Whether you like it or not (and I don’t), there’s going to be pressure mounting on Ole after the loss on Saturday. Three losses in four matches isn’t good enough, with only a single clean sheet now kept in 16 matches far from acceptable. Once again, there’s a theme of often having to concede first to provoke a response. As has been for many years now, inconsistency is still a predominant and costly feature.
This team is wholly capable of producing the goods, as shown against Leeds and Newcastle. However, it’s too often that we’re just playing with seemingly no direction - and that’s down to a number of factors. There was some really good buildup again at the weekend (as in midweek), but we look so disjointed in the final third. That’s obviously down to quality on the pitch, but the setup from the management team also does have to contribute somewhat.
The coaching element of our issues also relates to the lack of aim tactically and the selection that causes such thing, leading to an absence of persistent positive control within matches. McTominay and Fred aren’t bad players at all, but as a pair they’re simply bland and don’t offer enough in progression for us to challenge with such partnership at our disposal. Maybe they wouldn’t be used so excessively if a defensive midfielder was purchased in the summer, but nonetheless it’s far too passive an approach to constantly deploy them (especially against lesser sides).
From a straightforward opening fixture list in the league, 13 points from a possible 18 as a side tipped as title challengers isn’t good enough. With Chelsea having lost against City, the loss proved a missed opportunity to go top. We’ve heard the word “missed opportunity” plenty of times in recent years, where’s the progress here? There’s an element of being unfortunate with certain decisions and moments within games - as Solskjaer has indicted - but we should be dominating and scoring in this type of match.
I love Ole, but he has to admit when we aren't good enough; too often, officiating is blamed - that moaning attitude isn't a good look.
“The goal is offside, as Hause heads it Watkins is actually touching David so he is impeding with him. The linesman he flagged it up with the VAR and definitely the VAR has gone wrong again."
Officiating was made the topic, again. Yes, maybe we got slightly unfortunate; you look at Harvey Barnes last week for Leicester, doing a very similar thing to Ollie Watkins by blocking the goalkeeper somewhat and causing a goal to be ruled out. Ultimately, though, VAR know what they’re looking for in these crucial moments and clearly ruled that Watkins moved out of De Gea’s eyeline early enough for it to not be deemed a hindrance. Would he have saved the header anyway? Possibly not. Excuses will be made, but it’s the performance which lost us the match. That fact has to be faced. Ultimately, silverware is needed this season for Solskjaer to keep his job.
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