Louis Van Gaal | 2015-16 Performance Thread

[marlowe78]

I have been a believer in van Gaal but there is always the feeling cropping up that he'll manage himself out of trophies he's done all of the ground work to win. I think for the most part we've had an excellent transfer window and we seem to have the tools needed to make at least a run at the title and some of the cup competitions but LVG doesn't seem to be moving things in a logical progression from what we got right last season.

The latest thing is playing Blind and Jones as CBs, which has been discussed heavily in its own thread. Many have complained about LVG's insistence on playing 'right-footed' CBs and it's somehow led to this possible pairing for next week against Spurs. Smalling IMO clearly established himself as our best CB last season and was even captain in place of Rooney. Why on earth is this pairing even being considered?

There were also things we expected LVG to try during the tour that we never really saw. If I paid enough attention, Memphis played all of his minutes during the tour as a central forward, not as a winger. He is the logical player to use on the wing for injecting energy into our attack and he hasn't played there at all to get familiarity with the other players. Instead Young is still playing on the left and Mata, who is far too slow, has been on the right. It's also logical that Carrick and Schweinsteiger should not be together, as they are too similar and would just congest our play in the midfield. Yet both have been used and Herrera sits.

Now, it's possible that we will line up in a completely different way come next week and everyone is in their logical place. But if the track record holds, LVG does this crazy tinkering, such as the 3-5-2 and using DiMaria as a striker. This kind of experimentation can cost us points and every one this season is going to decide his job.

 

[Insanity]

I have been a believer in van Gaal but there is always the feeling cropping up that he'll manage himself out of trophies he's done all of the ground work to win. I think for the most part we've had an excellent transfer window and we seem to have the tools needed to make at least a run at the title and some of the cup competitions but LVG doesn't seem to be moving things in a logical progression from what we got right last season.

The latest thing is playing Blind and Jones as CBs, which has been discussed heavily in its own thread. Many have complained about LVG's insistence on playing 'right-footed' CBs and it's somehow led to this possible pairing for next week against Spurs. Smalling IMO clearly established himself as our best CB last season and was even captain in place of Rooney. Why on earth is this pairing even being considered?

There were also things we expected LVG to try during the tour that we never really saw. If I paid enough attention, Memphis played all of his minutes during the tour as a central forward, not as a winger. He is the logical player to use on the wing for injecting energy into our attack and he hasn't played there at all to get familiarity with the other players. Instead Young is still playing on the left and Mata, who is far too slow, has been on the right. It's also logical that Carrick and Schweinsteiger should not be together, as they are too similar and would just congest our play in the midfield. Yet both have been used and Herrera sits.

Now, it's possible that we will line up in a completely different way come next week and everyone is in their logical place. But if the track record holds, LVG does this crazy tinkering, such as the 3-5-2 and using DiMaria as a striker. This kind of experimentation can cost us points and every one this season is going to decide his job.

That is a good assessment.

Another thing I would like to add is that from what I noticed in the preseason, the two CM's, whoever the choice, are sitting too deep, which leaves a massive gap between the midfield and the front two. What we need to do is allow one of the midfielders to be the ball carrier and not always choose to ping the ball sideways or centrally towards the strikers. This is also making Rooney look worse than he is as his hold-up isn't as good as some of the top strikers like Zlatan or Van Persie.

 

[Someone]

My take on it is that he realised his team was in dire need of some star-dust and Di Maria was available, rated as one of the most exciting and talented footballers around and offered to him on a plate. He arguably fecked up by failing with his due diligence but you can see why he cut corners, given the scale of the overhaul needed and the lack of time to do it.

I also think we're paying the price of hiring a manager who is used to having a DoF oversee all of the transfers. That's the elephant in the room here. Was Van Gaal even the right candidate for the type of manager we need?

Van gaal is a control freak and i think he relished being in charge of a football club that allows managers so much control, and i think the powers that be thought giving him that control would help him succeed since he always used to clash with football people at other clubs.

In a way i believe that's the right thing to do, and i hope we keep doing this with future managers, however, i believe that van gaal is an insane person and i'm beginning to understand now the importance of having giggs in the dressing room.

 

[LeftyBlaster]

Van gaal is a control freak and i think he relished being in charge of a football club that allows managers so much control, and i think the powers that be thought giving him that control would help him succeed since he always used to clash with football people at other clubs.

In a way i believe that's the right thing to do, and i hope we keep doing this with future managers, however, i believe that van gaal is an insane person and i'm beginning to understand now the importance of having giggs in the dressing room.

But we don't know how much influence Giggs really has, or how much of a foil he has been/is for LVG. We're making some really painfully obvious mistakes, or at the very least, unorthodox choices with balance and selection.

 

[Mali_Zeus]

He is a lunatic.

Club should seriously concider a replacement already.

 

[imperi]

He is a lunatic.

Club should seriously concider a replacement already.

If a manager plays someone out of position in a friendly he needs to get sacked. I completely agree

 

[Mali_Zeus]

If a manager plays someone out of position in a friendly he needs to get sacked. I completely agree

Me too. Preseason and he goes all crazy with positions, minutes, not to mention bollocks he spouts. He should be sacked ASAP. Maybe we should give him a month or 2 but that's about it. I can see our season already and we'll do good if we get 4th somehow but I doubt it.

