Is it really, though? If I look at Klopp's second season in charge compared to Ole's current season, it has similar readings?As it seems a common thing at various times to compare to Klopp-
In that first season under Klopp, we had a horrendous injury list that lead to the best available fit XI being reserved for the Europa League final run with back end squad players and kids mixing and matching the league run-in. All with no players signed at all his first year. (From the October so just the January window. Bar a loanee to aid with the CH crisis we had when we were down to 2.). For him to get that group to two major finals, and finish within 2 games of City in 4th was a ridiculous achievement with someone else's squad (and an incredibly poor one at that), were you could see his ability to improve everyone on the training ground. We had 19 players make over 25 appearances with the likes of Benteke, Ibe, Clyne, Moreno, Lovren, Lucas all key players. All with the handicap of the abysmal Mignolet in nets too.
You then look at the second season with players like Origi, Clyne, Can, Lallana and Lovren making up the top 10 appearances as an example of sub-standard players he worked hard with to improve. Milner who many would have had out the door from the get-go making 40 appearances and being a main-stay. 16 players made over 25 appearances that second season. Which resulted in an improvement to get back into the CL spots for only the 2nd time in the previous 8 seasons. (Mignolet was still handicapping everything.).
His third season, or second full year, that had grown to 18 players making 25 plus appearances as the club mirrored up another CL season through the PL (the first time they'd had back-to-back CL seasons in a decade), by reaching the European Cup final in Kiev. With such studs as Moreno, Klaven, Can, Solanke and Lovren still main-stays as regular starters. (Mignolet now had the equally woeful Karius to rotate in ineptitude.).
I could go on but the point is if you're going to use Klopp in comparison, use him in the right context. He never has been scared to utilise every player at his disposal as he fully believes in his ability, above any else, to coach and educate through hard graft on the training pitch before he turns to the market. (People would say he has no interest int he domestic cups. I think from his point of view, he firmly believes in whatever side he picks and his own ability to coach them up to have as good a chance as the opposition they're playing. Call it arrogance in his own teaching ability or whatever but that confidence in himself is unwavering. And well-founded given there are very few players that he's had, either inherited or bought, including everyone that's left, that hasn't improved under his coaching.). Which you naturally have to eventually turn to utilise to improve further on what you have. But until you can get better players in to take you onto the next level, work with the players you have and at the least get the maximum out of their ability. That's the art of coaching in a nutshell.
Which your fella' either patently isn't doing, or he patently isn't trusting either those outside the perceived top 12/13, or his/ his staff's ability to get the best out of them.
Liverpool that season had 17 players clocking more than a 1000 minutes on the pitch - https://www.transfermarkt.co.in/liverpool-fc/leistungsdaten/verein/31/reldata/&2016/plus/1
Compare that to Ole's current season, and he has 16 players clocking more than 1000 minutes - https://www.transfermarkt.co.in/manchester-united/leistungsdaten/verein/985/reldata/&2019/plus/1
If you're talking about sub-standard players making appearances in the United squad, Lingard, Pereira and Mata all had plenty of appearances and minutes last season
You guys mainly had sub-standard players in those areas, and hence they made the top-10 appearances (note that I am in any way dismissing Klopp's efforts in improving and getting the maximum out of them - he did insane work there and took them to another level).
But once you got better players, you prefer them more, and that's natural. Ole here has better players for all his positions in the starting 11. And he has also given plenty of time to substitutes, going by the squad appearances. Even in subs, Fred, McTominay, Williams all impressed and got minutes last season, not to mention Greenwood who emerged as a starter.
The subs conversation got blown out of proportion post Covid when every match became a crunch match and therefore he preferred his best 11. He could have given his subs a run, atleast in the Europa, but I think that came down to wanting his trophy at the end.
The point is, yes, he needs to use subs even more. But the narrative that he doesn't use players outside the 11 at all (or hasn't improved them) is based on the smaller sample set of post Covid matches under trying circumstances. He has given players significant minutes.
Also, Ole has been mainly using players bought under an amalgamation of previous managers. Out of the current first 11, he has brought in three players (Maguire, AwB and Bruno). Remaining players, he is mainly still working with what is present at the club. And his signings have performed well at that, too. They were overpriced (Maguire) but I would blame that on the club rather than shipping that onto Ole.
I've always been Ole's critic earlier, mind, and for this very reason earlier too (at the start of the season, for not actually improving players comparitively). But on that front, he has certainly delivered decent returns.