It is a little over 21 years now since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored four times in 11 minutes as Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest 8-1. Unfortunately for the current United manager, his results tend to come in bursts too — for good and for bad.
Solskjaer’s United are a team who tend to run either very hot or very cold — it’s not a good sign.
After he took over from Jose Mourinho — architect of Solskjaer’s misery at Old Trafford on Sunday — as caretaker in late 2018, a run of 14 wins in 17 games effectively secured the Norwegian the job.
United promptly lost their next game rather unjustly at Arsenal but then finished that season by winning just two of their last 12, losing eight.
Last season — Solskjaer’s first full one — worked out in reverse. United beat Chelsea 4-0 on opening day and then won only two of their next 11.
Into the new year and buoyed by the signing of Bruno Fernandes and the emergence of Mason Greenwood, Solskjaer’s side recovered to win 17 and lose only two of their final 25 games.
So this is where the occasional hope comes from. United can, and sometimes do, play like a very good football side.
Under Solskjaer, they can suddenly hit their straps, get on a roll of confidence and sweep teams aside for periods of weeks and more.
Equally, the team can be astonishingly dismal. One defeat is not immediately forgotten about or learned from. Too often one quickly tends to lead to another and then misery sets in.
Players’ shoulders slump, eyes focus on the ground and Solskjaer starts to look less like the homecoming hero and more like the little boy lost he first appeared to be when he walked through the gates of the Cliff back in 1996.
All this tells us quite a lot about the modern Manchester United and their manager.
It suggests that too many players are mentally unable to deal with the natural up and down rhythms of a long season and that when the dark days arrive, their manager does not have the experience of man-management — the know-how to help them through.
In an interview at the weekend, the Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku — resurgent at Inter Milan — claimed that the English were wrong to say he was lazy during his time at Old Trafford.
He is entitled to his claim, yet those who know will say that his levels of application at United were not always the best.
So why would a player try less hard at one club than at another? Is it because of the differences in team culture? Is it because of the manager? Is it simply because he can?
Certainly at United it is not unusual to see players go through extended lulls and then emerge to find new peaks. Less common is consistency of performance over a season. David de Gea, Harry Maguire, Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Nemanja Matic and Luke Shaw all fall into this category and that is too many.
Great teams have stellar days but relentless predictability and reliability is what underpins them. Last season, former Liverpool manager Roy Evans — an inhabitant of the Anfield boot room for most of his professional life — spoke of the need for what he called ‘seven-out-of-10 players’. He referenced Jordan Henderson and James Milner.
Where are United’s seven-out-of-10 players? Had a few of them been around on Sunday, they might still have lost to Tottenham but they would not have been embarrassed 6-1.
Clips from the Spurs mauling were informative. Pogba’s clatter into Ben Davies at the end looked for all the world like a belated attempt to get his shorts dirty. Shaw’s ugly hack at Lucas Moura seemed born of an apparent lack of interest in chasing him.
At really big clubs, dressing rooms do not tolerate things like this. Lessons are quickly taught and learned. At United, who do we imagine dishes out the rollickings? Maguire, the captain? Solskjaer?
It all appears unlikely at a club that seems in need of the kind of shift in mentality that Mikel Arteta is bringing about at Arsenal.
Solskjaer has been in his role for almost two years, Arteta at his less than one. At Old Trafford, signing marquee names like Edinson Cavani will not do anything to address the fundamental flaws in the dressing room.
The players need to work harder and think smarter. If they don’t, it will eventually cost their young manager his job.
Tjay02Mbk
526
so we are all going to sit here and ignore the fact that the Ed Woodward literally sets up managers to fail just so he can save money for the glazers?? yes Ole has been woeful at times with selections and substitutes and even tactics but with all honesty theres only so much one vould have done with such players!! Good example is this transfer window, so many deals including Sancho could have been done but Ed was trying to save money and made excuses that there was no money (total b.s). the only reason he decided to give up the money now is because people where agry and if it doesnt work he can easily fire Ole and say "i still got you some players in the end"!!! it would have been fair to judge him if he got the players he wanted, simple
heucnpst
504
If you follow MU since the restart, ole have use the same ole 11, he seems not to trust the other player. As a player before, he should knows that players get tired after so many games in a short while, he should rotate the players but he relies on the same 11. There are so many internationals in his team but he only use who were stars players before. Then why bother to buy new players??? Some are not even performing anymore! You have a stopper with good clean sheets and you have a stopper who let in 5 in 2 games yet you select the later what’s the logic? If you think the former is not up to the mark, sell him why paying for his weekly wages? The mid field is not doing a great job, why still keep them there?
adesinaalamu
470
To me, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already lost his job. He is only buying time for himself. With these calibers of players in his possession, you can't afford to be this inconsistent and his attitude on the bench when his team is playing bad is so irritating. He lacks charisma, tactics and technicalities to boost morale of his players when they are mentally down. His selections and substitutions most time out of equations, he has lost my trust since his 1st lost after he was confirmed full manager and his lack of game time management by losing 3 Semi Finals in a season was just an ice on the cake. Ed Woodward and Co are just architect of Manchester United woes in all ramifications as regards the roles they played in transfer markets and caliber of managers they hirer for the club.....they are simply not getting it and yet to define what they really need. They are so clueless in term of vision and mission for the club.
Tiuaekoptu
463
Ole is costing his job himself, 1.He don't want play Pogba role No10 2.He don't want to drop Maguire just because he is an Englishman 3. He is too soft to his players, he don't yell at them 4. He is lazy, he don't couch like other couches, just sitting for the whole game
Puuadiklop
220
why is ED Woodward the problem at United? no he's not! is he playing? does he manage the team? no! man u know they have some of the best players around. bruno, pogba, van de beek...these are internationals. compare Tottenham's midfield of Ndombele, Holdberg,Sissoko. .. it means that either Ole doesn't know the best midfield or the players lack enthusiasm. Harry Maguire is not cut for Man U, let alone to be the Capt. pogba is a better Capt. Bruno was Capt at Benfica. team captainship has got nothing to do with nationality or whatever. its about ability and leadership quality. I think the team is not behind their captain cos he doesn't play good football at all.
Puuadiklop
143
Those who are clamouring for Ole to go hard on his players must be living on borrowed time. in modern football, players are professionals so must they be. you dont get to training at 8 instead of 6 and expect Jose Mourinho to smile. you see, there are coaches who are winners and they have the voice. zidane can bench Bale and nobody can chastise him. Pep could bench Aguero or De Brune and no body can roast him. Mourinho does what he needs to do to win. now footballers ought to be pampered and given confidence, unlike before, when Alex Ferguson would go hard on them. ole is a new coach. his Voice is So hoarse he can hardly shout.