Manchester United do not always play badly. To suggest as much misses the open goal of criticism. Solskjaer has a collection of excellent and expensive players. The starting XI against Arsenal cost £410m to sign and three of those were academy graduates who didn’t cost a penny. With those resources, there is a natural floor to Manchester United’s level. Pick those players enough times, face the right opponents, and occasionally they will click and produce something brilliant. Wednesday evening was evidence of that.
But that’s exactly the point: The quality of Manchester United’s players guarantees a natural floor and their manager guarantees a natural ceiling. Solskjaer has proven his ability to switch formations and personnel and surprise an opposition manager, particularly in big games. But for the most part United are a ‘roll the dice’ football team. Pick the players, tell them to go out and play, hope the individuals click often enough with each other that it results in brilliance – roll the dice. When it works, fine. When it doesn’t, we can ask questions of the manager. After six matches of the league season, it has worked for 10 minutes against Newcastle United and that’s it.
^^ i stole that above comment from a more skilled wordsmith than I. Ole is a decent guy but since he’s taken the job permanently we’ve only once won more than two league games in a row. Inconsistency is his Achilles heel. We may well win tonight. May beat Everton. But then in the next game it’ll fall apart.
People say he’s a victim of Ed - but he’s another one of Ed’s mistakes. If Ed had a brain and some balls he’d snap up Poch today and just give him the keys to the kingdom.
He has to go! Unless we win tonight then he is building something special. Unless we don't beat Everton on Saturday, then he has to go! Unless we beat West Brom, then we are title contenders. Unless we lose to Southampton then he is a glorified PE teacher. Unless we beat PSG then we are European Champions in waiting. Unless we lose to West Ham then we are relegation fodder and he needs to go. Unless we beat Red Bull then the treble, no QUADRUPLE is on. Unless we lose to City then it's the worst United side in decades. Unless we beat Sheffield United then it's the best United side in generations. Unless we lose to Leeds then Ole deserves to DIE. Unless we beat Everton then Ole needs a statue outside Old Trafford.
comment by Garry Brady (U1734)
posted 1 minute ago
He has to go! Unless we win tonight then he is building something special. Unless we don't beat Everton on Saturday, then he has to go! Unless we beat West Brom, then we are title contenders. Unless we lose to Southampton then he is a glorified PE teacher. Unless we beat PSG then we are European Champions in waiting. Unless we lose to West Ham then we are relegation fodder and he needs to go. Unless we beat Red Bull then the treble, no QUADRUPLE is on. Unless we lose to City then it's the worst United side in decades. Unless we beat Sheffield United then it's the best United side in generations. Unless we lose to Leeds then Ole deserves to DIE. Unless we beat Everton then Ole needs a statue outside Old Trafford.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
*I have never seen him manage.
It's a tricky one and, other than that Culer guy, there can't be a poster here who doesn't have reservations right now.
In his favour, he has shown twice now that he is capable of going on long winning runs, so I hold out some hope of it all clicking and another run taking place.
On the flipside, 7 points from 18 is not good enough, regardless of the strange season, and some of his decision making has been odd, at best.
I'm of the opinion that he gets the full season to figure things out, then we need to really look at our options if we are still hit and miss.
The way I'm thinking at the moment (until some optimism is injected!) is that Ole is like my (theoretical) son who plays football for the junior team.
I think he's good enough to play and should be given the chance to play but, in my heart of hearts, I know the other kids are probably better and more deserving.
I'll never call for Ole to go
++
Well you really will if he continues to lose games. Just like we all will, eventually.
Huge 3 games coming up for Ole.
CL in Istanbul tonight. Couldn't come at a worse time what with all that travelling. Result not that crucial for me as long as we hold our own, with no dramas or daft injuries. Ole will probably rest key players for the Everton game. I predict an ugly draw.
Everton away. No question about it. Got to get a good point at least from there, to get our season going.
Then WB Albion at home. Really, is a MUST win for Ole.
comment by Ji Sung Park's Cousin - A Beekers Dozen (U2958)
posted 33 seconds ago
It's a tricky one and, other than that Culer guy, there can't be a poster here who doesn't have reservations right now.
In his favour, he has shown twice now that he is capable of going on long winning runs, so I hold out some hope of it all clicking and another run taking place.
On the flipside, 7 points from 18 is not good enough, regardless of the strange season, and some of his decision making has been odd, at best.
I'm of the opinion that he gets the full season to figure things out, then we need to really look at our options if we are still hit and miss.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We could really do with one of those long winning runs now. Why? Because I think this squad of players would actually be more capable of sustaining it than his previous ones.
I think the one word I'd use about all this is 'frustration'. It's very frustrating as we could be doing much better.
comment by RB&W (U21434)
posted 1 minute ago
I'll never call for Ole to go
++
Well you really will if he continues to lose games. Just like we all will, eventually.
