CUT OUT THE FLAW SHOW
Ole calls time on United’s defensive howler habit
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER has urged his Manchester United players to cut out the defensive mistakes – or see their season self-destruct.
The Red Devils have kept just one clean sheet in their 12 games so far this term, form that has seen them fall off the early Premier League title pace.
And, with free-scoring Liverpool visiting Old Trafford today knowing a win could take them seven points clear of their bitter rivals, Solskjaer is under no illusion United must improve quickly if they are to challenge.
He said: “We have conceded goals we definitely could have avoided and we are working to improve. The boys all agree on what we need to do and they are giving their best.
“We’re playing and competing at such a high level that if you switch off, nod off for a splitsecond, you will be punished.
“That’s the difference between playing at this level and playing at the level below, that focus and concentration. Sir Alex Ferguson used to talk about concentration in every team talk he gave.
“He said we had to focus and play with good concentration.
“You’d think, ‘Yeah, of course, we concentrate’, but it’s 90-plus minutes in every game, every three days that you have to do that. That’s the standard football is at these days.’’
And it is a standard United have fallen short of too often.
Solskjaer (right) admitted: “Sometimes, like Wednesday night, Atalanta had two chances first half and scored two goals.
Attack
“We know we were too open against Leicester, that’s for sure, we were too easy to cut through.
“After the first half an hour, it was all right, but then the last 60 were very below par and we conceded some bad counterattack chances, goals, set-play goals. That’s something we work on, we have to put it right.
“The funny thing is sometimes this season we’ve had more players behind the ball than what we did last season, but we’ve been easier to play through.
“If you’re going to be successful in any game, you can’t concede too many chances because eventually they’ll score.
“It’s about being on the front foot, being aggressive, winning your tackles – I think we showed a lot of that character and belief on Wednesday night.”
Despite doubts over their defensive organisation, United showed their potency up top in coming back from two goals down to beat Atalanta 3-2 in a thrilling Champions League group-stage clash in midweek.
Solskjaer is now keen to see evidence that his team are finding the right balance between attack and defence after adding Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho to an impressive collection of forwards, including Edinson Cavani (right).
He added: “I expect us to improve – definitely. It is exciting to have these types of players to work with, but then it’s about finding the balance between how big we’re going to make the pitch. Edinson and Cristiano are two of the best box players in world football and you’ve got exciting wingers, scorers.
“I’m sure we will improve. We’ve lost some points lately that we’re not happy with, but we have to take it from here and really get going.
“There’s not time to lose because, even though it’s a long season, the teams we are competing against aren’t going to give you too many opportunities to catch them.”
We know we were too open against Leicester. We conceded some bad goals. That is something we have to put right