05 Nov 2020 21:38:51
Hi guys I hope you’re All doing well during this testing time. I decided to take a bit of time off posting, but have checked the site from time to time.

I just thought I’d give my thoughts on the current situation at Utd. What can you say really, desperately poor start to the season, no matter how people dress it up.

We came off the back of a very good end to the season where it felt like we finally were heading in the right direction. After 7 years of terrible managerial appointments, £1.2bn wasted on poor recruitment, and a fanbase divided, we were heading into the summer window with optimism.

I’ll admit, as many of you know I’ve never been high on Ole. I thought the appointment stank of sentimentality and the board got lucky that he worked out so well in his time as interim. Xmas last year I wanted him out, but we saw the impact of Bruno Fernandes on the club and we secured top 4. I was prepared to give him the window to build. But I did have concerns about his long term suitability, well massive concerns I should say.

What we’ve seen this season is nothing short of woeful. We didn’t address key areas of the side in the window, for me a DM who can pass (Thiago/ Zakaria), a CB with recovery pace and the ability to counteract Maguire’s deficiency when we play a high line, and a RW of real quality were all a must. We failed to address any of those positions adequately. That sits on the board, not Ole.

I appreciate a lack of pre season wasn’t ideal, again that’s on the club to be prepared.

1.) 05 Nov 2020
05 Nov 2020 21:56:38
Sorry pressed send too early. Can you add this to my earlier post Eds.

The lack of pre season was a massive killer. What we have seen so far in terms of performances is utterly unacceptable. The defence has been a shambles, no organisation, system or any signs of a leader marshalling. What did we spend £80m for? You expect better from the captain of Manchester United.

The spurs game has really rattled Ole. It reminds me of when LVG got beat by 5 against Leicester and he completely shut up shop. We have seen the same with Ole. His persistence to use Fred/ McT in a double pivot at home is a really issue for me. We know they will work hard, be disciplined and play simple. But how do we expect to score when we cannot transition from defence to attack quick enough? It’s a real issue that the manager is tasked with sorting out, and we are in November yet still no sign of that issue been rectified.

You move on to the plethora of options Ole has in the creative midfielder role. Bruno, Pogba, VDB is depth rivalling any other top club. Yet he can’t seem to find a way to fit at least 2 of the 3 in the side without sacrificing defensive solidity. And there are those calling for him to be given time. Time? You earn time. Either through your ability to get results, or your track record to be a success. Two things Ole is lacking in spades right now.

You then look at the attacking options at his disposal. Martial, rashford, Mason and Cavani is enviable. Yet we look blunt. The question is now arising how long has he got left before we look towards Pochettino? I’ve had countless arguments with friends who claim ‘it’s only a few games’. Was Jose afforded this time? LVG? This is a good squad, much more capable than Ole is showing right not.

My issue is two years down the line you expect some identifiable philosophy. I expect to know how we are going to lineup, how we play without the ball, whether it’s a high press or a low block. How we transition from defence to attack, whether both FBs go up or one does and one drops next to the CBs. All these things should be obvious, but they are not. He’s spent £250m on this side, and to not know these basics is unacceptable.

For those reasons above, I cannot sit here and advocate time for Ole. Because on the basis of not knowing how United will play on a game, that’s a serious problem a club the size of United should not be encountering. There are managers of lesser sides like Hassenhuttl and Bielsa who have improved their sides immeasurably. They have a system and they fit players into that system. The system is king. What is Utd’s/ Ole’s system? He may have improved players individually, but the system is non-existent.

We’ve had some wonderful victories and runs, but he difference between a title side and an average side is consistency. We are consistently inconsistent. That’s not good enough. You cannot build at a club like Utd when you don’t know whether you’re going to be a world beater or terrible.

Ole has done so much good off the pitch. He came in with an unbelievably tough job of stopping the rot at the club. 7 years of poor decisions, not his doing, have set us back years. He was tasked with a cultural reset, revamping the academy and ensuring the players played for the shirt again. A culture reset which has mainly been successful for me. By and large he’s done that. He was only ever a temporary fix. But the idiots above appointed him. My view of success with Ole is if he leaves the club in a better place than he joined, I’m content. And if he leaves tomorrow, he’s done that.

To summarise, we are in a critical situation where we must take action. Ole for me is out of his depth, he’s done some great things, but they have been overshadowed by some bad too. United need an elite manager because this squad needs to be drilled and coached. I hope to see Pochettino soon. Ole, you’ll always be a legend in my eyes as a player. But as a manager, you never quite had it.

2.) 05 Nov 2020
05 Nov 2020 21:57:45
I accidentally pressed send too early. The rest of my post should be somewhere in this thread.