Huge 3 games coming up for Ole.
CL in Istanbul tonight. Couldn't come at a worse time what with all that travelling. Result not that crucial for me as long as we hold our own, with no dramas or daft injuries. Ole will probably rest key players for the Everton game. I predict an ugly draw.
Everton away. No question about it. Got to get a good point at least from there, to get our season going.
Then WB Albion at home. Really, is a MUST win for Ole.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
OK RB&W. That's fair enough. If he loses 6/7 in a row then maybe I would!
I don't think there's any excuses tonight either. It's not a very long flight to Istanbul (4 hours approx) and they are a team we should be beating. If we see some tempo and urgency tonight then I think we win comfortably.
I do agree the next two games will tell us more though.
If he loses 6/7 in a row then maybe I would!
++
Wow. You would allow him up to 7 straight defeats? Interesting.
Then why not say 10,11 12... or even more? I would say if we lost 5 in a row he's kinda lost the plot.
comment by RB&W (U21434)
posted 24 seconds ago
If he loses 6/7 in a row then maybe I would!
++
Wow. You would allow him up to 7 straight defeats? Interesting.
Then why not say 10,11 12... or even more? I would say if we lost 5 in a row he's kinda lost the plot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not being literal here RB&W!
I think if we lose to Everton on Saturday he’s gone. International break straight after so perfect time to get things sorted.
OP, are you really expecting the board to sack Ole because we haven't started the season well though?
I think lots of us have doubts about Ole's long term ability to get success with this team but that doesn't translate into fans wanting him out straight away.
I always said I'd just him towards the end of this season and that's what I will do, though openly admit I'm not expecting much at this stage.
comment by Robb Thee Rashford (U22311)
posted 52 seconds ago
I think if we lose to Everton on Saturday he’s gone. International break straight after so perfect time to get things sorted.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Must be hard for you to want us to beat Everton then?
I don’t understand the whole ‘give him the season’ talk. How does that even work? What if we keep losing games?
I'm not being literal here RB&W!
comment by Robb Thee Rashford (U22311)
posted 1 minute ago
I don’t understand the whole ‘give him the season’ talk. How does that even work? What if we keep losing games?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The great thing about football is that there is always another season.
United lost 4 games in a row once in the early 1960s
comment by Robb Thee Rashford (U22311)
posted 5 minutes ago
I don’t understand the whole ‘give him the season’ talk. How does that even work? What if we keep losing games?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's more to do with 7 games not being enough to form a full judgement.
Obviously if we're in the relegation zone in January then that changes, but as we saw last season, that isn't realistic, no matter how much one might pretend it is at a certain point.
I don’t understand the whole ‘give him the season’ talk. How does that even work? What if we keep losing games?
++
Clearly, it works if you don't lose enough games to actually get relegated.
I can't see him being in any immediate danger unless things take a dramatic turn for the worse.
There will come a point when the club will have to maybe pull the trigger if we find ourselves some way off the top 4. It's too early in the season for them to be doing that though.
The problem is if they let things drag on for too long which is what has happened in the past, it could cost us.
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Robb Thee Rashford (U22311)
posted 5 minutes ago
I don’t understand the whole ‘give him the season’ talk. How does that even work? What if we keep losing games?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's more to do with 7 games not being enough to form a full judgement.
Obviously if we're in the relegation zone in January then that changes, but as we saw last season, that isn't realistic, no matter how much one might pretend it is at a certain point.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Wouldn’t it be nice if one season we didn’t just wait for things to be so bad we have to fire someone we have doubts about and just were proactive enough to bring in the right person before it went to shiiiit?
Klopp is at Liverpool after they rolled the dice early on in the season and sacked Rodgers who had done a decent enough job but wasn’t really going anywhere.
United'd 1989-90 season was a good example of 'give the manager the season'.
We we close to getting relegated at one period. But the rest is history.
Utd have had plenty of those seasons though.
I jokingly said Utd should try changing their fans because at the end of the day the only people who seem really unhappy are glory boys. Maybe that's not such a bad idea, the sense of entitlement is fairly nauseating.
comment by RB&W (U21434)
posted 10 seconds ago
United'd 1989-90 season was a good example of 'give the manager the season'.
We we close to getting relegated at one period. But the rest is history.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tbf that’s a one in a million case of things working out as well as it did.
Sign in if you want to comment
Ole
Page 1 of 7
6 | 7
posted on 4/11/20
Manchester United do not always play badly. To suggest as much misses the open goal of criticism. Solskjaer has a collection of excellent and expensive players. The starting XI against Arsenal cost £410m to sign and three of those were academy graduates who didn’t cost a penny. With those resources, there is a natural floor to Manchester United’s level. Pick those players enough times, face the right opponents, and occasionally they will click and produce something brilliant. Wednesday evening was evidence of that.
