It’s growing very slowly…
Manchester United are a strange team. Very good at hitting teams on the break, but seemingly incapable of breaking down a deep defence, their results fluctuate in the way you wouldn’t expect of one of the biggest clubs in the world. I mean, this is Manchester United we’re talking about, here. Manchester United. In the wise words of Gennaro Gattuso, sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit.
Their last two results have been cause for concern, in particular their midweek disappointment as they lost 2-1 to Istanbul Başakşehir, being caught exposed on the break on two occasions, demonstrating the sort of naive lack of defensive organisation that an under 14s side would be hammered for.
But manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has defended his position amid rumours of the club making an approach for Mauricio Pochettino, comparing his United project to planting a seed and growing a tree.
“I have to say that all my conversations with the club have been planning long term,” he stressed at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
“Of course we want results short term but I’ve had positive, good, open dialogue with the plans that we have put in place.
“We have planted a seed, the tree is growing. Some clubs rip up the tree and see if it’s still growing and if it’s still getting water underneath.
“For me I’ve had backing all the way since I’ve come in on a bigger picture. And the club needs to look at the bigger picture.
“We can’t go thinking one or two results… or react to one or two results, we’ve got to look further back and look at the direction we go in.”
It’s a great metaphor, Ole, it really is. Trees tend to have shown a bit more growth after two years, though.
