Solskjaer Needs a Good Clear Out This Summer, and These 8 Are In The Firing Line

Another loss last night as further shown up the task Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be dealing with in the summer transfer window. United have gone through four permanent managers since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Poor recruitment and a reluctance to ship out much needed deadwood over the years, has seen United battling for a top four finish each season. Under Fergie, United won 13 titles in his 21 years in the Premier League, however the Red Devils are now entering their sixth season without a title, nevermind coming close.

We’re at a stage now where it’s the players that need changing and wholesale changes will happen this summer.

We take a look at EIGHT potential players that should be out of the Old Trafford exit door, as Solskjaer starts the biggest job of his career…

Lee Grant

Having signed for United under the previous manager in the last summer transfer window, it left everybody scratching their heads. A great move for Grant in the twilight years of his career, but a player who offers nothing to the team and rarely makes the bench.

Phil Jones

Having been at United since 2011, he came with great expectation – a future England Captain, Fergie mentioned. Regardless of his potential back then, through injury and poor form he has never risen to the heights many thought of him. Furthermore, after eight years with the club Jones still doesn’t feel like an assured United defender.

Chris Smalling

Chris Smalling arrived from Fulham the season before Jones in 2010, since then he hasn’t convinced many that he can be a United stalwart in the centre of defence. Smalling has the odd good game here and there but on the whole he makes United fans nervous and never seems fully in control.

Marcos Rojo

While i’m a fan of Rojo, he imply hasn’t been given the playing time under Solskjaer. He isn’t a first team defender and more of a squad player. He’s your typical Argentinian defender, tough and fearless – It’s something United need but he is also very reckless and always a shoe-in for a yellow card.

Matteo Darmian

How the Italian is still at United is beyond me, he has nearly been shipped out in the past few transfer windows but still remains on the books. He got his first start last night in three months, and that was only due to injuries. His contract is up in the summer and would be an easy one to let walk away.

Alexis Sanchez

The Chilean has failed miserably since the move up north from Arsenal. He’s never really got going, and with his huge wages has come in for some flack. With his contract still having three years left to run, it would cost United a fair whack to offload him, they’ll have to take a loss and hope someone will be willing to take a chance on the former Barcelona forward.

Romelu Lukaku

The forward seems to be getting worse since, the Belgian is struggling to hold a place down and when he does get on the pitch it seems he’s forgot how to control a ball never mind find the back of the net. With the emergence of the more consistent Rashford, Lukaku will not be wanting to wait around on the bench to make numbers up, a move to Serie A looks likely.

Paul Pogba

On his day he is one of the best players to watch, however, when United need him he tends to go missing and United fans never know what Pogba is going to turn up. If Pogba wants to be one of the best players in the world and be up there with Messi, Ronaldo and even Hazard, he needs to be more consistent and stop letting his ego take over. Stop worrying over social media followers, and start concentrating on the pitch.

If Solskjaer Wants To Bring Back The Fergie Years, Then He Has To Do What Fergie Did With Pogba

After Tuesday night, if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer didn’t know already – United need one hell of a rebuilding job.

The levels between the Red Devils and Barcelona was clearer than the sea in the Maldives. United have been carrying plenty of passengers within the squad for many a year, going back to the Fergie years.

This current squad needs ripping apart to its core. United have plenty of squad players but no stand out first teamers, Paul Pogba on his day is a stand out first team player – however, them days don’t come around to often or consistently enough.

Again, in recent weeks there are murmurings of Pogba’s unrest. It seems very much like, from an outsider looking in, that Pogba has a big say in what goes on.

If his match performances were of a high quality, even 80% of the time, you would give him a little movement to be demanding. Because on his day, Pogba is as good as anyone, he can control a game and turn a game around.

The inconsistency of the French international lets him down massively.

He tends to go missing in a lot of big games, especially when United need him the most. This couldn’t have been more evidential than the match this week against Barca.

No player is bigger than the club, however in an age of social media and followers – Pogba’s huge online presence serves what United need in the marketing department well. I feel it’s one of the reasons he is allowed a little more leeway than others.

Pogba’s been called a virus within the dressing room, sometimes there’s no smoke without fire. He clearly has ambitions of moving on, as he had indicted in a recent interview when openly courting Real Madrid.