But that’s exactly the point: The quality of Manchester United’s players guarantees a natural floor and their manager guarantees a natural ceiling. Solskjaer has proven his ability to switch formations and personnel and surprise an opposition manager, particularly in big games. But for the most part United are a ‘roll the dice’ football team. Pick the players, tell them to go out and play, hope the individuals click often enough with each other that it results in brilliance – roll the dice. When it works, fine. When it doesn’t, we can ask questions of the manager. After six matches of the league season, it has worked for 10 minutes against Newcastle United and that’s it.
posted on 4/11/20
^^ i stole that above comment from a more skilled wordsmith than I. Ole is a decent guy but since he’s taken the job permanently we’ve only once won more than two league games in a row. Inconsistency is his Achilles heel. We may well win tonight. May beat Everton. But then in the next game it’ll fall apart.
People say he’s a victim of Ed - but he’s another one of Ed’s mistakes. If Ed had a brain and some balls he’d snap up Poch today and just give him the keys to the kingdom.
posted on 4/11/20
He has to go! Unless we win tonight then he is building something special. Unless we don't beat Everton on Saturday, then he has to go! Unless we beat West Brom, then we are title contenders. Unless we lose to Southampton then he is a glorified PE teacher. Unless we beat PSG then we are European Champions in waiting. Unless we lose to West Ham then we are relegation fodder and he needs to go. Unless we beat Red Bull then the treble, no QUADRUPLE is on. Unless we lose to City then it's the worst United side in decades. Unless we beat Sheffield United then it's the best United side in generations. Unless we lose to Leeds then Ole deserves to DIE. Unless we beat Everton then Ole needs a statue outside Old Trafford.
posted on 4/11/20
comment by Garry Brady (U1734)
posted 1 minute ago
He has to go! Unless we win tonight then he is building something special. Unless we don't beat Everton on Saturday, then he has to go! Unless we beat West Brom, then we are title contenders. Unless we lose to Southampton then he is a glorified PE teacher. Unless we beat PSG then we are European Champions in waiting. Unless we lose to West Ham then we are relegation fodder and he needs to go. Unless we beat Red Bull then the treble, no QUADRUPLE is on. Unless we lose to City then it's the worst United side in decades. Unless we beat Sheffield United then it's the best United side in generations. Unless we lose to Leeds then Ole deserves to DIE. Unless we beat Everton then Ole needs a statue outside Old Trafford.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
*I have never seen him manage.
posted on 4/11/20
It's a tricky one and, other than that Culer guy, there can't be a poster here who doesn't have reservations right now.
In his favour, he has shown twice now that he is capable of going on long winning runs, so I hold out some hope of it all clicking and another run taking place.
On the flipside, 7 points from 18 is not good enough, regardless of the strange season, and some of his decision making has been odd, at best.
I'm of the opinion that he gets the full season to figure things out, then we need to really look at our options if we are still hit and miss.
posted on 4/11/20
The way I'm thinking at the moment (until some optimism is injected!) is that Ole is like my (theoretical) son who plays football for the junior team.
I think he's good enough to play and should be given the chance to play but, in my heart of hearts, I know the other kids are probably better and more deserving.
posted on 4/11/20
I'll never call for Ole to go
++
Well you really will if he continues to lose games. Just like we all will, eventually.
Huge 3 games coming up for Ole.
CL in Istanbul tonight. Couldn't come at a worse time what with all that travelling. Result not that crucial for me as long as we hold our own, with no dramas or daft injuries. Ole will probably rest key players for the Everton game. I predict an ugly draw.
Everton away. No question about it. Got to get a good point at least from there, to get our season going.
Then WB Albion at home. Really, is a MUST win for Ole.
posted on 4/11/20
comment by Ji Sung Park's Cousin - A Beekers Dozen (U2958)
posted 33 seconds ago
It's a tricky one and, other than that Culer guy, there can't be a poster here who doesn't have reservations right now.
In his favour, he has shown twice now that he is capable of going on long winning runs, so I hold out some hope of it all clicking and another run taking place.
On the flipside, 7 points from 18 is not good enough, regardless of the strange season, and some of his decision making has been odd, at best.
I'm of the opinion that he gets the full season to figure things out, then we need to really look at our options if we are still hit and miss.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We could really do with one of those long winning runs now. Why? Because I think this squad of players would actually be more capable of sustaining it than his previous ones.
I think the one word I'd use about all this is 'frustration'. It's very frustrating as we could be doing much better.
posted on 4/11/20
comment by RB&W (U21434)
posted 1 minute ago
I'll never call for Ole to go
++
Well you really will if he continues to lose games. Just like we all will, eventually.
