Louis van Gaal: The story so far The Dutchman has struggled to match performances with results at Manchester United so far, but despite some mistakes the sense is that he is heading in the right direction Louis Van Gaal urged Manchester United followers and observers to wait for three months before they could expect to notice his impact at the club. With the international break neatly drawing a line under this initial honeymoon period, now is the time to assess how the Old Trafford era of the manager Sir Alex Ferguson describes as formidable is shaping up. RESULTS With United 13 points behind Premier League pacesetters Chelsea after just 11 matches, even the most optimistic fan would admit they have almost no chance of claiming a 21st title this season. THE STATS Manchester United have failed to score in the first half in each of their last four Premier League games. United’s last four Premier League games have produced a total of just one first-half goal (for West Brom – October 20). The Red Devils are now unbeaten in five league games at Old Trafford, winning four and and drawing one. It’s their longest unbeaten home run since March 2013 (under Sir Alex Ferguson). Given the clubs history and resources, not to mention the £150 million-plus spent on new talent in the summer, the results can only be described as disappointing. At the same juncture last season under David Moyes, United had four more points and were just five behind then-leaders Arsenal. Throw in a League Cup humiliation at the hands of MK Dons and the absence of midweek football to stretch the playing squad, and Van Gaals reign could be said to have comfortably got off to a worse start than his Fergusons hand-picked replacement. But it was the end of Moyes reign which is most relevant, not the start, and while the Dutchman has failed to provide the instant sticking plasters to cover the gaping wounds left by his predecessor, there is much reason for optimism. After the low point of the 5-3 defeat at Leicester City, United have won three and drawn two of their six league matches, including a late comeback to seal a respectable 1-1 draw against high-flying Chelsea. Van Gaals team did enough to at least share the spoils with Manchester City seven days later and could consider themselves unfortunate to lose. Those back-to-back clashes against the leagues two strongest teams probably came too early for the new, rejigged United. But the sense is that the graph is beginning to slowly curve upwards. RECRUITMENT Uniteds player trading this summer was a big improvement on the disastrous window of 12 months earlier. After giving his original squad - minus Anderson - the pre-season tour to the United States to prove themselves, Van Gaal allowed fourteen members of his first-team to leave Old Trafford, with six new recruits, including the £59.7m British record signing Angel Di Maria, coming in. Nani, Shinji Kagawa and Wilfried Zaha were discarded quickly, and even home-grown products such as Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley were deemed surplus to requirements. But by replacing the departures with players either proven at the highest level - Di Maria, Radamel Falcao and Daley Blind – or with the potential to do so - Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and Ander Herrera - Van Gaal oversaw an upsurge of quality and an eradication of mediocrity. The one sale that could come back to haunt Van Gaal is Welbeck, who has begun promisingly at Arsenal. With Robin van Persie ageing, Falcao struggling for fitness and Wayne Rooney effectively re-classified as an attacking midfielder, the jury is out on the United attack. Van Gaal may also regret not being able to source a blue-chip centre-back, even if players of that type are thin on the ground across the globe. SELECTION AND TACTICS Within days of inheriting the United squad from David Moyes, Van Gaal addressed his players and told them they would be working on a new 3-5-2 system due to the manager’s concerns he had too many No.10s and a lack of ball-winners in midfield. Positive results on the pre-season tour of the US suggested that Van Gaal had already displayed his renowned tactical superiority, but 3-5-2 proved to be a disaster once the season began and the system was swiftly abandoned. Injuries have clearly compromised Van Gaal’s revolution, with every member of his defensive pool being sidelined for one reason or another and the manager has been forced to chop and change every game. Uncertainty continues to afflict United at the back, even though they have now reverted to a flat back-four. With Rojo and Jonny Evans out long-term, and Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Rafael unable to string more than a few consecutive matches together, Van Gaal has dipped into the youth ranks and handed senior debuts to several of United’s young prospects, with defenders Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair among those given extended opportunities to prove their worth. Further up the field, Van Gaal has been able to be more consistent in his selection. Van Persie, Di Maria and Rooney, in a more withdrawn role, look to be fixtures in his new-look team team, while Blind has slotted in well as the midfield anchor. One player who may need to keep his agent on speed dial in January is Juan Mata. The Spaniard has shined only fleetingly at Old Trafford and, despite his weekend winner against Crystal Palace, does not appear to have the unqualified support of Van Gaal. PERSONALITY With his unshakeable self-belief and outstanding track record, Van Gaal is able to absorb bad results in a way that Moyes never could. Crucially, the Dutchman does not care what the media say or write. He has seen and heard it all before. The only thing that bothers him is winning. Van Gaal arrived at Old Trafford with instant credibility after guiding a fairly average Netherlands side to the World Cup semi-finals, and, coupled with his dominant personality, there is almost an invisible shield protecting United from the doubters. The Dutchman has made gaffes, such as admitting the MK Dons defeat was not a shock, but he speaks with total authority and does not look for traps that are not there. Van Gaal being Van Gaal, he was also confident enough to complain about the demands of Uniteds commercial activities in his first press conference and has made no attempt to hide his distaste for the clubs plans for lucrative midweek friendlies overseas in the new year. It is hard to imagine Moyes being that bold. TRAINING METHODS Training ground sleeping pods, double sessions and practising under floodlights paints the picture of a regime with a strict work ethic. But Uniteds inability to get anything close to their best team out on the pitch mean the new methods have been an unmitigated disaster so far. The injuries began in pre-season when Luke Shaw was sidelined after overtraining in the US, and they have continued thick and fast ever since. Van Gaal has attempted to rectify the problem by demoting former first-team fitness coach Tony Strudwick and overhauling the backroom team responsible for keeping the players fine-tuned and injury-free. But questions still need to be asked of a set-up which is producing such a continuous stream of injuries. Compare it with, say, Chelsea, who play twice a week, are in the Champions League and have barely a strain or sprain among their entire first-team squad. VERDICT The jury is still out on the Van Gaal revolution. The new manager has made a surprising number of mistakes for someone with such an outstanding record. In terms of progress, United are making only baby steps and an advance forward is often followed by one backwards. Yet the sense is that Britains mightiest club are in safe hands. United will not win the League this season, as the Glazer family might have hoped after appointing Van Gaal and sanctioning a record recruitment drive in the summer. But a place in the top three and a return to the Champions League is an eminently achievable target, and one Van Gaal looks capable of. The title will have to wait until next season.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 08:37:25 +0000
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