Another semi-final and another defeat for Manchester United, is that as far as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can take them?
The Red Devils fell at the semi-final stage of the Carabao Cup earlier in the year when they lost to Manchester City.
Then in the FA Cup semi-final match against Chelsea just over a month ago United were found wanting once again and were well beaten.
Now for the third time this season they lost at the semi-final stage. This time in the Europa League to Sevilla.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has certainly improved United this season, and a post lockdown charge in the league saw them climb to the dizzying heights of third in the Premier League.
But the question now is has the Norwegian tactician taken the club as far as he can?
His side may have won the second leg against City in the Carabao Cup, but the match was all but over after the first leg defeat.
He got the tactics all wrong in the match with Chelsea as his side were never really in the game, especially after De Gea’s howler.
Now in the Europa League, a decisive goal conceded after a defensive catastrophe of epic proportions and 20 shots on goal but only managing to score from the penalty spot.
There is no doubt Ole took over a club that was in serious trouble. He got rid of deadwood players and his signings to date have been effective and improved the side.
It was clear from Solskjaer’s substitution tactics he has little faith in the depth of his squad. He did not make his changes until it was virtually injury time in one last throw of the dice.
I would like to think that exhaustion set in after such a long season. The dependence on players like Maguire who played for the 55th time tonight, Fernandes who has hardly had a break since his arrival.
But am I a United fan looking for excuses or is this the best United can ever hope for under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer?
With another transfer window and continued investment in the right players, will he turn them into title contenders rather than title pretenders?
This week has been a week of shockwaves in the upper echelons of football. From Barcelona’s humiliation to City being dumped. Now United have been found wanting.
Is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer now out of his depth, is he the next casualty of a manager failing to match a club’s expectation?
What do you think?
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