Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Has Been Parking The Bus – LVG

Ex Manchester United coach, Louis van Gaal has criticised Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tactics after Manchester United’s UCL defeat to Barcelona by saying that the former Molde manager has “parked the bus” in lots of crucial games.

Man Utd exited the competition after a 3-0 defeat to Barca at Camp Nou on Tuesday evening.

His words, “I can see how Ole had some impact in the beginning, because United were ninth in the table when he took over and the team was nothing,

“United had been playing anti-football, as I call it, but don’t think that Ole isn’t afraid to park the bus either, he is more defensive than you think.”

“I have been watching the team, because I always look at United still, and Ole parked the bus against Arsenal. He did it against Tottenham in the league. And at stages against Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona in the Champions League.

“He plays against all the big teams like that. The emphasis is more on defending than on attacking or wanting to play dominant football. I actually call it parking the bus. Ole does it not just outside the 18-yard box. He parks the bus right in front of [goalkeeper] David De Gea.

“When United play that way, they play 4-4-2 and play counter attacking football with Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku.

“They are gambling on the speed of those two because they are faster than their opponents when they get the space. Rashford’s pace is incredible. You don’t catch him when he breaks away.

“But if Man United want to be a dominant force in Europe again, and in England, they have to have a different playing style.

“The problem as a foreign manager is that you find out that the English football culture is different from Germany and Spain.

“In those countries, you work on things in training. In England, everything is done by playing matches. They get fitter or gain stamina by playing lots of matches.”

“It is a culture you cannot change easily. I wanted to change things, but it proved very difficult.

“Ole revived the squad and he won a lot of matches when he first started. They went up to third in the Premier League, but they have dropped back to sixth. ‘

“But when I look at the style of football, I have to say he has not changed it. It is explainable. Defending is easier than attacking.

“I saw so many games of United over the last year or so. Both Mourinho and Solskjaer are not afraid to play in a defensive way all the time. That is not good enough for Man United.

“Now it is the time where trophies can be won and they are not even in a position where they can claim a Champions League spot.”