Why its make or break time for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Bluebird's Eye View: Why it's make or break time for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - starting against Middlesbrough

Sep 16, 2014

BY SIAN MATHESON

Our columnist says things need to improve quickly at Cardiff City for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to ease mounting pressure


What a game of the proverbial two halves against Norwich.

I didn’t go to the game on Saturday as I was at a friend’s wedding. But, helped by texts plus following the game via WalesOnline’s twitter feed, I managed to follow the action. I say action, maybe capitulation would be a better way to describe it.

At the end of the first 45 minutes, I was reading that I’d missed the best display of football of the season. After the Canaries third and fourth goals went in I, along with a few other Bluebirds-supporting guests, were thankful to have been spared the sight of the pitiful-sounding show.

I understand how a large section of frustrated supporters have already given up on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and are already calling for the out-of-work Tony Pulis to take over.

You can’t argue with Pulis’ magic at Crystal Palace last season, taking over at the Premier League’s bottom side who were already written off as relegated.

Then Palace pulled off those five consecutive wins to see them soar to mid-table safety, earning Pulis the Premier League Manager of the Year accolade to boot.

While I would readily welcome the Newport-born Bluebird as gaffer of Cardiff at some point, it does beg the question – just how much time do you give Solskjaer to turn things around?

I say turn things around, but in reality, he was appointed in January when the side was 17th in the Premier League table.

Now, here we are eight months on, sitting 15th in the Championship. And yet, most worryingly, despite bringing in his own reinforcements and spending big in the summer, Solskjaer still doesn’t appear to have a clue about what his starting XI is.




I want Solskjaer to succeed but it is now becoming difficult to ignore that original nagging doubt about whether he is simply just too inexperienced.

Yes, he was Manchester United reserve team boss and he guided Molde to the Norwegian title but, as of yet, there is little evidence to silence those doubts.

I’m surprised Vincent Tan has given Ole this much time already, we all know he expects the club to bounce straight back up to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

People keep banging on about how we have the best squad and strength in depth in the league.

But, in reality, it doesn’t matter how big our squad is, or how much the club has spent over the summer, if we don’t start racking up points and climbing the table soon a promotion push will be out of reach with a mid-table finish, at best, beckoning.

It’s make or break time now, Solskjaer must stop the tinkering (it hasn’t worked this far, so why continue to do it?) and pick a consistent XI and stick to it. If the Bluebirds don’t start picking up results soon, then you have to fear for Solskjaer’s future as Cardiff manager.

Saturday’s result brought back memories of a game at Peterborough in 2009. Under Dave Jones, Cardiff were 4-0 up at half-time at the league’s bottom-of-the-table side, only to spectacularly capitulate after the break and were lucky to come away with a 4-4 draw at the final whistle. Still at least we picked up a point!



After the Fulham draw I wrote how I was pleased that whatever Solskjaer said at half-time to get a decent performance out of his side worked to grab a point at Craven Cottage.

But that certainly can’t be said after Saturday’s debacle. Maybe, as suspected, he is just too nice in the dressing room after all.

The only positives were that the talented Joe Ralls and Aron Gunnarsson both took their goals well.

Based on recent Championship meetings a draw is highly unlikely tonight (four wins, four defeats from the last eight). So something’s got to give, and it may be a good omen that Dimi Konstantopoulos (remember him from his dodgy spell at Cardiff back in 2009?) is likely to be between the visitors’ sticks.

If Cardiff fail to get less than three points tonight, you really have to fear for even more pressure mounting on Solskjaer’s future at City.

Nice article but unless we win tonight we will be left with at best 9 points after 7 games. In the last 10 years only 2 clubs (Reading & Sunderland) have gone on to win automatic promotion at the end of the season.

That's just 10% of the clubs promoted so yes I agree tonight is pretty much make or break, even after 7 games.

Nice article but unless we win tonight we will be left with at best 9 points after 7 games. In the last 10 years only 2 clubs (Reading & Sunderland) have gone on to win automatic promotion at the end of the season.

That's just 10% of the clubs promoted so yes I agree tonight is pretty much make or break, even after 7 games.

Cheers Gary, I love your facts, but not good reading for us, if we dont start winning against teams like Boro.

so its make or break for ole because some fan / writer says so
think I will wait for tan to tell us when its make or break for ole assuming that day will come
imo it wont

so its make or break for ole because some fan / writer says so
think I will wait for tan to tell us when its make or break for ole assuming that day will come
imo it wont

It's huge tonight, absolutely no question.

not sure why you find my comment funny chuckles or did you press the wrong key
nice to see when re quoting what I said you put it in its entirety and not just a snippet to suit your agenda
oops wrong key

Blackpool were in the top 6 in our promotion season. Look at Leicester as well in our promotion season, was in the top 2 for ages then bottled it, Palace as well almost lost their spot on final day. Early days