3.) 05 Nov 2020
05 Nov 2020 22:26:50
Good post mate.

4.) 05 Nov 2020
05 Nov 2020 22:42:33
Great to see you back park.
I went into the season with hope not too much optimism once you look under the skirt of last season and look at the way we finished the season i felt what we are seeing now was inevitable.
Each too their own . People obviously see different things one man's poor player is another man's good player.
We will just have to see how ut pans out.
Ole is the manager whether we like it or not. Those of us that don't like it have to sit back and hope we are wrong.
We have only played 6 league games. Ok we list half of them but we might go on another unbeaten run my target was plus 20 points on last season. That can still be done if we win 26 and draw 2 of our last 32 games.

5.) 05 Nov 2020
05 Nov 2020 22:56:03
Cheers Singh hope you’re well mate. Ken it’s been a minute how are you my friend?

I think you’re right mate. I was behind Ole at the end of last season as I thought perhaps he’d found a formula that will work. Hasn’t panned out. It’s a matter of time, I don’t wish us to lose but I’m nervous about Everton on Saturday. I still maintain this squad isn’t as bad as some think. Some issues in defence and RW, but it’s good enough for top 4. For me, top 3 and a trophy was the minimum.

6.) 05 Nov 2020
05 Nov 2020 23:18:35
Great post that Park, I pretty much agree with everything you said. Most of all it was nicely balanced unlike some of the howling overreaction on this site in the last few days.

Picking up on one point you make, I'm wondering whether Bruno or DVB can play in the double pivot either alongside either Matic/ McTominay/ fred to give us some creativity in the middle of the pitch without losing any of the energy. Pogba I wouldn't even be including in the match day squads; he's a disgrace.

I think I'd also like to see us play three at the back and also get Cavani on the pitch to give us a bit more presence up front.

The problem is though I'm just making suggestions which I think could give us a bit more purpose and cohesion. Like you say what this team really needs is a manager with a system who can coach the players to play a certain way (hopefully a high tempo attacking one) . You've identified a couple of interesting choices. I think Bielsa at Utd would be something worth seeing.

7.) 06 Nov 2020
06 Nov 2020 00:39:38
manc wernt you the same on the discussions page.

8.) 06 Nov 2020
06 Nov 2020 00:46:51
Cheers MancMan. United’s biggest problem this season is Matic failing to hit any sort of form yet. Think about how great we were after the restart, it’s because Matic was playing out of his skin. He shielded that defence and provided us with a platform to attack.

Our biggest issue is the midfield balance. Play Fred/ McT and we have zero creativity. Transitioning from defence to attack is nigh on impossible. Then Bruno + front 3 have no service. I think neither Fred/ McT have the positional awareness nor the passing ability to play in a single pivot. Something Matic (when on form) has in abundance.

We caught a glimpse of VDB in a 2 with Matic against Basaksehir and it was a disaster. I think him and Bruno would have to be in this side, but who plays in that pivot is a massive issue. We can’t build if we don’t have a DM doing his job properly. It’s a serious problem.

My solution is go to a back 3 of Axel, Lindelof, Shaw (Maguire needs to be dropped) . Telles/ AWB as WBs and then a midfield of Fred, VDB Bruno. The reason for the 3 is that it provides more cover and would allow us to push the midfielders further up the pitch. Then we have a front 2 out of Rashford, martial, Cavani and Mason. Great options

Not signing a RW who can slot right in is hurting us and it’s a reason why Ole keeps tinkering. We have a lopsided attack, and playing 4231 isn’t working when we don’t have a proper RW and Mason isn’t firing. 3 at the back mitigates this problem.

I run a podcast called ‘Elite Football Show’ which breaks down United’s tactical performance after each game. I do it with journalist Rob Blanchette. Should check it out if you’re interested.

9.) 06 Nov 2020
06 Nov 2020 08:02:12
Park3lung

Good well written post. At least United are giving you plenty of material for your podcast, sadly none of it good because our tactics are generally one dimensional. No doubt 3 central defenders with AWB and Telles wing backs and try to catch Everton on the break tomorrow.

I would be interested to know if sentimental emotional decision making by those in charge is ever discussed?

10.) 06 Nov 2020
06 Nov 2020 08:16:54
Same as what Daz?

11.) 06 Nov 2020
06 Nov 2020 08:43:30
You've made a couple of key errors in your post -

1. The assumption that your midfield 3 are enviable. Bruno yes. Donny maybe. Pogba? I wouldn't even want him in th city of Liverpool nevermind in the team.

