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Fan's Thread Exposing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 'Myths' Goes Viral
A Manchester United has created a thread debunking the myths surrounding manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
United's dreadful run of form continued yesterday as they drew 2-2 with Aston Villa at Old Trafford, following on from a 3-3 draw with Sheffield United and a 2-1 defeat to Astana in the Europa League.
And Michael Tunstall has put together a comprehensive list of points going against anyone who feels the Norwegian has been unlucky with the situation at the club and just needs time to get the team back to where it once was.
Solskjaer Myths - A thread:
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
"Got rid of the deadwood": The likes of Young, Jones, Rojo, Lingard, & Pereira are still at the club. Young, Jones and Pereira were all given new deals under Solskjaer.
He let better players leave to cut costs - Smalling & Lukaku primarily.
Darmian was the only real deadwood he sold in summer. Alexis left on loan but given how thin we are in attack, we'd have probably been better off giving him another run in the side rather than just loaning him out whilst still paying a large chunk of his wages.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
Lukaku was the only true striker in the squad and he was sold when it was impossible to replace him. Smalling was our second best CB last season and he was loaned out to get his wages off the books.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
On top of that, we lost Fellaini and Herrera (who would both start for United today) and didn't replace either, this summer was a clear cost cutting exercise. It wasn't about doing what was best for United and it wasn't about getting rid of the so called 'Deadwood' either.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
"His three signings have been the best": Arguably our best two players so far this season have been McTominay & Rashford. And that's the best out of a bad bunch.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
Maguire is the world's most expensive defender and he's been consistently average bar a couple of games.
Maguire is an improvement on what we had, for sure, but for £80m we could have bought pretty much any CB in world football. There should be question marks over this signing and the decision to go for him over someone like Koulibaly.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
Maguire is an improvement on what we had, for sure, but for £80m we could have bought pretty much any CB in world football. There should be question marks over this signing and the decision to go for him over someone like Koulibaly.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
Wan-Bissaka has been solid enough. No real complaints. Question marks about his attacking presence and positioning but he's young and will improve - will hopefully make RB his own for the next decade. £50m? One of our best players this season? It's a no on both so far.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
Daniel James was an outside recommendation and a fairly risk-free signing. He's been good so far and like AWB has room to improve. I have my doubts about him, I think he'll prove to be a valuable squad player over the next few years but a starter every week? Jury is out.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
Either way, no matter how you look at it, Solskjaer made three signings this summer, got rid of the players he apparently didn't want and taken us backwards.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
Even if his 3 signings were our best players so far, is that really an achievement given how we're playing?
"Attacking Philosophy": One of the biggest criticisms under previous managers has been the style of play. We're told that Ole has a free-flowing attacking side. Wrong. It's more painful to watch now than it ever has been.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
Aside from not being this attacking team that some fans have convinced themselves we are, we have no direction, no structure, no clear plan - every single game is a mish-mash of the ideas of a failed Hull manager, a failed Cardiff manager and Michael Carrick.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
I agree that injuries haven't helped, plus having a relatively weak squad (which Solskjaer contributed to in summer), but it really has never been this bad post-Ferguson. Not even under Moyes. In-game changes are a problem but the pre-game decisions are an even bigger problem.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
Now we have Greenwood who looks a genuine talent and a bunch of other kids who might make it, might not. Two of the more focused on prospects look likley to leave (Chong and Gomes). If they do, that talent pool shrinks even further.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
"Cultural Reboot": Anyone know what this means? We've got Pogba trying to force a move away, Matic publicly undermiming the manager, Lingard's weird videos and De Gea telling us it's never been as bad.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
Is that a reboot of culture? Am I missing something?
The recruitment strategy is just plain weird. It seems as though young and British is the way forward... really? That might explain why we got Maguire over someone like Koulibaly.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
If that's the way forward, the talent pool shrinks and the prices inflate.
We're linked with Longstaff, Rice, Sancho, Maddison etc. - all decent players in their own right but why would United overpay for someone like Rice when you could get someone more talented for half the price?
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
Bruno Fernandes, who has a release clause, was snubbed in summer which is why we're seeing Pereira and Lingard pass to advertising boards every week now.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
There is somewhat of a 'rebuild' to do at United, but that's a rebuild to challenge for titles - not struggle to be in the top half of the table. Facts are facts, and Solskjaer inherited a squad that finished 2nd the season before he arrived.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
We're severly underperforming.
He's been here 12 months, spent £150m and taken us backwards - even from the point where Mourinho threw the towel in.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
He's been here 12 months, spent £150m and taken us backwards - even from the point where Mourinho threw the towel in.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
United fans won't like hearing this but we're trusting a manager with a relegation on his CV to oversee a rebuild at the biggest club in the world. If he wasn't an ex-player of United, he'd still be in Norway. He has absolutely no credentials to be the manager of United.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
We're trusting a manager that said 'the owners have invested loads of money'. We're trusting a manager that tells us he's happy with THIS squad.
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
We're trusting a manager who is not only tactically inept, but also a manager who will nod along and do as he's told.
I was desperate for him to succeed - just as I am for any manager but how long do we let this go on for?
- Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 1, 2019
There is no bigger picture or longer term vision, just a man willing to allign his views with those of the owners to perform his dream job and get paid a lot of ££ to do it.
Instead, he's very clear in saying that although a club legend who scored that famous winner against Bayern Munich in 1999, he's not up to the task and is taking the club backwards.
Since taking the job on a permanent basis, he has won just 11 games out of 31 and has a dire 35% win percentage.
He also stresses how Solskjaer's summer planning was poor as he failed to replace players who departed and left the squad weaker a result, with a fair bit of deadwood still remaining.
He's also not having that United signed well in the summer as while Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James have been steady, £80 million Harry Maguire has been "consistently average" and a better alternative could have been signed.
Michael doesn't believe in Solskjaer bringing about "an attacking philosophy" and "cultural reboot" given the dire football on display and the fact that Paul Pogba is angling for a move away.
Moreover, he questions Solskjaer's tactical ability and points out that a guy whose only experience in management is with Molde in Norway and relegating Cardiff should not be managing United.
Judging by the replies on Twitter, it seems like a good chunk of United supporters are inclined to agree with his many points raised.
With games against Spurs and rivals Manchester City coming up, is Solskjaer edging towards the sliding door or will the club keep the faith in him?
Sound off in the comments.
Topics: Football News, Football, Manchester United, Premier League, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