There’s is plenty of internet chat about a Hazard/Pogba double swoop by Los Blancos this summer happening, and while Hazard has continued to be Chelsea’s top performer, Pogba again seems to have faded away in recent weeks.

In my personal opinion, if United sell Pogba this summer, on the bigger scale of things – I don’t think he’ll be missed.

They could then add to their transfer warchest and really go all out and get the seven or eight players they need to turn around this club and become a consistent title challenger once again.

Solskjaer Rues Missed Opportunity Once Again

Man United once again lost to Wolves 2-1 for the second time in a matter of weeks. What was a lively start by the Red Devils, which should have had three goals early on in the half at least. United went on to stutter after that and Wolves slowly got into the game and found themselves in front.

That loss played right into the teams arms in and around them, with Arsenal, Spurs & Chelsea all winning this week and leaving United back down in sixth, albeit two points off the much coveted fourth place.

It seems a growing trend in the post-Fergie era, that the United teams when given the opportunity to make a leap forward, don’t take advantage and the defeat to Wolves was another prime example.

United could have been sitting in fourth on 64 points, joint with Spurs and it very much in their own hands. After the results last night, United have to hope for losses elsewhere and have given them a uphill task once again.

Solskjaer if anyone will know how to close seasons out, how to chase down the pack – as we seen at the start of the Norwegians United reign.

Many people once again are blaming the players, however, this United squad is too imbalanced and in all honesty, not good enough to compete. It’s not a new thing, it’s been a problem since Fergie’s latter years. Unfortunately for his successor’s, Fergie’s ability to get a top-class tune out of any Joe Bloggs has done them no favours.

Poor transfer decisions and a rotation of managers has halted United’s Premier League success, with the club now entering their seventh season without a Premier League title – or a close chance of one.

Ole has to find the cutting edge many of the United teams have had in the past, he has a big job in the summer and all the fans will be hoping to see less of the Wolves results and missed opportunities going forward.

Ole’s at The Wheel and Is Rekindling The Spirit Of 1999

It was one of the those classic European nights, one that United fans haven’t witnessed or felt for a very long time. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s turnaround at the Red Devils has been immense since taking over from Jose Mourinho.

Having only one loss on his Old Trafford record against last night’s opponents in the first leg, Solskjaer went to the Parc de Princes in old fashioned United blind belief. An early goal gave the fans an instant jolt of ‘We can do this’ followed by the PSG goal which made the task the same as at the first whistle.

Solskjaer’s in-game management was there for all to see, after Lukaku’s second goal – his 6th in the last three matches – United changed shape and it seemed like a clear plan to stay in the game, snuff PSG out until the final 10 mins and then in true Fergie style, throw the kitchen sink at them.

United pressed forward, some decent play in the final third presented Dalot with a chance to shoot. The ball deflected off the defenders arm and out for a corner, before VAR got involved and finally after some serious thought, gave a 94th minute penalty. Rashford stepped up, cool, calm and collected and slotted home from 12 yards.

At the final whistle three things became clear – The first being the players instantly sprinting towards the away section to join in the celebrations, shirts thrown into the crowd and a real sense of togetherness between the playing staff and the fans was there for all to see.

Secondly, Lukaku’s gester to the TV camera’s about writing and speaking before an embrace with Paul Pogba, again showed another sign of togetherness and that not all is what it seems if you are to believe the press this week.

Lastly, in the post match interview with Rashford and Lukaku there seemed a glimpse of a partnership developing between the two. Their words of each others play, the understanding that if one strikers does X, the other does Y. It instantly took me back to a budding Cole/Yorke feel.

With the last minute winners, the counter attacking play, the freedom in which the players play and the crowd bring the atmosphere again – it’s all got the feeling of ’99.

United fans will be hoping it can yield some of the same results.

Solskjaer Will Be Hoping For More Sir Bobby Robson Than Alan Shearer This Season

It’s August 1998 and Newcastle had appointed the man to bring sexy football to St.James Park – Ruud Gullit. After delivering Chelsea their first trophy in 26 years, the Toon fans were hopeful, and rightly so.

Fast forward a year, Gullit was losing the dressing room and the fans – he made a call, he dropped fan favourite and all round Newcastle legend Alan Shearer. In a bid to regain the control of the players, he went big with his decision, however, it didn’t work out and following on from a 2-1 defeat to local rivals Sunderland – Gullit resigned three days later.

