Off the back of the boss putting pen to paper on a fresh deal in charge of United, I'm going to give my views on why I believe his reign has been a success so far. As well as reinvigorating the cultural aspect of the club, there has definitely been progress on the pitch. Here we are, heading into the 2021/22 campaign, discussing a squad that could potentially be capable of winning United's first Premier League title since 2013.
Progress, I suppose, is one of the key words. We have definitely started to get deeper in tournaments (as is expected at this club), with league finishes becoming higher and consistently within the Champions League places. Solskjaer secured third in the league at the end of his first full season, progressing to finish second last term. One thing must be said, he seems to have cemented our position back as a top four side.
Following the takeover from Mourinho, the famous second leg win against PSG sent Ole's reds to the Champions League quarter-finals (losing out to Barcelona in the last eight). Despite a valiant recovery after the takeover - which included the stellar run that earned the Norwegian the job on a permanent basis - United failed to qualify for the subsequent Champions League. However, the resultant Europa League campaign was a relative success until defeat in the semi-finals to Sevilla halted the charge. Developments were shown as United reached the final of the same tournament last season, though that was only due to the collapse in the Champions League group stages - bittersweet.
Semi-finals have been a feature during Ole's tenure so far, but they have unfortunately been synonymous with defeats - aside from last season’s Europa League as aforementioned. Under his reign, United have reached an impressive three domestic semi-finals in addition to the two in Europe. After League Cup exits to lower tier opposition in Bristol City and Derby County in the two years subsequent to our last title in the competition, Solskjaer has guided United to back-to-back semi-finals in the tournament (losing to eventual winners Manchester City on both occasions). After a disappointing round of 16 exit to Wolves in his first FA Cup campaign in charge, Ole guided his side to the semi-finals the following year; last season, it was defeat to impressive eventual winners Leicester in the quarter-finals. We're often losing the the competition's best, now we need to become the best. Hopefully some worthy additions this summer will propel us when we get deep in tournaments.
One thing that Ole has done exceptionally well is to restore United's attacking ethos. He has certainly implemented his own style, growing in tactical efficiency as his tenure progresses. For example, he has most definitely given his fullbacks the license to attack - which adds to the attacking numbers. The only downside - for many people - has been the lack of dimensions added by the Fred and McTominay partnership. However, over recent seasons, more goals have been scored by United still.
If we are to sign Varane, the extra defensive trust is said to be encouraging Ole to switch to a 4-3-3 - with a single holding midfielder. By this (as I mentioned in depth in a recent piece), more attacking options are utilised and some issues breaking teams down could be eradicated. Given the attacking prowess already installed via the 4-2-3-1 system, adding another more attacking option in the midfield could be massively rewarding.
Furthermore, due to the connections with the club from his extensive time as a player, it's blatant that Ole is massively intact with the fans. This links back to the style applied by the boss, with the majorly attacking and dominant approach typical of the club. He knows exactly what the fans want, and what the fans enjoy. As Andreas Pereira told me late in 2019, Ole "is getting the United way back into the first team - the winning ways, the winning mentality". It really seems - from the inside - that there is a sense of a restoration of the club's core values. At the end of the day, he has been a part of some incredibly successful systems under Fergie which will have taught him a lot. There really is a genuine love for the club, which is a characteristic that cannot be undervalued.
Speaking of Ole's recognition of the importance of the club's values, the maintenance of the academy standards should be hailed. There has been even more consistent emphasis placed on youth since his takeover, with numerous young players handed debuts over the past few years. That has been shown in abundance so far this pre-season, with plenty of academy products given opportunities to prove themselves. The likes of Hannibal, Shoretire and Elanga have recently become more involved - with the latter of course scoring against Wolves at the end of last season (and now against QPR in pre-season).
