No reason to be pleased with himsef? Louis van Gaal’s still giving United the thumbs up…
Speaking ahead of Manchester United’s defeat to Swansea City yesterday, Louis van Gaal claimed that his side were the best in the Premier League. The deluded Dutchman was quickly proved wrong by the Swans, who completed their first ever double over the Red Devils.
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Earlier this week, we described Van Gaal as deluded and arrogant, explaining that he was doomed to failure if he did not change his ways – read the piece in full HERE – and while we admitted that the former Netherlands boss has inspired some improvements at Old Trafford, we reasoned that he’s still a long way away from creating a dominant side similar to that seen under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Below, we count down five reasons why United won’t succeed under their current boss:
5) Van Gaal doesn’t know his best team or his best formation
Van Gaal said earlier this week that his team have finally adapted to his methods, but he looks no closer to deciding on his preferred formation and his preferred team. He continues to rotate his wealth of attacking players without great success, while Wayne Rooney – the player he’s described as his star striker – has predominately played in midfield so far this year.
4) Too many big players are under-performing
Radamel Falcao simply hasn’t adapted to life in English football, while a number of their other big-money summer signings have been disappointing. Angel di Maria hasn’t looked the same player since a spell on the sidelines through injury, while United fans are still waiting to see some consistency from the likes of Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw… money well spent?
3) He’s failed to address his side’s major issues, particularly at the back
Van Gaal’s stubbornness extended to his unwillingness to strengthen at the back, despite some obvious problems. While United brought in both Shaw and Marcos Rojo in the summer transfer window, they still failed to replace the departed duo of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Having spent over £150m, money clearly wasn’t an issue, but the Dutchman remain focused on his attack.
2) His moodiness with the press is an unnecessary distraction
The Dutchman has remained irritable and unpleasant throughout his time at United. Not many Premier League managers enjoy dealing with the press, but Van Gaal appears to have taken it to an all new level. He’s jumped on anything and everything that’s gone against his side, but the reality is that there isn’t always someone else to blame.
1) They don’t know how to break down the smaller teams
MK Dons thrashed United 4-0 in the League Cup earlier this season. Since then, United have struggled to breakdown Yeovil Town, Cambridge United and Preston North End in the FA Cup, despite fielding a strong team in all those fixtures. Swansea City have beaten them home and away in the league – two of five defeats they’ve suffered so far this season, while only a series of late goals have prevented further damage.