Really impressed by how he seems to know what tweaks and changes to make to hurt every team we play. He's tactically brilliant but just because he doesn't start foaming at the mouth when someone mentions positioning or because he doesn't stand on the touchline screaming like a nutter when a pass goes astray, he's tactically naive apparently...
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer | W15 D2 L4
- Thread starter Tom Van Persie
- Start date
Indeed.
The small change of Bailly at RB and pushing Young to the wing against Palace sealed the win for us.
I'm stealing this point from James Horncastle on the Totally Football Show, but the thing Ole has to be given credit for is being able to create a seige mentality, but not in the way Mourinho does it.
I mean Jose built his career on that seige mentality of we've got our backs against the walls, they're all out to get us, it's us against the world, let's come out fighting etc.
With Ole on the other hand, his seige mentality seems almost to be a sense of Man United exceptionalism. 2/3 of our first choice central midefield out injured? We'll be fine because we're Manchester United. 2/3 of our first choice attack out injured? We'll be fine because we're Manchester United. Have to trust young players in difficult games? We're Manchester United.
All of us can't help but notice that there's something about the club that reminds us of Sir Alex again, and more than the searing pace on the counter, the fluidity in attack and the general positivity around the club, I really think it's that sense of exceptionalism. I mean it's obviously not entirely valid and has led to mawkish cries about the "Manchester United way" for the last 5 years as we've had our fingers burned over an over again but I do think that's the biggest difference. It's what stands out whenever you heard - and still hear - Gary Neville or Paul Scholes or Rio Ferdinand (or even Ole before he became manager) talk about Sir Alex and their time at the club: that somehow the rules that apply to the rest of the world don't apply to us; that for all our trophies, and the quality of our players, our worldwide fanbase and Charlton-Law-Best, somehow the most impressive thing about us was just this ethereal quality of being Manchester United.
Again, this hubris about us being exceptional is what got us David Moyes, but the "not arrogant, just better" attitude is also probably what made us so successful for so long and Ole seems very much to be willing to embrace it.
I mean Jose built his career on that seige mentality of we've got our backs against the walls, they're all out to get us, it's us against the world, let's come out fighting etc.
With Ole on the other hand, his seige mentality seems almost to be a sense of Man United exceptionalism. 2/3 of our first choice central midefield out injured? We'll be fine because we're Manchester United. 2/3 of our first choice attack out injured? We'll be fine because we're Manchester United. Have to trust young players in difficult games? We're Manchester United.
All of us can't help but notice that there's something about the club that reminds us of Sir Alex again, and more than the searing pace on the counter, the fluidity in attack and the general positivity around the club, I really think it's that sense of exceptionalism. I mean it's obviously not entirely valid and has led to mawkish cries about the "Manchester United way" for the last 5 years as we've had our fingers burned over an over again but I do think that's the biggest difference. It's what stands out whenever you heard - and still hear - Gary Neville or Paul Scholes or Rio Ferdinand (or even Ole before he became manager) talk about Sir Alex and their time at the club: that somehow the rules that apply to the rest of the world don't apply to us; that for all our trophies, and the quality of our players, our worldwide fanbase and Charlton-Law-Best, somehow the most impressive thing about us was just this ethereal quality of being Manchester United.
Again, this hubris about us being exceptional is what got us David Moyes, but the "not arrogant, just better" attitude is also probably what made us so successful for so long and Ole seems very much to be willing to embrace it.
So we dont resort to hoofball while chasing a game anymore. Biggest improvement under Ole. Also liked the way he spoke to Perreira with a smile when he came off, despite the scores being level. Getting the very best out of our depleted squad.
I agree with you but I don't think it's James Horncastle / Totally Football show but the Norwegian dude on the Guardian Football Weekly
Great post! It's that arrogance and superiority that rival fans hated about us... and it's coming back with Ole!
you sick monster
any images floating around of the how we compare, goal difference etc since Ole has took over?
Because United need more than 2 central defenders, and as a forth choice, Jones is alright.
Yeah, check out this: http://solskjaertabellen.com/
12 games, what a difference
most points, best GD
can't stop looking at it,
comparing to that guy :roll eyes:
but,
next game is the test!
According to the table we've picked up 5 - 8 more points than City and Liverpool over the last 12 games. If they both drop 10 more than we gain over the next 8 games, we go into the last game of the season with a shout of winning the league. Imagine that...
12 games, what a difference
most points, best GD
can't stop looking at it,
comparing to that guy :roll eyes:
but,
next game is the test!
That game today was thoroughly exciting from start to finish. Even as we went in to half time a goal down, one just knew that this game is FAR from over - and he always seems to make the right tweaks without over-complicating things. That game was screaming for a threat on the right wing [and Sanchez being taken off...] and although it took an injury to hurry it along it eventually came and soon after we were back in the game. After that Perreira goal, you just knew what was coming next and it surely enough did
Lovely post and one I couldn't agree with more.
Lovely post and one I couldn't agree with more.
Precisely. Not the one with the best CV. Not the flavour of the month one. Not the one with the experience or the trophies, but the right one. We are Manchester United and we create our own legends
Couldn't agree more with this post
It's a shame we'll have to do this all over again next season. Had we been in the title race this year could you imagine the excitement here? We would've enjoyed today even more.
Insightful
You're probably right. Lars Silvertson, I think his name is. I was writing code and had it on in the background, so it's all just a blur in my head. Great point from him anyway.