The Newcastle board felt they needed to bring the feel good factor back to the Magpies, they appointed Geordie Sir Bobby Robson on an initial one year deal.

In his first match, they thumped Sheffield Wednesday 8-0…Alan Shearer bagging five goals after a barren spell – the feel-good factor was back and Newcastle under Robson’s reign would enjoy some of their best years.

On the other hand, Newcastle also provide evidence that appointing a club legend can hugely backfire as we seen in Shearer’s 8-game reign in 2009.

In which they were relegated following one win in his time at Newcastle. Albeit the circumstances and managerial experiences range vastly, Man United will be hoping for more of a positive time under their revered goalscorer.

With the appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, especially with Mike Phelan by his side. It could prove to be a recipe for success from years past, both lived through the Fergie years and both would have great knowledge from the times on how to make the Red Devils tick once again.

Hey, Roberto Di Matteo won the Champions League against the odds – Footballs a crazy game.

The Red Devils have been through the mill since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Indeed, they have still grabbed a few cup trophies along the way, however, it’s the Premier League and ultimately the style of play which has started to wear thin with the Old Trafford faithful.

Some may look upon the recruitment of Solskjaer as a strange one, but just imagine they the feel-good factor does come back. Old Trafford rocking once again – top fours a must, but a good cup run and we could see Ole in the dugout for longer than this season.

Surely in his mind, he will be wanting the job for longer than 6 months or so!?

Only time will tell…

What Man United Fans Would Give To Have This Player in Their Team Right Now

Man United fans are currently in a world that is upside down, the blue half of Manchester are flying and claiming all the plaudits with their free-flowing football. Something not seen since 2013 at Old Trafford.

Since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, the Red Devils have been on a turbulent ride through David Moyes, Ryan Giggs, Louis Van Gaal and now Jose Mourinho. All have tried but the dark cloud of Fergie still looms large over Old Trafford, even though trophies have been won, the style isn’t there any more.

It’s been said for a very long time, but United need a Captain, a leader, a midfield general, dare I say it…a Roy Keane!

These past five years have been painful to watch at times, the lack of direction and motivation is apparent for all to see.

Keane, in this current team, could be the player that would transform the Red Devils into Premier League contenders. the way he carried his United team at times is just the type of player and performance United are missing.

Furthermore, that kind of player in the dressing room is very much needed, as it seems a Valencia isn’t the type of person to fire his teammates into line and give them a mini hairdryer treatment if they stepped out of line.

How would Keano fit into this team is another debate, would he be suited playing alongside Pogba and letting the Frenchman unleash the shackles or would Mata be the ‘Paul Scholes’ to blossom the partnership.

Whatever it is, Keane gets into this team, bosses and organises it with an iron fist and levels every single player up – because that’s what the Irishman expected as a bare minimum. He knew what it took to play for United, he also knew what it meant…something you feel sometimes is forgotten nowadays.

United fans, whose your old player to get into this current team?

 

United Fans Are In a Busby to Fergie Era, Is Failure To Be Accepted?

Another morning, another feeling of frustration overcomes the Manchester United fans, following defeat to Frank Lampard’s Derby last night.

The Red Devils, as per usual started well scoring within the few minutes of the match. A few chances later in the first half and the game should have been all but put to bed, with United fans feeling differently this morning.

However, what seems to be a growing theme with this Mourinho side is that they can start well, but seem to fall off as the match progresses.

We have seen it twice in the space of a week against Wolves and Derby last night.

Talk of Jose Mourinho losing the dressing room, his battle with Paul Pogba for control over Old Trafford and reported rift with chairman Ed Woodward is not making United the invincible outfit they once were.

Many Reds point out on a regular basis of the United Way. As United fans, it’s time to realise that, that era in the Premier League is over and it’s time to move on.

After Sir Matt Busby, United’s following 17 years were in total, bleak. A couple of cup wins couldn’t mask over the failure of success to the point United were relegated.

Fergie was our era’s Busby, and it may not be 17 years until another one-of-a-kind manager comes along. However, until that point, defeats and performances like recent times under Mourinho and the previous two managers – not that they have to be accepted – moreover, that’s the way of life at Old Trafford.

Fergie was an incredible man manager and his ability to win what he won, or even matches with a team that many fans scoff at was an unbeleivable trait. Something United are missing and will be until the next Busby/Fergie comes along.