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Northern Ireland26763 Posts
United have a bloody good squad with owners willing to spend and IMO and in many others are a truly elite coach away from winning things and being back at the very top.
Hence #OleIn from fans of rivals kind of makes sense.
Outside of anti-fans and Spurs fans etc, Arsenal aren’t really in a position to be a threat to the ambitions of others, they’ve been run into the ground for ages to the extent they wouldn’t be able to get an elite coach in even if Arteta does go.
It’s no skin off my back, I’d like to see him succeed, like the club, seems a decent guy and it would be nice to see someone succeed after a prolonged rocky period.
But neither am I overly wedded to his cause, good start and that FA Cup win followed by a decline in coherence to the degree you couldn’t tell what he was even trying to do with his team.
A few results doesn’t fundamentally change the trend, but it is a start and the squad is getting key personnel back.
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Norway28792 Posts
They have a bloody good squad that now, was largely built by Ole. Lots of players - Shaw and Pogba prehaps most notably, perform way better under Ole than they did before Ole, and they credit Ole with the change. His transfer record is better than the other post-Fergie managers, too. This is the first time since Fergie where United is really considered a title contender.
I don't think Ole is a type of visionary managerial genius that will change the game, Rinus Michels or Pep style. But - he is an excellent pedagogue. He's an embodiment of the Manchester United culture. And - while he's not a generational talent in terms of coaching, he's still a good coach and manager. His primary strength as a player was his smartness and analytical prowess (this is why he was such a good substitute - he always spent the game analyzing the defense of the opposition) - in terms of technical or physical ability, Ole was never good enough to play for United. I don't picture him having a great nomadic manager career where he moves between the various top teams of the world, but he's been exactly right for a rebuilding United.
Maybe non-united fans want him to stay their manager. But I think it speaks far more to his credit that United fans want him to stay, than it speaks against him that non-united fans also want him to stay.
Anyway, next 5 weeks are real important with a bunch of tough games lined up.
In order:
Home vs Villareal, home vs Everton, away vs Leicester, home vs Atalanta, home vs Liverpool, away vs Tottenham, away vs Atalanta, home vs City. Depending on how this goes, his position will be even more solidified, or back to being threatened. But man, even if they perform terribly and he ends up getting sacked in November, then Ole has still done a fine job rebuilding and would leave the next manager with a much better position than what he himself inherited.
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The startling line-up against Villa contained only 5 Solskjaer signings:
Wan-Bissaka
Varane
Maguire
Fernandes
Ronaldo
You can also call Greenwood a Solskjaer player, which would make it 6. Still only half of the team. Solskjaer's record on signings is not great though. It is very early but Sancho doesn't seem to have a place. Dan James has already been sold. Telles has been underwhelming and van de Beek only gets on the pitch in domestic cup matches.
Every midfielder signed by Solskjaer is attacking-minded, leaving Fred and McTominay as the only holding midfielders. Too many attacking players: James, van de Beek, Fernandes, Cavani, Sancho, and Ronaldo. He took over a team that already had Martial, Rashford, Lingard, Alexis Sanchez and Lukaku - who Solskjaer forced out.
While Solskjaer has done well with Shaw and Pogba, he hasn't done well with Lingard and failed with Lukaku and Sanchez, who both had success at Inter Milan.
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While I must admit not having watched entire United matches for a while, I was under the impression that Pogba is still twice as good for the NT as for United. Some of those forward passes at the Euros were just insane! Or is he currently performing at that level every match?
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On September 28 2021 03:57 Melliflue wrote:
The startling line-up against Villa contained only 5 Solskjaer signings:
Wan-Bissaka
Varane
Maguire
Fernandes
Ronaldo
You can also call Greenwood a Solskjaer player, which would make it 6. Still only half of the team. Solskjaer's record on signings is not great though. It is very early but Sancho doesn't seem to have a place. Dan James has already been sold. Telles has been underwhelming and van de Beek only gets on the pitch in domestic cup matches.
Every midfielder signed by Solskjaer is attacking-minded, leaving Fred and McTominay as the only holding midfielders. Too many attacking players: James, van de Beek, Fernandes, Cavani, Sancho, and Ronaldo. He took over a team that already had Martial, Rashford, Lingard, Alexis Sanchez and Lukaku - who Solskjaer forced out.
