How Solskjaer's poor decisions let Manchester United down in Europa League final vs Villarreal
There weren't a lot of tears when Manchester United lost to Villarreal in the final of the Europa League on Wednesday night.
Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Fred and even Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were all moody, but they still did well to pick themselves up to mount the podium for their runners-up medals.
The stage was set for Manchester United to win their first major trophy under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. It was a big night for both the players and their manager.
However, it ended in major disappointment as Villarreal ran out 11-10 winners on penalties following David de Gea’s costly miss.
Solskjaer’s managerial flaws exposed in Manchester United's loss
There’s a thin line between good and great managers and Solskjaer seems to be the perfect specimen for indicating the difference.
The Norwegian has led Manchester United to back-to-back Champions League qualification but, once again, his managerial flaws were badly exposed on the big stage.
He was completely outclassed by Unai Emery, who set his side up to soak up the pressure and play on the counter attack. On the contrary, Solskjaer appeared not to have a plan.
Once his preferred starting XI failed to turn up, he was backed into a tight corner. For much of the season, he failed to manage his squad, which meant no player on the bench had the confidence to come on and make an impact.
Even worse, his substitutions were terrible - a struggling Marcus Rashford was allowed to play the full length of the game while the lively Mason Greenwood was taken off.
Solskjaer has a lot to learn
All the above decisions are glaring flaws in Solskjaer’s management. He is a very good man-manager but his tactical nous have been suspect since he joined Manchester United.
He has been continuously exposed in almost every game with high stakes. He lost three semi-finals last season and has now lost a crucial final this term.
This points to a manager who still has a lot to learn. He is occupying one of the biggest jobs in world football as Manchester United manager and needs to seriously buck up.
"We didn't turn up. We didn't play as well as we can do. We started alright and they scored from their only shot on target but it was disappointing to concede a goal on a set play,” Solskjaer said, as quoted by Sky Sports.
“We pushed and pressed and got the goal. But after we scored we couldn't control the game and dominate the way which we wanted.
"They made it hard for us by closing the spaces. We had the majority of the possession and they defended well. We didn't create enough big chances.”
There are lots of lessons to be picked up from this defeat and game management should be the biggest of all. Solskjaer’s lack of experience has cost Manchester United in recent years and there’ll be no excuses if they win nothing next season.