting defenders. who knows!

Yeah, he will have lots of money and the caliber of players we need is completely different. Will be interesting to see his approach in transfer market.

Going by his team selection, he will go for quick players.

 

[TRUERED89]

United have won 8 consecutive away games for the first time in our history, OGS has come in and smashed that record like it was joke. What a man!! I wonder where we would be if Jose was sacked in October/November. We are 5 points off 3rd also, one of the best performances under OGS considering the injuries.