Live

Repeat: Off The Ball

02:00 AM-05:00 AM

Repeat: Off The Ball
Advertisement
Soccer

"Look at the players he's got" | Andy Mitten on Solskjaer losing Manchester United fans

Moderate Manchester United fans are beginning to lose faith in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, according to...



Soccer

"Look at the players he's got" | Andy Mitten on Solskjaer losing Manchester United fans

Moderate Manchester United fans are beginning to lose faith in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, according to United We Stand's Andy Mitten.

Mitten joined The Football Show on Tuesday night to discuss Solskjaer ahead of Manchester United's Champions League clash with Villareal on Wednesday night.

It's close to a must-win game for United as they attempt to keep their Champions League hopes alive. But Mitten is also wary of it being a must-win game for Solskjaer's job security. The recent run of results hasn't been good enough and a few more will only increase the scrutiny.

“Three defeats in four games isn't good enough," Mitten said.

"The team are not playing particularly well.

"Every football manager is in a results business. It's causing concern amongst Manchester United fans. We can go through the whole team now and say who's been playing well and who's been contributing and who hasn't been. We can look at the situation with a glass half full or glass half empty."

Mitten doesn't believe that Solskjaer can only be framed in a negative manner. But he's also wary of the context of the results and how it's impacting fans.

"United have started better than in previous seasons. They're very close to the top of the league but it feels like if the team do not beat Villareal then the mood will turn even more.

"And what I've found in the last couple of days is yes there's the immediate post-match outrage that follows any defeat, but more moderates are turning. They're saying things like 'I love Ole, I'd love him to do well, but...' There's a but there, they're not convinced he is the man to bring success to Manchester United.

"So he's looking for his team to prove those types of people wrong. These aren't the people who are never happy, these are the moderates who have been very supportive. The mood can change quickly."

Although Solskjaer will likely point the lack of investment in central midfield as a counterpoint, Mitten believes that he has no more excuses because of how long he's been in the job and the overall quality of his squad.

"If the losses continue then it will be a serious concern. [Solskjaer] is under more scrutiny now, he's been in the job for three seasons, he has been backed, look at the players he's got.”

Watch | Lionel Messi scores his first goal for PSG.

Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!

Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.