While Solskjaer has done well with Shaw and Pogba, he hasn't done well with Lingard and failed with Lukaku and Sanchez, who both had success at Inter Milan.
half of the team is quite a lot. were you expecting a new manager to bring in an entire new first eleven?
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Norway28792 Posts
On September 28 2021 04:17 aseq wrote:
While I must admit not having watched entire United matches for a while, I was under the impression that Pogba is still twice as good for the NT as for United. Some of those forward passes at the Euros were just insane! Or is he currently performing at that level every match?
He's not NT level consistent, but his start of the season has been promising (although the previous 4 games - where United weren't great, saw him be sub-par too). His first game, where he had four assists, would get my 'best performance by a single player I've seen in any PL game this season' award, it was flat out amazing.
Pogba might always be a bit of a liability - been posting about this before - but he's also a world class player who strengthens every team in the world when he's at his top level. He's still Pogba, but he's been better, and has spoken about Solskjær's impact in making him thrive. Now he might even want a contract extension.
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Norway28792 Posts
On September 28 2021 03:57 Melliflue wrote:
The startling line-up against Villa contained only 5 Solskjaer signings:
Wan-Bissaka
Varane
Maguire
Fernandes
Ronaldo
You can also call Greenwood a Solskjaer player, which would make it 6. Still only half of the team. Solskjaer's record on signings is not great though. It is very early but Sancho doesn't seem to have a place. Dan James has already been sold. Telles has been underwhelming and van de Beek only gets on the pitch in domestic cup matches.
Every midfielder signed by Solskjaer is attacking-minded, leaving Fred and McTominay as the only holding midfielders. Too many attacking players: James, van de Beek, Fernandes, Cavani, Sancho, and Ronaldo. He took over a team that already had Martial, Rashford, Lingard, Alexis Sanchez and Lukaku - who Solskjaer forced out.
While Solskjaer has done well with Shaw and Pogba, he hasn't done well with Lingard and failed with Lukaku and Sanchez, who both had success at Inter Milan.
I'll agree that it's not the most balanced team, and Solskjær is probably always going to be an attack-minded player, one that would rather win 3-2 than 1-0. I don't expect Solskjær's United to ever bring the consistency that the best Pep teams has had, but that's a rough standard. However, what we have been seeing during his tenure, is fairly consistent improvement in the attacking department, everyone - players and fans alike being pretty delighted, before we see a four game dip in form resulting in a new sequence of questioning whether he's the right man for the job. I think it's way premature, and I think the Solskjær period has had by far most positivity out of any post-Fergie manager. Mourinho had decent results tbh, but I think on a long term basis, the positivity brought by Solskjær is gonna make the team keep progressing rather than imploding.
I don't think judging Sancho is fair yet - I mean, you even point it out yourself, but I want to highlight the statement. I agree he's been a big disappointment - but it really isn't uncommon for young players to struggle with PL at first, for then to still become great later. I think he fits well with the United plan, and that he seems to have more potential than the alternatives.
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On September 28 2021 04:50 evilfatsh1t wrote:Show nested quote +On September 28 2021 03:57 Melliflue wrote:
The startling line-up against Villa contained only 5 Solskjaer signings:
Wan-Bissaka
Varane
Maguire
Fernandes
Ronaldo
You can also call Greenwood a Solskjaer player, which would make it 6. Still only half of the team. Solskjaer's record on signings is not great though. It is very early but Sancho doesn't seem to have a place. Dan James has already been sold. Telles has been underwhelming and van de Beek only gets on the pitch in domestic cup matches.
Every midfielder signed by Solskjaer is attacking-minded, leaving Fred and McTominay as the only holding midfielders. Too many attacking players: James, van de Beek, Fernandes, Cavani, Sancho, and Ronaldo. He took over a team that already had Martial, Rashford, Lingard, Alexis Sanchez and Lukaku - who Solskjaer forced out.
While Solskjaer has done well with Shaw and Pogba, he hasn't done well with Lingard and failed with Lukaku and Sanchez, who both had success at Inter Milan. half of the team is quite a lot. were you expecting a new manager to bring in an entire new first eleven?
That was a response to Drone saying the team was largely built by Ole. I should have made that clear, sorry.