That game today was thoroughly exciting from start to finish. Even as we went in to half time a goal down, one just knew that this game is FAR from over - and he always seems to make the right tweaks without over-complicating things. That game was screaming for a threat on the right wing [and Sanchez being taken off...] and although it took an injury to hurry it along it eventually came and soon after we were back in the game. After that Perreira goal, you just knew what was coming next and it surely enough did
Lovely post and one I couldn't agree with more.
Cheers
Technically we are if Liverpool and City both start choking and there's a 10 point swing in the next 8 games. We could go into the last game of the season knowing that we could win the league...
Stop it, you naughty boy!
Love Ole but that "Ole's at the wheel" song is starting to do my head in now.
You're probably right. Lars Silvertson, I think his name is. I was writing code and had it on in the background, so it's all just a blur in my head. Great point from him anyway.
Cheers
He may have said it too but you are right about the guy in totally football show podcast. He was pointing out how Ole's answer to everything is its Man United, that's just the way it is.
I loved it when ole said it about Garner too. One was asked about Garner after the Palace game and he said he is like Carrick. The reporter then said that's an awful lot of pressure you're putting on the kid. Ole says well "That's Man United for you". Spot on.
If he doesn't get the job after watching us play today then it's time to give up on everything that we believe.
We're relentless again.
We're relentless again.
There's no hope for you.
Are you sure you are a Utd fan?
Blasphemy
Thanks
Are you sure you are a Utd fan?
Why is this the default response to everything here?
It's a great song and I've been loving it this whole time but now I'm kinda like, we've got a lot of great songs, how about we sing some of the others for a little bit?
Absolutely. I dreaded every aspect of our game in the past. Our lack of approach from the off, and then our timid hoofball if we went down. So frustrating, and even if we managed to score I just felt relieved but annoyed instead of fully enjoying it.
Don’t, oh please don’t do that. If I start getting excited and end up disappointed I’ll blame you for it.
"We're Man United, we'll do what we want!"
Beautiful. Even in my wildest and most optimistic hopes I would never have thought this possible, regardless of who took over.
I think this is the most lost thing in all of Ole stories.
The most telling way of determining, evaluating, dissecting a football season is by dividing the 38 games a season in to 3 parts each of 12 games.
So part 1 = first 12 games.
Part two = next 12 games, cumulative 24 games.
Part three = next 12 games, cumulative 36 games.
The next 2 games many a times the league is usually won.
Now here its where you know which period you performed which time you struggled and which period you lost everything
Now practically Man United 2018-2019 Season.
The first 12 games this season started with Leicester Opening Game till Man City way.
In those 12 games we won 6 games, lost 4 games, drew 2 games. So 20 points.
In the next 12 games it started with Nil Nil draw with Palace till Burnley draw. In the 12 games we won 7 games, lost 1 game, (to Liverpool) drew 4 games. So 25 points. Ole took over when in this period Mourinho had taken only 6 points. So incredibly Ole did a 19 point swap in 7 games in this 12 games section.. So only Burnley draw his negative.
Now to the current 12 game part.
It started with Leicester Game and ends in Soton game.
In those 5 games Ole has collected 4 wins and 1 draw against Liverpool.
Just by understanding the 12 game section its mind blowing what ole is achieving right in front of our eyes
Lets not cry about why did Mourinho not leave after the Westham tragedy n ole coming over but celebrate that now we are seeing a man coaching our team who is in supreme form in more ways than one.
And to all the fans here complaining, looking for defects, trying to act clever by pointing imaginary things, you need first to appreciate we are in uncharted waters in footballing terms in the last 6 years but in a VERY VERY GOOD way.
With this form we will win the league by monster margin very soon.
Just close the Poll-thread that’s running please! Let’s save it till we all are sitting comfortably in our ritirement homes. Then we can all take a trip down memory lane and have ourselves a big laugh at the fact that Poch was even considered for the job!
By the way, how great was it to see him congratulating Pereira after subbing him off? We were actually under a bit of pressure at the time and he was smiling away, congratulating him on his performance.
I'm not against Ole getting the permanent job but I'm still not convinced about our style of play recently as I don't like it very much despite having Mctominay, Smalling, Periera, and Young in the team. I like to watch the attacking game but I want to see more beautiful football, dominant, proactive and free-flowing football like we seen in Cardiff, Bournemouth game, etc.
Fulham, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Leicester City look more comfortable in possession and look better on balls than we were, only the difference is we have better attacking, we score a goal and they don't. Our passing rate is not much better, mid-table team passing level at best
I hope that will change next season if he gets a job and especially if we spend on new CB, RW, CM, and fullbacks, and go on a friendly tour to improve ourselves in possession, ball retention, pressing unit and movement before we can get ready for next season.
Fulham, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Leicester City look more comfortable in possession and look better on balls than we were, only the difference is we have better attacking, we score a goal and they don't. Our passing rate is not much better, mid-table team passing level at best
I hope that will change next season if he gets a job and especially if we spend on new CB, RW, CM, and fullbacks, and go on a friendly tour to improve ourselves in possession, ball retention, pressing unit and movement before we can get ready for next season.
I noticed this too. He has great awareness. I can't wait for him to get the job.
I saw that too. Great attitude especially given it was 2-2 at that point of time. Will work wonders for confidence.
Excellent post.
If you get the players to believe in this, as they seem to be doing at the moment, we shall have a beautiful self-fulfilling prophecy.