Tinker man Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will make changes

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Cardiff City Analysis: Why 'Tinkerman' Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will hand Federico Macheda his first start at Port Vale
Aug 25, 2014

In the wake of Saturday's last-gasp defeat at Wolves, Terry Phillips takes a look at what changes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will make next.

Star striker Kenwyne Jones started on the bench at Wolves. Will there be more changes on Tuesday?
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Cardiff City (Hudson OG 91)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will give Federico Macheda his full Cardiff City debut in tomorrow’s Capital One Cup tie at Port Vale - and the Italian striker is out to prove the doubters wrong.

It’s clear that signing Macheda from Manchester United on a free transfer was a gamble, but it’s one Solskjaer believes will pay off handsomely in the long-term.

At the age of 23, Macheda has not yet lived up to his immense promise during, although he did fire 10 goals in 10 starts on loan at Birmingham City last season.

He was also in sparkling form during pre-season, scoring twice in two matches and showing the urgency and hunger which will be needed if he is to make his mark in the Championship.

Macheda is big, strong, skilful and has all the assets needed to play a major role in City’s chase for promotion.

Former Cardiff striker Robert Earnshaw, now playing for Chicago Fire in America, had a dig at Macheda, saying: “He burst onto the scene, scored a couple of goals which were highlighted and since then he has not really proved himself. He has potential, but there is one hell of a way to go.”

Is Macheda as good as the other strikers at Cardiff?




Federico "Kiko" Macheda in pre-season action for Cardiff City

The key for Macheda, now fully fit after a back injury, is to grab his chance in Tuesday’s cup clash with Port Vale - and show Solskjaer he can be the go-to striker when it comes to goals this season.

The challenge is huge with Adam Le Fondre, Nicky Maynard, Kenwyne Jones, Javi Guerra and more all keen to start in attack, but when he is tuned in mentally, Macheda can play a major role for City.

“Kiko was great in pre-season and really shone during our tour to Austria, but he missed four weeks training and matches because of his injury,” said Solskaer. “Now he’s ready and we will get him going. He is itching to get out there now.



“Kiko is a goalscorer and he can’t wait to start scoring.”

Macheda looks certain to link up with Spanish hit-man Javi Guerra at Port Vale, a combination which showed huge promise in pre-season, and the man from Rome says: “This is a new chapter of my career now and I can’t wait to get started and show everyone who I am.”

Solskjaer knows Macheda really well from their days at Old Trafford and believes he can bring the best out of a player who has the talent to help City in their quest for a return to top flight football and would a perfect fit if they return to the Premier League.

Macheda was an unused substitute at Wolves where Solskjaer went for Nicky Maynard and Adam Le Fondre to lead his attack with Kenwyne Jones taking over at centre-forward immediately after half-time.

Now Macheda and Guerra have a chance against Port Vale to show they can be the pairing to brings the goals Solskjaer is looking for.




Is Solskjaer happy with the amount of goals scored?


City have netted five in four Championship matches, but more are needed. Top two Nottingham Forest and Watford, for instance, have scored 10 and nine respectively.

There is no question Solskjaer has the firepower to improve their tally and that will be the aim against bottom of the table Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday, a trip which is followed by home fixtures against Norwich City and Middlesbrough.

City should have scored at Wolves and, even though they were far from their best, certainly should not have lost. A disastrous injury time error, when a simple clearance became a major problem for captain Mark Hudson, left the Bluebirds down and out.

Hudson had been effective and courageous, throwing himself in front of shots over the 90 minutes, but was caught out two minutes into stoppage time when Kevin McDonald’s cross from City’s right flew hopelessly towards the near post. Hudson failed to move his feet quickly enough, tried to hook the ball away at the last second and succeeded only in diverting it past goalkeeper David Marshall and in off a post.

Wolves had more of the play, more possession, overall, but Marshall scarcely had a save to make and was left helpless by that late calamity.

“We negated Wolves in the second half,” said Solskjaer. “We didn’t defend too well before that, which may sound strange because we didn’t concede, but we didn’t win the ball in good positions. After half-time we did that far more often and were able to counter-attack, which was what I was hoping for during the first half with Nicky Maynard and Adam Le Fondre up top.”

City’s inability to win the ball and launch attacks from deep meant the service to Maynard and Le Fondre was poor and prompted Solskjaer to make a change, sending on Jones to add his physical presence in attack. Maynard made way and suddenly the two Wolves central defenders, who were dominant during the first half, were facing a different test.


Has this been a good start?

