Ole Gunnar Solskjaer | W15 D2 L4

Is Ole a good appointment?


  • Total voters
    2,659
Well, there’s our reserves, relegation fodder Cardiff and Molde in the World renowned Norwegian League.

So no, not pub leagues, but he’s not done anything anywhere near United’s level.
Not every league can be the Premier League, you're aware of that right? Just because you don't place any value on the Norwegian league doesn't mean a whole country (and some of Scandinavia) doesn't watch it, go to games and enjoy it as we do the PL.
 
It's just brilliant having a manager you love again.

I'm loving all the Ole songs and chants. He's brought the club back together.
 
That's because we won last night. After PSG it's all been about why Pochettino should be the manager instead.

I think the whole argument is tired now and has run it's course. He'll get the job at the end of the season regardless of what happens between now and then. I just hope people stop with the bickering at that point because it's exhausting.
Agree! We should just stop the speculation and enjoy the ride.
 
I wo
Is getting top 4 actually a great achievement? I mean, it's obviously really important for clubs, but is it a harder thing to achieve than winning a cup? There's an established "top 6", of which Arsenal are a busted flush these days, so it's pretty much 5 teams fighting over 4 CL spots. Getting top 4 is just a case of not being the worst team out of those 5, and with us and Chelsea serving up some stinkers in the past few years, it's been a pretty low bar to beat.
I would say it definitely is a bigger achievement, at least for the clubs. Put it this way: would we swap the season we had last year for Chelsea's?
 
Well no, but he's achieved some incredible results in Europe with a Molde team thats not even on the same planet as most of the teams they face financial wise:

https://www.eurosport.no/fotball/uefa-europa-league/2015-2016/calendar-result.shtml

The 2015/2016 EL campaign saw Molde win their group with Ajax, Celtic and Fenerbache. They beat Celtic home and away, beat Fenerbache in Turkey, drew twice against Ajax. They lost 3-0 to Sevilla in Spain, but won 1-0 in Norway.

Well, I'm sure Ajax, Celtic, and Fenerbache all play the exact same formations with equally talented rosters that could be swapped out piece by piece with no noticeable difference. Ince would have beaten them all - three times. Heck, anyone else could have. :smirk:

Or maybe Ole just has a knack for tactics on the European stage with a team he built and knows inside and out.
 
Tough teams figuring something out is the new - that and that game is the real test I guess.
Teams are soon going to figure out Klopps 4231 and Peps 433 !!! Ole better whip out a new formation beforethe jig is up
 
Well no, but he's achieved some incredible results in Europe with a Molde team thats not even on the same planet as most of the teams they face financial wise:

https://www.eurosport.no/fotball/uefa-europa-league/2015-2016/calendar-result.shtml

The 2015/2016 EL campaign saw Molde win their group with Ajax, Celtic and Fenerbache. They beat Celtic home and away, beat Fenerbache in Turkey, drew twice against Ajax. They lost 3-0 to Sevilla in Spain, but won 1-0 in Norway. During that same period Manchester United lost 2-1 against FC Midtjylland in Denmark (but won 5-1 at home).

Currently Ole has won 3 out of 3 games against the top 6, lost 1 game against one of the best teams on the planet after a halftime 0-0, and is managing the best team in the premier league since he came to the club (as pr. the Ole table).

How long does he need to do something here, to have done something at United level? Mourinho has achieved more results than most managers can dream of and the team sucked under his leadership.

So what does Ole have to do exactly, how show he's worthy? Beat Liverpool? The team with the best structure and arguably best offense in the world currently? Win ever single game to eternity?
This is actually a very good post and point that is getting buried because it bursts too many bubbles. He's had many good European nights before Pochettino was even in the competition and beaten far superior opposition.
 
"Don't think Ole is up to par tactically" is probably my least favorite argument for not wanting him in. I understand if you have reservations about his experience in big leagues, but to act like his tactics are that far behind any of the other top managers is ridiculous. He's shown an ability to adapt and gameplay for specific teams, which is pretty much the standard for all of the top managers. Managing football isn't playing fecking FM where he's sitting on a laptop controlling each players "mentality" and tinkering the formation throughout the match. I think the top managers nowadays quite clearly DON'T change as much in game, instead making their mark on the training ground. This seemed to be where Mourinho failed, as we always seemed to be looking like we hadn't trained on anything all week, even if he could affect a game by setting up in a creative way on match day . As long as we have a desired way of playing that is attacking in nature, and the team is cohesive, then it becomes much more a matter of getting the best out of current players along with buying the right players from the market.
 
For a club like us it's not much of an achievement. For Spurs and their limitations it's an excellent achievement.

