Van Gaal’s Ego Could Be United’s Downfall
Watching United today was frustrating, boring and quite honestly making me doubt LVG’s “philosophy.” Whatever he keeps in that clipboard, it’s not tactics.
Today was arguably less exciting than watching paint dry, at least until he stopped trying to use Di Maria as a striker, playing with his back to goal, and ditched his infamous back 3.
The first half was as bad as I have seen United play since Ferguson, so that’s really saying something – boring is an understatement. Sideways, backwards, no movement and players giving the ball away left, right and centre. If he thinks Evans can help us gain a top 4, he is drinking too much Dutch advocaat.
Jones, Evans and Smalling are NOT good enough – the whole world can see it, so how come he can’t?
We cannot play a back 3, yet Van Gaal persists.
Di Maria cannot play with his back to goal as a striker, but Van Gaal keeps asking him to.
We look better with a flat back 4, diamond midfield and 2 strikers – that seems to be obvious to everyone except the manager.
We have to be seriously worried watching this. De Gea was voted man of the match – what does that tell you? In my opinion, we are not looking any better than we did last year, even though we have spent £150 million, and only because Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton are all worse are we in contention for a top 4 finish. But quite honestly, if LVG continues with his ridiculous systems and playing his players out of position, I cannot see us getting that top 4 spot.
I wouldn’t give him any money for transfers during this window; despite our lack of quality in defence, he has the players to get us top 4, so it’s up to him to show he can manage in the Premier League before the Glazers should chuck any more money at him.
We had an exciting spell early on in the season, but ever since it’s been slow and dull to watch – we consistently have around 60% posession, but lack tempo, movement and penetration. That’s with some great players in our team, so to me that has to be down to the manager and his lousy tactics.
I want stability at our club, but I also want to be entertained, and I’m not convinced that’s the kind of football LVG is able to deliver. Football is a brutal business, and I wouldn’t hesitate to bring Diego Simeone in this summer – he has more than proven what a great coach he is, has the passion, and is the right age to take us where we want to go for the next 10 years.
LVG may have been considered a safe pair of hands after the Moyes mess, but on the evidence so far, he’s not the man to bring exciting football and trophies back to the Theatre of Dreams.