Ole's impact on Greenwood has been invaluable to his rise up from the reserves, with Williams another example of someone massively bolstered by the boss' willingness to give opportunities to the younger players. Moreover, he also seems to have an excellent judgement of the suitability of loan moves for rising talents at the club - there is clear knowledge of what's best for every player.
This brings me onto the remarkable man management qualities that Ole possesses, and there is already a plethora of examples of this; he really has established an excellent connection with his players. Let's take Shaw firstly: the support given to the left back has been integral for his stunning revival after the tough time with Mourinho, now regarded as one of the best in his position worldwide. Even more recently, Ole was prompt to offer public support with a message to those who fell short in the summer's international finals - especially to the United pair who missed penalties in the Euro 2020 Final.
He has dealt impeccably with issues in the media too, none more prevalent than handling some of the comments made within the whole saga of Pogba and Raiola's relationships with United. In addition, he has been fast to downplay the tense battle for the number one spot - balancing gametime and keeping both De Gea and Henderson in good enough spirits. Maguire's incident in Greece last summer was another matter approached perfectly by the boss, keeping faith in Maguire amidst the player's hefty distractions (which allowed his mind to be wholly focused on his football); even when his form briefly dropped, Ole ensured the captain knew he still had his backing via sustained belief.
Within the squad, he has maintained the morale whilst having a beneficial impact on the actual games of many. Undoubtedly, he has used his rich knowledge to develop the likes of Rashford, Greenwood and Martial (don't forget, the Frenchman was top scorer in the 2019/20 campaign). It's no secret that he has kept Van de Beek motivated and happy despite limited gametime last term, with the Dutchman hungry for involvement in the coming season. Something that likely won't be spoken about is the decision not to strip Cavani of the number seven shirt on Sancho's eagerly anticipated arrival; according to reports, there wasn't even any mention of shirt number changes. That respect between manager and player cannot be downplayed.
This man management prowess is something which has really contributed to the enhancement of mentalities within the squad, with morale seemingly on a constant high as oppose to unsettlement under previous management. Though we are yet to convert any of our runs in knockout competitions into trophies under Ole, there are some signs of improvement when it comes to dealing with pressure. Finally, we broke the semi-final curse by overcoming Roma to reach the Europa League final. Though we failed to perform in the final, every outfield player showed the confidence to convert their penalties in the shootout. Looking at the squad on a whole, there just really seems to be an improved togetherness. That translates onto the pitch, with the close bonds creating an exceptional understanding.
I'll speak about our market stance shortly as that is something that has come on meteorically, but something that has to be briefly acknowledged is Ole's seeming willingness to add to his staff to refine particular areas within the squad. It's clear the right intentions are there under his management, with set-piece coach Eric Ramsey recently added to the fold. There is a clear sense of recognition for aspects which require strengthening, with recruitment personnel also crucially reinforced not so long ago.
That final point brings me onto the idea of the more stable stance Ole has created in the transfer market over recent windows. It's clear he is insistent on his requirements and strictly outlines his needs, with the improved recruitment structure helping to grant him the backing he deserves. He has targeted areas that needed work, and has relatively efficiently acquired the players he wants. He wanted a centre back, he got Maguire; he wanted a right back, he got Wan-Bissaka; he wanted an attacking midfielder, he got Fernandes; he wanted a striker, he got Cavani; he wanted a right-winger, he got Sancho; he wants another centre back, and the increasingly promising chase is on for Varane. Those mentioned are players that have been brought in and had the desired positive impact, or are set to accentuate our quality even further in the near future.
In addition to the improved recruitment, there has been a development in speeding up outgoings of players who were on the fringes. Consequently, the squad is able to stay freshened up and quality in depth is maintained as some 'deadwood' is eradicated. It's ruthless, but that's ultimately good management.
It's apparent that Ole has a clear vision of how he wants to build his squad, and he has refined ideas of how further progression can be achieved. With the necessary backing that is coming more to the forefront, I can only envisage further developments. We're on an upward trajectory under his reign.
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