2. Ole has improved individuals - I'd say this is his major weakness. He hasn't improved anyone and some players have gone backwards (wan bissaka and Maguire spring to mind)

3. Your attack are good - they're incredibly unreliable. One minute they bang in goals the next they are utterly toothless, that's not a good attack. Of those players mentioned maybe rashford would make it into arsenal, Everton or Leicester but he's no chance of getting in city or Liverpool.

The truth is the team you have isn't really good enough to challenge for anything. Equal parts luck and over achievement got you to third last year and I'd be very surprised if you repeat it this year.

Some things you get right -

Ole isn't good enough on any level. People keep saying he steadied the ship but it's sinking faster now than it even did under any previous manager so I'm not sure how anyone can say that without laughing. The ship ain't steady. He's also tactically inept, he has one way to play and it depends heavily on the other team feeling brave - most of the league isn't brave which is why he struggles.

You do say he's out of his depth so I think you're dead on.

You also mention he's had money, so many united fans seem to have collective amnesia when it comes to money spent, every manager has had more money to spend than most other managers in prem. Money isn't the issue - recruitment is. Specifically identifying the right players for the system you play, which brings us back to.

You correctly identify that ole has no real system. Which is why it's so hard for ed to buy players that are needed because. what do you need? Roberto Carlos speed wouldn't have helped you against that giants of turkey, that's poor communication on pitch intelligence and coaching.

It seems like I'm having a go but I actually respect the club united were and I'd like to see you be that club again but until everyone takes off the united VR glasses nothing will get fixed.

12.) 06 Nov 2020
06 Nov 2020 10:37:16
Nevada,

I think Park was trying to give a balanced post, saying everything remotely positive he said was wrong and everything negative he said was correct kind of negates and balance and just makes you sound like you’re here for bites.

13.) 06 Nov 2020
06 Nov 2020 11:02:01
I have to say i agree with you Nevada for the most part.

14.) 06 Nov 2020
06 Nov 2020 12:25:38
Hi Red Man hope you’re well mate.

The sad story is when United play poorly there is more to talk about. We try not to be reactionary and emotional on the podcast but it’s hard, when your heart is tied to this club. The worst thing I can say is I almost have apathy now. I expected the Basaksehir result, it didn’t surprise me.

We definitely discuss the sentimentality that sadly has riddled a large portion of the fanbase. I’ve been abuse for questioning whether Ole can win us a trophy. Definitely give it a listen. The Masterclass is the tactical podcast, the recent one discusses how Ole is most likely getting the saif and Poch expected to come in.

Nevada thanks for your reply mate. I’ll answer now.

1. The curious case of Paul Pogba: supremely talented, disciplined? Not really. But how can anyone flourish in this side? He does it for France on a regular basis, did it for Juve. Problem is people expected a hybrid of Scholes and Keane when he signed. Anyone that’s seen him knows he’s never been the player to stand up and drive a team forward. That’s on the scouting team for not scouting him properly. Bruno gave away the ball 34 times v Basaksehir, if that was Pogba the knives would be out. We know his abilities, if used correctly he is an incredible asset. I still maintain Bruno, VDB, Pogba all playing below their standards. Nobody was complaining about them after the restart.

2. Agree on AWB and Maguire. But he’s improved Fred immensely, McT too. Martial hit over 20+ goals last year, Rashford looks a different player. Mason hit 17 goals, Shaw has looked his best since his leg break (still not good enough) . Bruno improved although hit the buffers a tad. So on the whole he has, but that hasn’t translated to a cohesive unit, as I mentioned, he doesn’t have a system.

3. The attack is inconsistent, because the team is inconsistent. Reminds me of Liverpool in the early 2000s, good cup side, can beat anyone on its day, it no consistency. Consistency comes from a lot of things, confidence being the major one. How well they are coached/ drilled, patterns of play and the system. I do believe if a manager with an identifiable Philosophy came in, we’d see more consistency. I really see a side under coached and playing of individual brilliance. We won’t win the league, but it’s good enough to be competing for 3rd. And that’s why my patience with the manager has run out.

15.) 06 Nov 2020
06 Nov 2020 13:43:30
Park

I think you should consider the sentimentality of the decision to appoint Ole permanently and the delay in dealing with it now whilst we are still hanging on to the hope Ole can turn it around. Are the club being as objective as they might be if he hadn’t scored back in 99.

The club is a mess, it lacks the cohones that Liverpool had, they saw Dalgleish wasn’t right and acted, Hodgson, even Rogers. Their new owners now have direction and appointed key prompt decision making people.

We still hark back to finding another SAF and hope someone will fill his shoes, instead of joining 2020.

16.) 06 Nov 2020
06 Nov 2020 14:18:18
Im really well Park and hope your keeping good too.