CaughtOffside’s preview of Manchester United’s season.
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Last Season
Last season was largely an unmitigated disaster for United, whose decision to replace Sir Alex Ferguson with David Moyes proved to be spectacularly the wrong one, as an ordinary squad began to flounder under the leadership of an ordinary manager. The bungled signing of Marouane Fellaini did nothing to paper over the huge cracks in United’s squad and, by the time Moyes left the club towards the end of the season, there appear to be no way for the two parties’ uncomfortable marriage to end that was going to be anything other than messy.
Louis van Gaal walks into a club without continental football for the first time in two generations, which could be a blessing in disguise for a man with a big rebuilding job on his hands. Whilst Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney should score goals, whilst Moyes has left him a huge present in Juan Mata, neither United’s defence or midfield were anything like good enough during a dismal campaign that saw a new low reached seemingly every other week.
Transfer Business
United’s summer in the transfer market has been surprisingly quiet, at least following the early double burst of Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw. Herrera is a fine signing, a dynamic box-to-box midfielder, but the Spaniard is not capable of solving the significant issues in United’s midfield on his own. Shaw is a fine signing for the future, but is not yet a top Premier League full-back, and won’t have a hugely significant effect on the United first team.
The decision to allow Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra to leave is the right one and allows van Gaal to usher in a new Old Trafford era, but he must be given additional funds if he is going to be able to do so. The pursuit of Arturo Vidal also misses the obvious issues that exist within the United squad – central defence and defensive midfield.
Season Expectations
Van Gaal will be expected to lead United back to the top four position that they have called their own for so long, but the Dutchman is likely to understand that it is an achievement that is easier to say than it is to do. The big change at the club this summer has been the manager himself and, as experienced and talented as he undoubtedly is, van Gaal alone is not enough to solve all of the problems of last season. Most realistic United fans will accept that a title challenge will be beyond them – although the lack of continental football will really put the pressure on for United to really concentrate on achieving domestically.
Possible First Choice XI
Verdict
Van Gaal is an intelligent and experienced manager, but he will not be able to haul United back to the position they have occupied in recent years unless he is backed further in the transfer market this summer. His proposed move to a 3-4-1-2 system is an interesting one, but puts even more pressure on United to bring in new signings, with a right wing-back and central defenders a prerequisite if van Gaal is planning to persist with that system. As it stands, United are probably one central defender, one right-sided player and one midfielder away from sustaining a challenge just for the top four – the next few weeks will define their season.