On September 28 2021 06:47 Liquid`Drone wrote:Show nested quote +On September 28 2021 03:57 Melliflue wrote:
The startling line-up against Villa contained only 5 Solskjaer signings:
Wan-Bissaka
Varane
Maguire
Fernandes
Ronaldo
You can also call Greenwood a Solskjaer player, which would make it 6. Still only half of the team. Solskjaer's record on signings is not great though. It is very early but Sancho doesn't seem to have a place. Dan James has already been sold. Telles has been underwhelming and van de Beek only gets on the pitch in domestic cup matches.
Every midfielder signed by Solskjaer is attacking-minded, leaving Fred and McTominay as the only holding midfielders. Too many attacking players: James, van de Beek, Fernandes, Cavani, Sancho, and Ronaldo. He took over a team that already had Martial, Rashford, Lingard, Alexis Sanchez and Lukaku - who Solskjaer forced out.
While Solskjaer has done well with Shaw and Pogba, he hasn't done well with Lingard and failed with Lukaku and Sanchez, who both had success at Inter Milan. I'll agree that it's not the most balanced team, and Solskjær is probably always going to be an attack-minded player, one that would rather win 3-2 than 1-0. I don't expect Solskjær's United to ever bring the consistency that the best Pep teams has had, but that's a rough standard. However, what we have been seeing during his tenure, is fairly consistent improvement in the attacking department, everyone - players and fans alike being pretty delighted, before we see a four game dip in form resulting in a new sequence of questioning whether he's the right man for the job. I think it's way premature, and I think the Solskjær period has had by far most positivity out of any post-Fergie manager. Mourinho had decent results tbh, but I think on a long term basis, the positivity brought by Solskjær is gonna make the team keep progressing rather than imploding. I don't think judging Sancho is fair yet - I mean, you even point it out yourself, but I want to highlight the statement. I agree he's been a big disappointment - but it really isn't uncommon for young players to struggle with PL at first, for then to still become great later. I think he fits well with the United plan, and that he seems to have more potential than the alternatives.
I think fans liked Ole the player so they see the positive in Ole the manager. They had a lot of dull 0-0 draws against the other big 6 teams last season but you talk about attacking improvement and positivity. Ole's press conferences are not positive either. He is quickly becoming as whiny as Wenger used to be; last week he moaned that they were not getting penalties because of Klopp.
I expect Sancho to be a geat player but he is not what they need. And I fear he may not get enough game time to become great for United because they have so many other options.
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Sancho will prolly be loaned out in January...
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Lalalaland34503 Posts
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Northern Ireland26763 Posts
Sancho I’ve heard it said, and it does ring true with what I’ve seen thrives on a lot of combinations, interplay, give and goes and one-twos.
Replicating that near-telepathy he had at Dortmund isn’t something he has the time to do with England, and he hasn’t yet gelled at United.
Yeah he’s a technical player who can beat his man, but he’s perhaps a quality cog if part of a slick machine at he’s best, less a Hazard at his peak who you can give the ball to and he might do something amazing off the cuff.
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for me sancho unfortunately just doesnt suit the way united plays. it is a matter of whether he will adapt to united or be left out forever, but so far as i have seen, he isnt a fast direct forward which united wants in their front 3. he slows down a lot of our attacks because instead of just running with pace and taking people on he looks to take more touches and create play for people in front of him.
so far my thoughts on him is that he plays very much like a right footed mata. he drops deep or comes inside from the wing to collect the ball and basically does what we expect from a no.10, rather than do what say rashford or greenwood does which is run into channels or stretch the opposition.
i think this is also exemplified by a lot of occasions where he would not arrive into the box looking to get at the end of crosses like rashford or another forward would do in his position. hes been yelled at by bruno a few times already due to this. a strange situation where the player plays in a wide forward position but wants to play like a no. 10. i guess you could also compare him to what kane is doing now at tottenham too
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On September 28 2021 16:52 sharkie wrote:
Sancho will prolly be loaned out in January...
I hope so. I don't see him fitting in at United, as others have said, and he should be playing regularly.
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lol hes not getting loaned out. you guys are dreaming
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Norway28792 Posts
Lol Bernardo Silva with a youtube-miss in PSG-City. That was amazing.
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Norway28792 Posts
wow lol, at least on paper, that's one of the biggest upsets in CL history. Rosenborg winning against Milan away in 1996 feeling to this.
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EPT
