Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appeased Manchester United fans that were disgruntled in the end of last year that change came. Jack Wilkinson assesses whether he’s been in a position to deliver on such a promise…
It was the consequence that signalled the start of Manchester United demise at the end of last season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s magnificent start – a draw out of his first 11 games and 10 wins – turned into nothing more than a distant memory from the time Theo Walcott rattled to complete a humiliating defeat Merseyside.
Gary Neville labelled the operation at Goodison Park”rancid” and, even after apologising to the traveling United fans unfortunate enough to be present in person, Solskjaer promised change – wholesale shift.
It was a statement of intention directly from this Sir Alex Ferguson textbook as well as five weeks on, the manner in suggests it.
Ferguson was barking out orders before the ink had dried on his Manchester United contract in 1986. Then-chairman Martin Edwards was informed of this Scot’s desire and Steve Bruce, Brian McClair and Viv Anderson were signed in 18 months of his birth.
This decisiveness in the transport market appears to have rubbed off Solskjaer.
Participants deemed no longer fit for purpose are shown the door by any means required. Whether it be the departures of both Antonio Valencia along with Ander Herrera, Romelu Lukaku and Matteo Darmian’s earnings, or even the financing and pushing of loan prices such as Chris Smalling and Alexis Sanchez – there’s a ruthless edge to United’s concessions.
1 matter Solskjaer has to learn, though, is the capability Ferguson had time and time again during his reign at Old Trafford to accommodate his playing style to match personnel and stay competitive.
After the defeat at Everton, Solskjaer set the fundamental principle that he would like to define his time. “I need my group to be the hardest working team in the group,” he said. “That is exactly what we had been beneath Sir Alex.”
While that addresses the initial concerns on his group work-ethic of Solskjaer, it’s hard to see how that translates to the shift in playing fashion United fans are longing for.
United their four final year following the defeat at Everton, along with four Premier League matches this season, give very little indication as to what he will pay on, besides the simple fact that it is extremely much a work in progress.
On the 1 hand, United have enjoyed more possession, won more duels, conceded fewer objects, and run an average of 106.9kilometers per match – all positive indicators which Solskjaer’s doctrine has been executed.
On the other, an alarming drop in the two interceptions and winning the ball up the pitch suggest it’s going to take some time for the squad to successfully juggle the requirements of their manager.
And time is what will determine Solskjaer’s probability of success – period. Will he be given the opportunity to see out the project he has started?
Ferguson famously got time, six-and-a-half years before he won his very first league name, but it’s a commodity in today’s game. Results have rightfully clouded judgement on United’s start to the summer, but progress is being forced to decide on the dressing space refresh Solskjaer promised.
“It does take some time,” Neville explained. “Not just to get people in the dressing area all facing the exact identical direction, but to find the caliber in that’s needed.
“It took Pep Guardiola 12 months, three transfer windows. It is taken Jurgen Klopp four or three years to impact the culture in what he would say what he wants to do and is his own personality, his 31, and receive a team.
“This will be a very long game at Old Trafford. Solskjaer will want the help, to play the long game. He is going to need quite strong leadership over the subsequent two or three seasons to be in a position to get those five or four transfer windows he needs.”
United are on their clean slate in the seven decades which have passed because the retirement of Ferguson. Following the results of the three under David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, Solskjaer’s tenure is one that’s working but have to be given time where they believe they belong to reestablish the club.
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