Manchester United have had a stunning turnaround in their fortunes under interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Wednesday’s win against PSG in the Champions League was perhaps the biggest instance of the same.
The Red Devils were deemed by many as outsiders after they lost the first leg 2-0 at Old Trafford, but despite an injury-ravaged squad, they managed to turn the tables in Paris and knock the Ligue 1 champions out of the competition.
Solskjaer’s arrival has seen a radical change in approach as the players are playing more expansive football and aren’t shackled like they were under Jose Mourinho.
We take a look at three players whose transfer values have improved after Solskjaer took over as manager.
#3 Luke Shaw
The left-back was perhaps the only bright spot in the first half of the season under Mourinho as the Portuguese’s harsh criticism of the player actually spurred him on. That’s not something he should have done with every other player though.
Shaw has managed to continue his impressive form under Solskjaer, and has been a regular under Solskjaer.
The Norwegian’s attacking approach has seen Shaw maraud on the left flank, and act as another outlet considering the likes of Anthony Martial and Alexis Sanchez are inverted wingers.
Just a year ago it seemed like Shaw was never going to realise his potential at Old Trafford. He’s doing that right now under Solskjaer.
#2 Anthony Martial
The Frenchman was in good form before picking up an injury against PSG in mid-February, and is another player to have flourished under Solskjaer.
Martial was always talented, but Mourinho’s often asked his wingers to put in the extra work which Martial wasn’t comfortable with.
The Frenchman was often in and out of the team, and it affected him as Martial is very much a confidence player.
After Mourinho’s departure, Martial started in all but two games, and managed three goals and two assists in eight games. When he returns, he will be a key player for the Red Devils.
#1 Marcus Rashford
Rashford has been the pick of the players under Solskjaer as the manager has brought the best out of the England international.
The 21-year old was used as a centre-forward in seven of Solskjaer’s first eight games as manager, and he delivered with six goals; a stunning goal-return.
Under Mourinho, Rashford showed flashes of brilliance, but he has been able to express himself on the pitch under Solskjaer.
The cherry on top was perhaps his penalty against PSG when he leathered the ball past the legendary Gigi Buffon, giving him no chance to save the penalty.
Why would you want to sell players whose form is improving when you are one of the richest clubs in the world? Talking transfer values for such players is absurd.
What affected Martial last season was his wife’s pregnancy, his ‘love rat’ antics, his contract shenanigans and the absurd stories about Spurs and others offering megabucks for him (when they actually didn’t). It’s difficult for a manager to play a player whose contract negotiations are stalled and whose agent is touting him around Europe like some dockside tart as Lambolet was doing with Martial when other players at the club are being 100% loyal to the club. Its also hard to play someone who’s head is not in the right place because of personal issues and clearly Martial’s head was not in the right place on a number of occasions when he appeared for the first team (e.g. Spurs away, Newcastle away etc etc). There is plenty to justify why Jose found it necessary to restrict Martial’s first team opportunities.
Reality is if Fergie had still been in charge, Martial would be gone now and someone who was fully committed to the club would be in his place. Now surprise surprise thanks to the perverse policies of United’s board a contract that purportedly more than trebles Martial’s earnings has been signed and all is rosy and wonderful and Martial is behaving himself again.
Whether or not his value has risen, his wage demands alone would now put him beyond the reach of all but a handful of clubs worldwide let alone whatever United’s valuation of him would be. Talking transfer values when he has still yet to do anything out of the ordinary in club or international football is under such circumstances is therefore futile. What is certain is a newly appointed temporary manager like Ollie would have had absolutely nothing to do with such negotiations especially since they have been going on for something like 18 months.
So is it Ollie that’s improved him or is it that big fat over generous contract that Deadwood gave him that has perked him up (and made his wife forgive him)? I suspect its the latter and I have little doubt his enthusiasm will dampen before too long and we’ll be back wondering whether Martial’s has fallen out with Ollie.
As for Rashford, as he matures of course he is going to improve. How much of that is down to a specific manager and how much is natural progress is anyone’s guess. However talking transfer valuations given what Rashford stands for (the ultimate United Icon ~ gifted, home grown etc etc) is irrelevant as Ed Woodward and the Glazers entrails would be paraded through the streets of Manchester before United fans would let them sell him.
Shaw has finally got back to form after that awful injury he suffered under Van Gaal. Such things take a lot of work to recover from which is why he was pushed so hard. That he has done that work and has proved himself is a credit to his determination and unlike Martial he never once gave a public indication that he was looking elsewhere despite similar ridiculous media fabrications linking him to Spurs for example
If you are going to write this unthinking largely plagiarised propagandist drivel you really need to consider the whole story and not cherry pick the contentious tidbits in order to smear Jose and overhype Ollie…..
PS And as for Ollie’s ‘attacking’ approach? In all games against top six rivals since he arrived Ollie’s United have conceded over 60% possession against each of them (it was 72% against PSG last night and if not for the 3 howlers by PSG United would not have laid a glove on them) aping the performances of Jose’s United over the last two years.
Ollie has done brilliantly in restoring the morale of the squad and returning United to their winning ways of last season but no more than that. if anything Ollie has just taken Jose’s team and got them to do what Jose taught them to do. Any perception of being more attacking is nothing more than superficial misperception.