02 Jan 2019 22:25:32
First manager since Sir Matt Busby to win his first four games in charge.
Kept a clean sheet, and won a game the hard way with Newcastle sitting deep with 10 men behind the ball most of the night.

Must say hugely impressed with Lindelof. He was starting to play well before Ole took over, but in these games since he has been a borderline colossus.

Arguably our best centre back on current form.

Could Lukaku be our new super-sub? Scored twice in two games within 2 minutes of coming on.

Things are looking very bright all of a sudden.

{Ed025's Note - im made up for utd shappy, but lets not compare what OGS has done to sir matt, this whole scenario was set up for the new guy coming in when facing four really poor teams on the trot, jose,s sacking was deliberately timed to facilitate this mate..

1.) 02 Jan 2019
02 Jan 2019 22:40:02
Ed, how dare you come on here and talk sense, happy new year ed.

{Ed025's Note - sorry leahy...same to you mate, football wise it looks a better one for you than me though.. :)

2.) 02 Jan 2019
02 Jan 2019 23:33:00
Of course it was set up nicely for him, the real test is coming up against spurs, after that we have 4 more winnable games before we play Liverpool. If we can get something at Wembley I would expect us to be in the top 4 by the time we play Liverpool, who would have thought that 2 weeks ago?

He’s doing a wonderful job, Jose would not have got them performances out of them, we wouldn’t have won all 4, never in a million years, we’ve played easy games this season and 4 games ago we had a goal difference of -1, it’s not +11, easy as that we are in touching distance of a position that looked impossible, now I can’t wait for the rest of the season and maybe just maybe we will have a say in where the title ends up, even if it isn’t us winning it, I wouldn’t want to be City or Liverpool needing to come to OT for a win against Ole’s united that’s for sure.

3.) 03 Jan 2019
02 Jan 2019 23:16:19
Happy new year ed025. Hope you are well.
Player's look happy so things are looking up.
To be honest i thought we looked a bit jaded tonight. Key players like matic pogba both looked a step slower tonight valencis not pushing on and mata stepping inside made it all bunged up and slow and martial who has been really good had one of his infuriating nights where most of what he did wasnt coming off.
No doubt we have some really good attacking options but the squad is paper thin on real quality in depth in defence and midfield.
Rotating the front 3 is great but our midfield and defence options look poor really.
However with the attacking intent despite looking suspect defensively at least it looks like we will cause teams problems.
Toffees squad looks very unbalanced and despite the money spent still needs serious work. Great fans so i expect the manager to get another year at least to show signs of improvement. Best of luck with it.

{Ed025's Note - cheers ken, yeah tonight was not as fluent as previous but still utd got the job done, you are still a few players short i think mate but the spirit and belief has returned and its good to see, both our clubs need to improve the playing staff but these things are never a quick fix so patience is the key..

4.) 03 Jan 2019
03 Jan 2019 06:59:29
I think nearly all the PL teams have had a sub standard performance in them over the last 12 days - tiredness does set in mentally as well as physically.

Love how Ole gets out of the dug out at the final whistle and stops and shakes all the subs hands as they walk past him , pat on the back here and there to those who didn't get on - then on to the pitch more hand shaking, a laugh and joke with Lukaku, a word and a smile with Pogba- a little word with Shaw -just good management .

Called it how it was in the post match interviews too, not a great performance, slow passing, to many touches first half but no sulking no digging the players out .

Hope he gives 2-3 kids a chance along with squad players and rests the seniors this weekend.

5.) 03 Jan 2019
03 Jan 2019 08:05:30
GDS2 my sentiments exactly. I've gone from watching our games as an obligation back to watching with pleasure.

6.) 03 Jan 2019
03 Jan 2019 08:36:07
Ed025, no one can compare to Sir Matt. He is Man Utd, everything we associate with what United should be is based on what Sir Matt built. Sir Alex might have won more, yet even he isn't as important in our clubs history as Sir Matt is. Sir Alex put us back, whereas Sir Matt created us.

My point is just that no manager, not Jose, not LvG, not Moyes or big Ron, not even Sir Alex was able to win their first four games in charge, and for the most part they faced similar level opposition. Ole has also managed it during a time where not a single player was playing anywhere near their best.

Look at Matic for example, he was a Mourinho man through and through. His interview the other day highlighted it. The interviewer was trying to get him to say that the reason for the improvement was the style of play, yet he refused to say it and dodged the question, still showing his loyalty to Jose by not throwing him under the bus.

Yet it is as clear as day that he is playing twice as well under Ole as he has under Jose this season.

So Ole has even improved the performances of Jose's loyal players.

I don't think Ole is the long term answer, yet his achievements should not be underestimated. There is a long road to the end of the season, and there will be far tougher tests ahead. Yet I don't think there is a single United supporter who is less confident of us getting a result under Ole than they would be under Jose. Even Jose's biggest supporters have to admit they enjoy the football for under Ole, they look forward to matches more under Ole and they are more confident of winning any given game under Ole.

If you can say that about him when comparing him to one of the most successful managers of the modern era then you do have to start asking the question of whether he should remain as manager beyond this season.

I've said it a few times already, the best man for the job isn't always the best man on paper.

Sure Pochettino has the better CV, however, he is yet to win anything. LvG and Jose had great CV's, yet they didn't understand the club.

Ole hasn't been tested at the highest level yet, but then neither had Pep or Zidane when they were given the top jobs at clubs they knew from the ground up.

Sometimes, understanding of the club and a genuine connection to that club can lift a manager to new heights.

It's far too soon to make Ole the permanent manager, yet already he must be making people start to ask if he should. That's quite an achievement in 14 days.

{Ed025's Note - hes been excellent shappy and a breath of fresh air, i was just trying to bring a bit of perspective to the situation because its easy to get carried away mate, things are going great but there are some hard games coming up and i dont want to see knee jerk reactions when things dont go to plan, i cant fault him up to now though and long may that continue..

7.) 03 Jan 2019
03 Jan 2019 10:01:36
That's fair enough Ed025, I'm not getting carried away, or at least trying not to. lol. I don't expect him to get the job unless he does exceptionally well and other targets are difficult to get over the line.

I'm just enjoying our football again, ultimately that is why we watch it, for the enjoyment. So from that point of view Ole has already been a huge success.

Two weeks ago the idea that Ole could be our next permanent manager seemed almost farcical. Yet now he is making a serious case for himself.

Much like players, it isn't always the best on paper who fits in best with the club. Veron, Di Maria, Falcao on paper looked like far better options for our club than many others, yet in reality many lesser players have achieved far more and contributed far more to that success than those players.

The same can be true for managers, I don't think Zidane will prove to be a great manager, yet for Real Madrid he has to go down as one of their greatest managers, at least of the modern era. Which when you consider how many great managers have managed Real Madrid that is a huge achievement. It is the right man that is more important than the best man. The right man isn't always the best on paper, but the man who clicks with the club and the players.

Sadly we are seeing this with Klopp at Liverpool, where he is (at least at the moment) lifting a poorer squad of players higher than Man City who are managed by a man whom many feel is the best manager in the world.

In team sports it is more about the right people than the best people. The right blend of people can elevate themselves higher than the best 11 individuals.

Just something I think we need to consider whoever we decide to hire.

{Ed025's Note - i cant argue with any of that shappy mate..

8.) 03 Jan 2019
03 Jan 2019 12:30:04
Great posts Shappy and Ed025
Way too early to lock him in, but there he argument is getting louder as each game passes. We are in for a ride of a second half of the season for sure.

{Ed025's Note - looking forward to it mike mate..