22 Aug 2021 16:19:32
First time poster- I supported Ole for a long long time, I honestly wanted him to succeed and he has brought a lot of positivity and strengthen the team significantly, but today I must accept that he is not a manager/ coach/ assistant coach or anything related to coaching. I am not Fantasy manager nor do I claim to be one but having said that I don't have a clue how Martial was given 60mins, matic seriously! and I have lost hope in Fred (I thought he was a decent player now I can see why he gets the stick! ) . Just letting my frustration out!

{Ed025's Note - welcome anil..

1.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 17:49:16
If anyone thought this team had any chance of winning a title today should extinguish any such fantasy.

Managers are judged by their decisions and Ole rarely excels. There was absolutely no reason to recall the surly and statuesque Martial for this game. The Maguire/ Lindelof axis was needlessly yet predictably troubled by two quick and mobile CF’s and whilst Southampton didn’t create many chances it allowed a nervousness to creep into their game. Matic devoid the team of yet more energy, mobility and urgency. The fact he dropped in between both CBs to start our attacks was bizarre and left the erratic Fred as the only midfielder.

This was a team that played without hunger, energy, urgency and seemingly no idea how to progress the ball up the pitch. The complacency which has plagued this side for nearly a decade returned with Lindelof, Maguire and Matic guilty of playing walking football as they nervously played the ball between themselves and failed to progress the ball up the pitch. That was as poor as I’ve seen us under any manager.

Ole has done a good job of assembling a fine group of players but he has no idea how to use them.

He shows loyalty to players that simply aren’t good enough. These players might have succeeded in winning games when his job was on the line but they have proved time and again they are no where near good enough to win silverware.

Ole has forgotten that his job as manager is to win titles. There can be no excuses for keeping Varane and Sancho on the bench. These players were signed to make this team better and move forward where others have failed.

Ole has always been a reactive rather than a proactive manager. He’s incapable of making tough decisions. After that horror show no doubt Varane and Sancho will be thrown into the game next weekend and asked to breathe new life into an already stuttering season. If you think this is dramatic you’re mistaken. Expectations are rightly higher this season. That performance was well below what is required and expected from this team.

Ole is yet again only one game away from his next crisis.

2.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 17:42:32
Thank you Ed025 and all of the eds, you guys are doing great here and I express my deep gratitude!

{Ed025's Note - cheers mate..

3.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 19:05:26
Just to add to my post another big red flag regarding Ole’s credentials must be his disgusting treatment of Donny VDB. When we bought him he was one of the most promising midfielders in Europe.

To think Ole thinks Fred is a better footballer is not just absurd but deeply troubling. To even contemplate that an ageing and immobile Matic can bring more to the team is equally as perplexing.

Football is all about opinions and if Ole doesn’t rate him which is his prerogative then that's fine but surely a competent manager sells him and brings in a player that can improve the team. To see such a good player constantly and deliberately ignored is just so sad especially when he’s not even been given a chance. Even Lingard played ahead of him today and let’s not forget this is a player that went over 18 months without a goal or assist in a red shirt and who Ole shipped out on loan that season.

I don’t believe for one second that our midfield could have been any worse today had Donny VDB started ahead of either Matic or Fred!

4.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 19:47:39
Maybe all the money has gone on the 2 excellent signings which is fair enough but like every other poster on here he surely can't be happy with a McFred/ Matic midfield. Until this is addressed we will be fighting for a top 4 place at best.

Martial is another story but he will be gone in 12 months, let's hope with Cavani and Rashford to come in we won't see much of him.

5.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 20:28:04
I think at this stage it is clear than Ole doesn't see Donny as a deep lying midfielder / center midfielder.

He flourished for Ajax in a more advanced role, a role which Fernandes has been exceptional at.

To say DvdB should have come on instead of lingard is simply a 50:50 call for me. In that wider position for westham jesse did pretty well last season on loan. Has donny shown any better since his move here?

My question is why did McTom not start? Was it forced by injury, or tactical?

Playing Matic had so many consequences for the poor performance. If that was a choice, say to add a sweeper between the CBs against their 2 up top, it was a disaster of a decision.

Playing AM up top I can get my head round. Cavani not ready, greenwood shuffled wide right for an underperforming James. I personally would do everything possible to get AM out of the club. But I understand maybe trying to get a reaction from him today. He failed again to take his chance. Noone but himself to blame for lack of minutes again this season.

First half from Fred was a disaster. Own goal was both terrible closing/ defending coupled with horrible luck. A straight shot from the position DDG probably saves. The deflected shot changed the shape of the flight and placed it right in the corner from outside the post. Can't blame DDG.

A bad game. Maybe trying to put some fringe players in shop window? Maybe looking for a reaction with other stars in the wings. Whatever it was, 1 point in an away match could have been worse - we certainly didn't deserve any more.

6.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 20:54:43
DB - It’s such a myth to suggest that DvB can’t play in a midfield pivot. He’s much better on the ball then any of our other midfielders (Fred, Matic, Mctominay) . He’s hardly been given a chance in any position.

If you want to make excuses for Ole that’s your prerogative but Fred and Matic were horrendous today and it’s not the first time both have endured bad games. Fred passes the ball out of touch at least three times every game.

There is an argument DvB is better further forward, he’s not going to play ahead of Bruno but surely with the dross we have in midfield he’s deserves more of a chance. Ole always seems to find a way to shoehorn Pogba into the team.

I’m absolutely sick of Fred constantly failing in these types of games and Matic is now so immobile he’s basically a third CB! It’s not good enough!

7.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 22:34:30
It's not a myth DLIB, he was tried there and didn't look good. He was too easily pushed off the ball.

In the epl CM is a physical position. Players like de Brune, david Silva, scholes and others have found success as smaller less physical players - but all of them were difficult to knock off the ball, and could stand up to the physical battle.

I just felt watching Donny last year that he needed to be stronger. By all accounts he has done a lot of hard work this summer. Hopefully he can come in and show that he can stand up to the battle in there. If not, he will always be behind Fernandes.

8.) 23 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 23:15:39
Welcome anil.
Its early in the season so you can advertorial players blowing a little bit and cold but that team selection was odd to say the least.
In contrast tuchel was asked about starting lukau with so little training and time to settle in.

His response was' he is a footballer he knitted his to play football we play football he will be fine he knows what to do.
Yet ole still had 150 m of his signings on the bench as 'the boys need to get fit
He is just a little boy lost. He will not get the most of what he has in the squad because he doesn't know how to. His vision, the way we set up and the team selections mirror the caution and safety first approach corsing through his veins. These boring predictable slow uninspiring displays are anti everything I believe united stand for. Its been going on too long.

I believe these players are better than they are showing. Honestly lads we need a much better manager and coaching team to get the best out of what's available.

9.) 23 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 22:49:47
Oles going to have to be braver than that with his team selection and tactics . I hope we don't see a fred matic midfield again this season .
We are fine against sides having a go and leaving spaces but it becomes walking pace against sides not leaving space .
Pogba had a decent game not too many others did.