Has Louis van Gaal’s expensive squad remodel actually changed anything for United?
Following on from a sub-par season under David Moyes, United and new boss Louis van Gaal spent over £150 million in the summer on six new first team stars.
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With that kind of investment, you’d expect to see some kind of improvement in the side, after all; the aim of this gigantic investment was to ensure a top four finish and Champions League qualification for the Red Devils at the end of this season.
Van Gaal has enjoyed almost a free ride despite such a massive use of United’s credit cards but has his dealings actually improved the side?
CaughtOffside compare key stats from van Gaal’s current reign and Moyes’ at a similar period to determine whether the new Dutch boss actually has changed anything at the club.
Points Total:
Van Gaal: 21 games – 37 points
Moyes: 21 games – 37 points
Yes, both managers have the same points total at the same stage of the season and the total itself isn’t that impressive with Sir Alex Ferguson achieving 52 points during his last season as boss.
In fact the only thing that separates the two manages in this case is their goal difference with van Gaal enjoying a +13 rating whilst Moyes had +11.
Goals Scored:
Van Gaal: 34 goals (1.62 per game)
Moyes: 35 goals (1.67 per game)
Yes, despite adding the likes of Columbian superstar Radamel Falcao, Real Madrid’s Angel Di Maria and midfield maestro Ander Herrera, David Moyes’s Manchester United managed more goals than van Gaal’s at the same period of the season.
In fact, none of van Gaal’s new boys have managed to surpass any of the United old guard or even Moyes’ key signing Juan Mata.
Both di Maria and Falcao have just three strikes each whilst van Persie and Rooney are both on eight and Mata has hit the net five times.
With Falcao’s wages being estimated at an eye watering £40,000 per day, since his loan move from Monaco in the summer; United have given the South American approximately £1.77m per goal scored.
Goals Conceded:
Van Gaal: 21 goals (1 per game)
Moyes: 24 goals (1.14 per game)
Despite defending that can at times be as hilarious as Peter Kay’s stand-up, van Gaal actually has improved the side in that department, though this can hardly be put down to new boy Rojo who has been missing a number of times this season.
Indeed United’s 3-5-2 is surely not the answer either with the Manchester club’s key personnel seemingly unable to perform the roles needed.
The answer most likely is down to the form of one David de Gea and if the Spaniard hadn’t been in such incredible form this season these stats could look a lot different.
From memory, his heroics against Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton alone managed to save United the three points and this is reflected in his save percentage with only Aston Villa’s Brad Guzan having a better score than de Gea’s 68.5% inside the penalty area.
Shots:
Van Gaal: 199 shots (46.2% on target)
Moyes: 218 shots (47.2% on target)
United’s recent 1-0 loss to Southampton was the first time since May 2009 they had failed to register a shot on target.
Throughout van Gaal’s reign they’ve been incredibly potent like against Southampton at St Mary’s in December; having just three shots and scoring from two of them. And this was mirrored against Newcastle, where the had three on target and won 3-1.
Clinical they may be, but is it also slightly lucky they find themselves so far up the table.
Possession:
Van Gaal: 59 %
Moyes: 54.5%
United currently have the second best possession rate in the league whilst Moyes’ side could only get as high as ninth.
League Position:
Van Gaal: 4th
Moyes: 7th
But perhaps the most crucial statistic of all is league position, and van Gaal certainly has the bragging rights here.
Whereas Moyes side were currently 7th and five points off the Champions League places, whilst Arsenal were leading the league 11 points clear of the Red Devils, van Gaal’s side are already in the Champions League qualification spots but are 12th off leaders Chelsea.
Whether this is down to van Gaal and not merely United’s rivals and the Premier League as a whole dropping dramatically in consistency is certainly up for question.
If the League had been as wildly inconsistent under Moyes and had allowed him to be in fourth place would he still have been United manager today?
Van Gaal is currently under no pressure it seems, but the Dutch coach cannot trade off reputation alone and his side will have to start showing some improvement after such a serious investment, especially given the rumours the United hierarchy are planning another major splurge in the transfer market this summer.
The most important question that the Glazers will have to ask themselves when looking at their transfer bill will have to be; is progress actually being made?
(All stats and transfer totals taken from Daily Mail.)