We still haven’t seen the best of Cardiff City, but they have made a reasonable start and would still be unbeaten but for a stunning point blank save by Wolves keeper Carl Ikeme from Jones’ close range blockbuster and that late own goal howler.

City can be better in defence, midfield and attack.

They will look to solve one of those problems by adding a new defender, an experienced centre-back who can play and pass from the back, and that will help Solskjaer lay the platform he wants.

It’s far too early to be judging this City team or Solskjaer.

They are three points behind leaders Nottingham Forest - and there is still plenty of confidence in the camp that Cardiff will be among the frontrunners this season.

Certainly, without playing at their best, Cardiff showed enough in their performance at Wolves to suggest they can be a force this season.

They call him "tinker man" but we've only played 4 games with a bunch of new players. Give it a rest.

They call him "tinker man" but we've only played 4 games with a bunch of new players. Give it a rest.

He's done it constantly since he's been here, it's a fair nickname.

They call him "tinker man" but we've only played 4 games with a bunch of new players. Give it a rest.

He's done it constantly since he's been here, it's a fair nickname.

baz maybe he has but do you honestly think he could just say right this is my starting eleven this season! even though some are just coming back from inj and some only just signed? do you you think its that simple??

Oh no he's changing the team again to allow fringe players to prove themselves in a cup match!!!
O noez Ole what a tinker man !!!

Oh no he's changing the team again to allow fringe players to prove themselves in a cup match!!!
O noez Ole what a tinker man !!!

I know you've got a thing for Ole but you have to admit he is a tinkerman, how many times have he gone with the same team for a consistent run of a games ?

Stupid headline though, the cup is always a good chance to give players game time and a chance to impress.

Monday 25th August 2014.

Cardiff City: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says squad rotation is essential

Cardiff City manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says the high frequency of games makes squad rotation essential.
The Norwegian defended his decision to start with top scorer Kenwyne Jones on the bench in the 1-0 defeat at Wolves.
With a Capital One Cup trip to Port Vale on Tuesday and an away fixture at Fulham four days later, Solskjaer says he will continue to rotate.

"I'll always look to freshen things up at times and I'll make more right [decisions] than wrong," he said.

“It's going to be a long, hard season and we need everyone firing”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Cardiff City manager

"Of course you think it's very simple; you can play the same 11 in 46 league games and you'll be happy.
"It doesn't happen like that, it doesn't happen in today's football with the intensity, fitness, short space of time in between games, that's just how it is."
The former Manchester United striker said resting Jones on Saturday was "part and parcel of what we're going to do throughout the whole season".

Eight new players have been brought into the club over the summer, giving Solskjaer plenty of depth in his squad.
"There's going to be games he [Jones] won't play, there's going to be games other players don't play because it's going to be a long, hard season and we need everyone firing," Solskjaer said.
Saturday's loss at Molineux was the Bluebirds' first defeat of the season but Solskjaer says there has been no knock-on effect to Mark Hudson, who scored a last-minute own goal.
"Mark is a top pro. He's been as a captain should be - just get on with it. You've got to brush it off, we all make mistakes in the game of football."

Oh no he's changing the team again to allow fringe players to prove themselves in a cup match!!!
O noez Ole what a tinker man !!!

I know you've got a thing for Ole but you have to admit he is a tinkerman, how many times have he gone with the same team for a consistent run of a games ?

Stupid headline though, the cup is always a good chance to give players game time and a chance to impress.

When has he ever had a fully fit squad or the same team to choose from? In the Prem, he had Noone in his plans, wanted to build the team around Mutch, Noone and Campbell, they'd both get knocks.

This season. He makes changes after Blackburn away to set up a home game. Then for Wigan he introduces a new signing. Then at Wolves he introduces another new signing. Rotation isn't the problem. There is NOTHING wrong with rotation. The mistakes Ole makes is choosing the wrong players to rotate to combat the opposition. Jones can't play 2 games a week. Brayford for Connolly I didn't agree. But again, the rotation isn't the thing that should annoy fans. It should be how he applies the rotation. We have a squad that's filled with depth, we have to keep players happy

Oh no he's changing the team again to allow fringe players to prove themselves in a cup match!!!
O noez Ole what a tinker man !!!

I know you've got a thing for Ole but you have to admit he is a tinkerman, how many times have he gone with the same team for a consistent run of a games ?

Stupid headline though, the cup is always a good chance to give players game time and a chance to impress.

When has he ever had a fully fit squad or the same team to choose from? In the Prem, he had Noone in his plans, wanted to build the team around Mutch, Noone and Campbell, they'd both get knocks.

