OLE THE FORT
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hopes to get Man Utd through ‘transition period’ ahead of successful 2020 after recent slumps
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OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER talks with the resolution of someone who believes he is going to have a very happy new year indeed.
He is convinced that 2020 will see the end of the identity crisis that has stretched through much of the last decade since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
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And having been promised massive backing in the transfer market he vows he will prove he is the right man to bring success back to Old Trafford.
Solskjaer, the fourth manager since Fergie headed to the directors’ box in 2013 to try to add to the legendary Scot’s 13 Premier League titles, declares: "2020 sounds quite good for me.
“I'm going to make 2020 a good year for myself. I think we're on the right track.
“We are in a transition period, we've seen other clubs do it and come out strong.”
Solskaer followed Jose Mourinho 12 months ago and before him Louis Van Gaal and David Moyes in trying to arrest the decline of the seven years since Fergie stood down.
Until recently, with on the market following his sacking by Tottenham, there were indications that he might not get the time to properly create a new united culture within United.
Yet he goes into the New Year’s Day clash with Arsenal with his side fifth in the table following back-to-back wins over Newcastle and Burnley.
And he sees his decision on going back to United’s future by backing young players as one that is now showing green shoots of development, saying: “We’re improving.
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“I think we can see more and more of what we want to be and our identity and what we're good at. We're making games suit our style more and more.
“We've played the same way for a little while and we're getting used to each other.
“We're quite a bit away still from where we want to be but I think we're the youngest team in the Premier League, average.
“We were last week only 23 years of age from the starting ten outfield players, so we’re still young.
“We'll have ups and downs but less and less of the downs hopefully.”
Solskjaer hopes he will be moving on up with signings in January while Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho are targets.
The pair would cost around £50million and £100m respectively and the Norwegian is bullish about bringing in new talent, although he makes clear any arrival has to fit the right United profile.
Solskjaer, who expects Paul Pogba to be in the squad to face the Gunners, says: “I'm optimistic we can keep players fit.
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We'll have ups and downs but less and less of the downs hopefully."
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
“And if the right ones become available we do have the resources and I do have the backing from the board. But it's about getting the right ones. It has to be.
“There's no point suddenly bringing someone else in now for the sake of three or four months if that can disrupt any good feeling or chemistry in the group.
“The chemistry in the group is really good.
“It has to be the right type and it has to be a good investment for the long term as well.”
Solskjaer has invested heavily in Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as well as bringing through 18-year-old Mason Greenwood since taking the decision in the summer to sell £75m Romelu Lukaku.
They have given him more reason to believe that the new year will bring new beginnings.
Rashford now has a career-best season haul of 16 goals while Martial has ten and the United boss says: “We always believed Anthony and Marcus were going to score goals.
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“But Mason has filled a big void, he's chipped in with goals. So I'm not worried about goals from centre-forwards.
“Romelu's a good striker and he'll always score goals but it was time for him to move on.
“We didn't find the right one outside our club but we had Mason.
“If we can keep these lot fit and if we can keep on improving, one addition and if you get two additions of course that will be competition for places.
“That's what you've got to deal with at this club”.
United take on Manchester City on January 7 in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi final.
Solskjaer, despite his recent derby win over Pep Guardiola’s men, says his side are still not City slickers.
But, he insists, they are getting there, saying: “It's hard to compare but we have to learn that way of playing football.
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"I've said we're not a Manchester City, we can't play, outplay and out-football teams like they do yet but hopefully in a few years we can.
“It's not going to be overnight. It's only them who can do that.
“We are more with fast flowing quicker attacking but if you can mix that with what we have then we’ve got a chance.”
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