Manchester United: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s blame of referees cannot mask club’s lack of imagination

Even though Manchester United’s winless run away from home had stretched to its tenth game and its 212th day, and even though he is still waiting for a first victory on the road since taking permanent charge, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer declared himself “very pleased” with the efforts of his players after their goalless Europa League draw with AZ Alkmaar in Den Haag on Thursday night.

His criticism was instead saved for the officials. “It’s a good point away from home against a difficult opponent and on a difficult surface,” he said, before focusing on Stijn Wuyten’s late tackle on Marcus Rashford, which could have earned United a penalty. “It should’ve been a win. I’m fed up of talking about penalties we should have had. Arsenal on Monday and now. That’s a penalty 101 times out of 100.

“Today was [about] the decision of the referee. We could have sat there smiling,” Solskjaer added. “There are many games we could and should have won away from home. I don’t think that’s an issue today. It’s a good away point. In a group, if you get a point away, win all your home games, you go through.”

It was the same show of sunny optimism that Solskjaer has put on after almost every disappointing performance. And it was, in that way, as predictable as United’s display. There is no contentious penalty call that can excuse the absence of creativity, no hope to be taken from the lack of imagination, nor any positive spin to be put on the grim sequence of results that this side is putting together.

For the second time in a week, Solskjaer was left bemoaning a refereeing decision that could have transformed a draw which reflected the balance of play into a narrow and largely undeserved win. United did not do nearly enough to beat AZ, just as they did not do enough to beat Arsenal three days earlier. That is the issue, rather than any refereeing decision.

But perhaps Solskjaer realises that penalties are all the more important when you struggle to create chances in open play. United have the seventh-best expected goals value in the Premier League this season. Take penalties out of the equation and they have the third-worst. They have scored spot-kicks in two of their three victories this season. A penalty sent them on their way against Chelsea and proved decisive against Leicester. Only Astana – currently the third-best in Kazakhstan – have been beaten exclusively by goals from open play.

And an inability to create chances stretches further back than August. United have now failed to score more than one goal in 19 of their last 22 games. The wait for an away win pre-dates Solskjaer’s permanent appointment. It is, in fact, their longest run without victory on the road since 1989. Solskjaer believes it will end soon, perhaps against second-bottom Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Sunday.

“I do feel [the win] is going to come,” he said. “There’s no point me talking about it. I’ll get your questions until we do win. If we don’t we’ll get this on Sunday as well.” Solskjaer denied that the problem is anything psychological. “We are a team that can be set up well to play away from home. Sometimes you can play on the counter. Today we didnt really get the counter-attacks as we wanted to.”

But what his insistence on a counter-attacking approach fails to recognise is that most teams do not attack Manchester United, precisely because they are Manchester United. Many are still wary of what their opponents represent, United are often favourites to win home and away, regardless of form. Few teams want to give up the space that Solskjaer’s system requires. AZ were well organised. Newcastle are unlikely to be any different.

The supporters who applauded Solskjaer at the final whistle and chanted anti-Glazer songs at the final whistle in Den Haag appreciate the bigger picture. The manager is powerless when it comes to many of the problems facing the club. He is responsible for much of the on-pitch matters, however. More goals have to be scored, more chances must be created and performances have to improve if Solskjaer is to avoid blame entirely.