Will he win silverware in his first season in charge?
JC – No. If he does, it’ll only be the League Cup or the FA Cup – the latter of which is no longer the special achievement many Arsenal fans have pretended it to be this week. There’s no way LVG can get a new group of players to immediately gel, and finish above both Manchester City and Chelsea. Third is realistic and achievable. Fifth will get him sacked.
SG – Quite possibly, though there is a chance that his training methods may disgruntle the squad, leaving him just as derided as David Moyes.
RM – Could be tricky, but if anyone can, van Gaal can.
TS – The only way van Gaal will be measured is how much he increases the United trophy cabinet and with no Champions League football to clog up time I can definitely see him at least winning one of the domestic cups.
Was he right to axe Rio Ferdinand?
JC – Depends entirely on who United manage to bring in to replace him. If they snare Mats Hummels, it looks a good decision.
SG – Though Ferdinand is way past his best, with Chris Smalling and Phil Jones as his only replacements at the moment then a one year deal wouldn’t have been the worst idea in the world. However, if LVG can bring in a top quality replacement then he won’t be missed.
RM – Most definitely, the former England centre back is now too old and injury prone for the Dutchman to build his defence around.
TS – Ferdinand had to go. He was often a liability at the back and with the chance for a clear out the new boss was right to look to the future – but needs to replace the Englishman with someone world-class, like Mats Hummels.