Huge 3 games coming up for Ole.
CL in Istanbul tonight. Couldn't come at a worse time what with all that travelling. Result not that crucial for me as long as we hold our own, with no dramas or daft injuries. Ole will probably rest key players for the Everton game. I predict an ugly draw.
Everton away. No question about it. Got to get a good point at least from there, to get our season going.
Then WB Albion at home. Really, is a MUST win for Ole.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
OK RB&W. That's fair enough. If he loses 6/7 in a row then maybe I would!
I don't think there's any excuses tonight either. It's not a very long flight to Istanbul (4 hours approx) and they are a team we should be beating. If we see some tempo and urgency tonight then I think we win comfortably.
I do agree the next two games will tell us more though.
posted on 4/11/20
If he loses 6/7 in a row then maybe I would!
++
Wow. You would allow him up to 7 straight defeats? Interesting.
Then why not say 10,11 12... or even more? I would say if we lost 5 in a row he's kinda lost the plot.
posted on 4/11/20
comment by RB&W (U21434)
posted 24 seconds ago
If he loses 6/7 in a row then maybe I would!
++
Wow. You would allow him up to 7 straight defeats? Interesting.
Then why not say 10,11 12... or even more? I would say if we lost 5 in a row he's kinda lost the plot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not being literal here RB&W!
posted on 4/11/20
I think if we lose to Everton on Saturday he’s gone. International break straight after so perfect time to get things sorted.
posted on 4/11/20
OP, are you really expecting the board to sack Ole because we haven't started the season well though?
I think lots of us have doubts about Ole's long term ability to get success with this team but that doesn't translate into fans wanting him out straight away.
I always said I'd just him towards the end of this season and that's what I will do, though openly admit I'm not expecting much at this stage.
posted on 4/11/20
comment by Robb Thee Rashford (U22311)
posted 52 seconds ago
I think if we lose to Everton on Saturday he’s gone. International break straight after so perfect time to get things sorted.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Must be hard for you to want us to beat Everton then?
posted on 4/11/20
I don’t understand the whole ‘give him the season’ talk. How does that even work? What if we keep losing games?
posted on 4/11/20
I'm not being literal here RB&W!
posted on 4/11/20
comment by Robb Thee Rashford (U22311)
posted 1 minute ago
I don’t understand the whole ‘give him the season’ talk. How does that even work? What if we keep losing games?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The great thing about football is that there is always another season.
posted on 4/11/20
United lost 4 games in a row once in the early 1960s
posted on 4/11/20
comment by Robb Thee Rashford (U22311)
posted 5 minutes ago
I don’t understand the whole ‘give him the season’ talk. How does that even work? What if we keep losing games?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's more to do with 7 games not being enough to form a full judgement.
Obviously if we're in the relegation zone in January then that changes, but as we saw last season, that isn't realistic, no matter how much one might pretend it is at a certain point.
posted on 4/11/20
I don’t understand the whole ‘give him the season’ talk. How does that even work? What if we keep losing games?
++
Clearly, it works if you don't lose enough games to actually get relegated.
posted on 4/11/20
I can't see him being in any immediate danger unless things take a dramatic turn for the worse.
There will come a point when the club will have to maybe pull the trigger if we find ourselves some way off the top 4. It's too early in the season for them to be doing that though.
The problem is if they let things drag on for too long which is what has happened in the past, it could cost us.
posted on 4/11/20
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Robb Thee Rashford (U22311)
posted 5 minutes ago
I don’t understand the whole ‘give him the season’ talk. How does that even work? What if we keep losing games?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's more to do with 7 games not being enough to form a full judgement.
Obviously if we're in the relegation zone in January then that changes, but as we saw last season, that isn't realistic, no matter how much one might pretend it is at a certain point.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Wouldn’t it be nice if one season we didn’t just wait for things to be so bad we have to fire someone we have doubts about and just were proactive enough to bring in the right person before it went to shiiiit?
Klopp is at Liverpool after they rolled the dice early on in the season and sacked Rodgers who had done a decent enough job but wasn’t really going anywhere.
posted on 4/11/20
United'd 1989-90 season was a good example of 'give the manager the season'.
We we close to getting relegated at one period. But the rest is history.
posted on 4/11/20
Utd have had plenty of those seasons though.
I jokingly said Utd should try changing their fans because at the end of the day the only people who seem really unhappy are glory boys. Maybe that's not such a bad idea, the sense of entitlement is fairly nauseating.
posted on 4/11/20
comment by RB&W (U21434)
posted 10 seconds ago
United'd 1989-90 season was a good example of 'give the manager the season'.
We we close to getting relegated at one period. But the rest is history.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tbf that’s a one in a million case of things working out as well as it did.
Page 1 of 7
6 | 7