As for Ole, he's doing an incredible job. The transformation since he's joined is something nobody saw coming. The most heartening thing is the improvement of nearly every single individual. The only small skepticism I'd offer right now sat in my wait and watch chair, is that I'd like to see our domination of possession and football matches improve. At Spurs and Chelsea we've given up the ball for large periods of the game. Against PSG they bossed the midfield. And generally we've been playing more and more on the counter. With a view to judge Ole being the right man for us, I'd like to see how much he can improve us on the ball.

Aside from that, hats off to him. He's truly re-United the club and seemingly lifted a huge weight off everybody's shoulders. Suddenly we dont have a rubbish attack. Finally, after 5.5 seasons. Madness.
That and I'm still holding out on the youth portion. Hasn't really been adventurous in that area. It's only a small criticism though and plenty of time for that to be erased.

I want Ole to get the job.
 
If OGS was a flash in the pan, there's no way the team would have bounced back after the defeat to PSG with two of our first choice attackers injured.
 
Teams are soon going to figure out Klopps 4231 and Peps 433 !!! Ole better whip out a new formation beforethe jig is up
Imagine Ole tweaking formations. I mean isn't he aware everybody will figure him out!?
 
Teams are soon going to figure out Klopps 4231 and Peps 433 !!! Ole better whip out a new formation beforethe jig is up
Pep and Klopp play those as their default formations though, so they probably spend a lot of time coaching, practising, and eradicating every potential weaknesses. Ole uses 433 as the default formation, and just whips out the diamond for the big games.
 
The way some people are shifting goal post;is it not better to say that their minds is made up on Poch no matter what Ole achieves?

We won many matches;they said those were small teams.

We won Spurs;they said De Gea saved us.

We won Arsenal they said we need to concede first and see how we react.

We drew Burnley they said;they needed to see how we react after a loss.

We lost to PSG;they said Chelsea is the ultimate test.

We beat Chelsea ;they said Liverpool is the real ultimate test.

If Ole walks on water they will accuse him of raising dust.
Why would Chelsea be the ultimate test? They're garbage.
 
It is incredible how Old has gotten Pogba to play and show his true footballing ability. It is hard to argue that there is any midfielder in the world better than Pogba at the moment. Which is funny as a few months ago, Mourinho would bench him because he was unplayable.

This makes me question, what happens when Pogba decides to down tools again? Or when a team have the capabilities to completely shut Pogba out of the game as Tuchel did at Old Trafford? This idea of giving the players “freedom” to express themselves will not work when we come up against more tactical competent managers as seen when we faced Pochettino and Tuchel. Ole need to show that we can play around Pogba. Even though Ole deserve a lot credit for making him “happy” again(man management aspect) and giving him a more free role, football is a team sport and you will get outclassed tactically by better managers if there is an over reliance on one player in your team. This is another reason why I have not jumped on the Ole bandwagon. Ole has not really given me a complete performance against a team we were not expected to win or was going to struggle at. Some fans needs to remember that this Chelsea team got humiliated by Bournemouth and Manchester City this season. I can’t tell if there players are downing tools over there or Sariball is a ‘Sarifailure’ or ‘Saridisaster’ and the players do not understand that philosophy.
 
Why would Chelsea be the ultimate test? They're garbage.
Because

(a) It was after a loss against PSG and we did not play well.

(b) martial and Lingard were injured.

(c) The substitutes for Martial and Lingard were not performing.

(d) We have not won at SB for more than a decade.

(e) Chelsea tend to raise their game against us no matter their form.
 
Pep and Klopp play those as their default formations though, so they probably spend a lot of time coaching, practising, and eradicating every potential weaknesses. Ole uses 433 as the default formation, and just whips out the diamond for the big games.
So then why wouldn't he just play the default formation if the diamond doesn't work???
 
Because

(a) It was after a loss against PSG and we did not play well.

(b) martial and Lingard were injured.

(c) The substitutes for Martial and Lingard were not performing.

(d) We have not won at SB for more than a decade.

(e) Chelsea tend to raise their game against us no matter their form.

think the last was 2013, not exactly a decade but agree with all what you have said
 
Pep and Klopp play those as their default formations though, so they probably spend a lot of time coaching, practising, and eradicating every potential weaknesses. Ole uses 433 as the default formation, and just whips out the diamond for the big games.
So having few formations instead of just one is actually a weakness? Who would have thought.
 
Impressed with his ability to switch up tactics. Can change from a 433 to a 4312 and still be effective.
 
What about the Europa league where his Molde side have beaten far better opposition, including Ajax, Celtic and Fenerbache? Are we still to discount these as it's 'only the Norwegian league'?

All I’m saying is I personally think Phelan is the brains while Ole acts as the fact of the whole setup.

I could care less whether we get Poch or not, if it continues to work, don’t change it.