Man Utd interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already made some key changes judging by the 5-1 win vs Cardiff City.
‘Ole’s Got United Playing the Way They Should’. It was once Jose Mourinho’s chant but it only took the away end four goals to re-write the lyrics and give it an airing at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday. It was yet another way for United’s vocal away following to serenade their new interim manager who could not have even dreamt of a better start to his five-month reign.
Just a few days into his new post, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United played with renewed confidence, zip and ruthlessness as they ran riot in South Wales. So what has the Norwegian changed? The warm-up stayed largely the same – Kieran McKenna and Michael Carrick again took centre stage and rondos were again a big feature – but the new coaching team are clearly making key changes when it comes to game situations.
Here we take a look at some standout changes Solskjaer has already made following the 5-1 win at against Cardiff.
Solskjaer spent more time sitting down standing on the touchline on Saturday but when he got to his feet, he often called a player over. Phil Jones, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial all received some one-on-one instructions from the 45-year-old who is still making a difference from the bench all these years later.
Solskjaer was not adverse to taking on board instructions from his coaches, either, and Mike Phelan was regularly in his ear and gesticulating how United could cut Cardiff open again. Indeed, Solskjaer was happy for Sir Alex Ferguson’s former No.2 to take up position on the touchline while he sat down. With such an emphasis on rondos in the warm-up, it was hardly a surprise United kept things short and sharp in possession. Indeed, at one point in the first-half, they had 76% possession – which has certainly not always been the case against newly-promoted sides. Most importantly, they were making all that possession count.