WHY OLE WILL NOT BE PEP’S COPYCAT
MANCHESTER UNITED will never copy anyone’s style of play – even Pep Guardiola’s.
Neighbours City are powering towards a third title in four years after displacing their Old
Trafford rivals at the top thanks to a 15-game winning run.
But despite seeing City sweep opponents aside,
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has backed his own philosophy and is confident it will eventually lead to trophies.
The United boss takes his misfiring stars to the
Etihad today aiming to close a 14-point gap and slow down Guardiola’s runaway leaders.
He said: “Every manager builds a team around a club’s culture.
“We have a culture at Man United that we want to stick to. Traditions built from Sir Matt Busby and
Sir Alex Ferguson – pace, power, quick attacks.
“There have been loads of different ways of being successful and I think we as a club have been successful.
Improving
“I feel we are improving and getting closer to winning things. I have always believed in my way of playing football although sometimes you look at other mangers and think you’ll adopt one little thing from his way of playing, one little thing from another.
“I was the same as a player. I couldn’t be the same as David Beckham but I always wanted to cross the ball as well as Becks.
“I couldn’t be the same player as Ryan Giggs but
I’d like to dribble as good as Giggsy and be on the front foot.”
Guardiola has won titles galore with City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona with an aggressive, attacking game plan built around dominating possession.
But Solskjaer does not believe his City counterpart has re-invented the wheel.
He added: “No one has invented any style by themselves. They have taken little bits from other managers and teams.
“I have taken a lot of my football philosophy from the time I was here at United and in Norway. It’s about players and we are getting there.”
ADAM MASINA’S first goal for 13 months sealed Watford’s sixth win in seven games – and vindicated his manager’s trust in fortune favouring the brave.
Down to one fit midfielder, the Hornets made light of their excess square pegs in round holes to go second above Brentford, whose game was called off. And Hornets head coach Xisco Munoz, who had told left-back Masina to venture forward more often, said: “He is a very good player, and right now is the moment to push him and challenge him.
“In the last two games, he was in the opposition penalty box more, and we want to see him get forward, but the most important thing is that he showed good ambition and he wants to do his best for the team.”
Powder-puff Forest had been on a decent run, but on a pristine Vicarage Road carpet they couldn’t see the wood for the trees.
Apart from Lyle Taylor’s smart finish, disallowed for offside, and fellow sub
Cafu’s deflected shot, they never looked like scoring, despite the home side being forced to play top scorer Joao Pedro in midfield.
Manager Chris Hughton said: “That game summed up why Watford are where they are in the table – and why we are where we are.
“In the final third, they looked more threatening than we did, but they were fine margins.
“I have issues with the goal, because it was a poor one to concede, but the stats say the final third is where we need to do better.”
The winner, after 17 minutes, punished Forest for leaving Masina in acres of space.
Flying winger Ismaila Sarr’s low cross was only parried by Brice Samba, and the Italian defender drilled his first goal since February 2020 low past the Forest keeper, who was dazed by a collision with Andre Gray.
The Hornets should have made life easier for themselves shortly after the break, but Gray just failed to connect with Kiko Femenia’s cross at the far post.
Free agent Carlos Sanchez, who was a dead loss at West Ham and
Aston Villa, helped to close out the last 25 minutes on his debut after signing a short-term contract last week as the Hornets kept their eighth clean sheet in 13 games.