This season. He makes changes after Blackburn away to set up a home game. Then for Wigan he introduces a new signing. Then at Wolves he introduces another new signing. Rotation isn't the problem. There is NOTHING wrong with rotation. The mistakes Ole makes is choosing the wrong players to rotate to combat the opposition. Jones can't play 2 games a week. Brayford for Connolly I didn't agree. But again, the rotation isn't the thing that should annoy fans. It should be how he applies the rotation. We have a squad that's filled with depth, we have to keep players happy

I agree there is nothing wrong with rotation, but only to a certain extent. Time will tell obviously but consistency is usually key in this league, having a settled squad all singing off the same hymn sheet has been a successful formula for plenty of teams down the years, us included the year we got promoted.

baz maybe he has but do you honestly think he could just say right this is my starting eleven this season! even though some are just coming back from inj and some only just signed? do you you think its that simple??

Where have I said that?!

It's about striking the right balance. Something he isn't doing at the moment, in my eyes.

I know, what id, like to do in, your eyes.

baz maybe he has but do you honestly think he could just say right this is my starting eleven this season! even though some are just coming back from inj and some only just signed? do you you think its that simple??

Where have I said that?!

It's about striking the right balance. Something he isn't doing at the moment, in my eyes.

u agreed he was a tinkerer! like i said only 4 games in players back from inj new players signed how can he pick his starting eleven at this present time? will take time to get right balance or do you believe he needs to just pick eleven without trying different permatations???

and ffs dont leave out all the quote its very irratating and shows you as a tinkerer!

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has come under fire this week for his insistence on changing Cardiff City’s starting line-up ahead of the narrow defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

We shouldn’t be surprised by the tinkering, of course, as if there’s one thing we’ve learnt about the Norwegian during his seven months in south Wales, it’s that he simply cannot resist making changes.

It was worrying to see in the Premier League with some players starting one week, only to be left completely out of the squad seven days later. It’s been a similar story in the early stages of this campaign, too, with arguably the Bluebirds’ two main men so far, John Brayford and Kenwyne Jones, both being dropped to the bench.

Football is all about fine margins, and had Cardiff held out for another minute or so, Solskjaer’s tactics would have paid off and another well-earned point would have been added to the tally. But City didn’t win, and now questions must be asked.

It’s all well and good tinkering with the squad when things are going bad, but on the back of a solid start to the season, which included a clean sheet against Wigan Athletic last time out, Solskjaer opted to rip apart the back four.

Solskjaer knows all about how gruelling a Championship campaign can be, highlighted by the large calendar hanging in his Vale Resort office which lays out all the upcoming fixtures. Squad rotation is important, keeping players happy is key. Putting together a settled squad is even more vital.
In an interview 12 months before he took up the reins at the Cardiff City Stadium, Solskjaer revealed that he used to spend his downtime while at Manchester United playing on Football Manager.

“It’s a fantastic game, I have learned a lot about football,” he said. “It resembles real life when it comes to who will be good players.” Solskjaer is struggling to truly make the transition from being an armchair manager, although he deserves time at Cardiff – a full season, at least.

He has now put together a group of players that he can call his own, which he should be allowed to mould into a potential Championship winning outfit. I myself have criticised the 41-year-old for his failure to instil any real ethos onto the team, although up until this weekend the signs had been positive.

We all know about the unpredictability of the Championship, and seven points from a possible 12, many of which were picked up against fellow promotion challengers, can be seen as a solid platform to kick-start the season. But Solskjaer knows more than anyone else that the world of football is unforgiving, and should Cardiff hit a run of bad form in the coming weeks, his job could very well be on the line.

The general consensus so far this campaign, from the start of pre-season through to this weekend’s 1-0 loss at Molineux, is that Solskjaer is not the man to take Cardiff back to the Premier League. Now is his time to prove the doubters – including myself – wrong. If he is to do so he simply has to stop making wholesale changes to the side week in week out.

Unlike Football Manager, there will be no second chances.

http://shoot.co.uk/ole-must-stop-tinkering/

u agreed he was a tinkerer! like i said only 4 games in players back from inj new players signed how can he pick his starting eleven at this present time? will take time to get right balance or do you believe he needs to just pick eleven without trying different permatations???

and ffs dont leave out all the quote its very irratating and shows you as a tinkerer!

I did, but I didn't say any of the other stuff. He can pick his starting 11 easily. Was no need to tinker the defence at the last game & it cost us.

One or two changes are good, but to chop and change the defence like he has for the last 3 games in a row, means the defence will NEVER settle, which is necessary.

I'm not leaving out any of the quote, just replying to your post and your post only. Haven't touched your words at all.