 

[Listar]

If a manager plays someone out of position in a friendly he needs to get sacked. I completely agree

Bashley sack manager David Stride for 'poor pre-season'
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33674078

 

[LeftyBlaster]

If a manager plays someone out of position in a friendly he needs to get sacked. I completely agree

If it was just a friendly and nothing more, I wouldn't care. But he's shown a penchant for using players out of their natural positions. More importantly, didn't he indicate that the team he fielded was going to be largely the one to start the season?

 

[Mali_Zeus]

Bashley sack manager David Stride for 'poor pre-season'
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33674078

That's how you do it!

 

[imperi]

If it was just a friendly and nothing more, I wouldn't care. But he's shown a penchant for using players out of their natural positions. More importantly, didn't he indicate that the team he fielded was going to be largely the one to start the season?

I understand how people are worrying about Louis his line ups, however it is still preseason. Last year we rocked our socks off and had a horrid first 10 PL matches. Preseason says little about the season itself. If vs spurs it is the same misery, then we can worry. I just refuse to drag myself into all this negativsm, yet

 

[Kaos]

He says the right things but then makes some bizarre tactical decisions, almost as if he were trying to elicit some form of surreal, quasi-artistic expression.

I think he fancies himself as the managerial David Lynch, even modelling himself on his look.

 

[United again!]

My take on it is that he realised his team was in dire need of some star-dust and Di Maria was available, rated as one of the most exciting and talented footballers around and offered to him on a plate. He arguably fecked up by failing with his due diligence but you can see why he cut corners, given the scale of the overhaul needed and the lack of time to do it.

The star dust theory is a decent shout. It is not to dissimilar to us as football fans on a forum knowing different players and saying certain things like Lacazette is a talent, get him in he'll be better than Rooney when in reality who knows how he will do and what kind of player he will be when he is at the club. Just guesswork on our part. The Di Maria situation obviously more complicated.

I saw the Di Maria transfer as a shallow scouting, in between the lines of communication between Van Gaal and Woodward they came to agree that he was a class player and a high level talent and that getting him in without doing the homework was a risk that they decided to take (for whatever reason). Having landed at the club and in his first spell you could see the type of player Di Maria was. Risk taking, loved to go at players and go forward. I distinctly remember in that Burnley game something being rather odd about how he grabbed the ball and just took off up the field with it. There were almost puzzled looks on his team mates faces as though shit the boss is going to absolutely flip his lid, he cant just run off with the ball like this! Everybody was kinda standing around watching him do it. It was kind of surreal actually.

When he returned after injury you could see the shift in his game, less emphasis on doing what he wanted and more on trying to play the way VG wanted him to. The downward spiral etc etc the rest is history.. I digress.

To me the whole Di Maria situation smacked of a short sighted business decision on a player who they hoped would adapt but very clearly didn't and it ended badly.

 

[m1y2]

His overall play wasn't the best but di maria got the highest assists and chances created for us last year.

Him going doesn't make us better.

not sure about chances created but having most assists and still being inferior to Young speak for itself. Young was much more useful to the team than diMaria - a lot of hardwork, some assists and goals too but numbers don't always mean everything. DiMaría was freaking terrible in some game, even more frustrating than Nani unable to make 5 yard pass and lost possession in dangerous areas (counter attacks etc) Nobody wants to start a player who likes to play hollywood balls all game and lose possession that often and surely Van Gaal is the one who rates possession a lot now so he's next to useless for us from the flank and should be sold, he was never consistent there and there is no room for him in midfield apparently. Pedro would be much better there..

 

[togg]

even if you do all the research there is going, but regardless of that, a player just doesn't work out.

 

[LeftyBlaster]

I understand how people are worrying about Louis his line ups, however it is still preseason. Last year we rocked our socks off and had a horrid first 10 PL matches. Preseason says little about the season itself. If vs spurs it is the same misery, then we can worry. I just refuse to drag myself into all this negativsm, yet

Fair enough, and I agree that when we actually start the season we might do it properly in a higher gear. But his insistence on Blind in defence when we have Smalling and Jones is just bizarre.

 

[Amar__]

Surprise, surprise, he changes his mind again. This time about which CB he preffers.

He was preparing the whole pre season for playing Jones and Blind, apparently because Jones is better CB in his system, and now he decides again that Smalling is better and starts him after he played very little football recently(not that I disagree with this though).

Will now people at least stop saying that he has his rules because he clearly breaks them all the time?

 

[DevilRed]

I just find it confusing that we are trying to play 4-4-2 the season after we get rid of all our strikers.

Why not go with a 4-3-3 and I think eventually we will need to drop Young to accommodate Herrera/Schweinsteiger.

 

[gooDevil]

Typical for his time here, choosing control over flare. With so many new players there's something to be said for practicality.

 

[gooDevil]

I just find it confusing that we are trying to play 4-4-2 the season after we get rid of all our strikers.

Why not go with a 4-3-3 and I think eventually we will need to drop Young to accommodate Herrera/Schweinsteiger.

That is what I'm hoping for as well!

 

[matt23]

Still suspicious about his subs, they never seem particularly designed to close a game out, but to play people for the sake of it.

 

[redindian1987]

I just find it confusing that we are trying to play 4-4-2 the season after we get rid of all our strikers.

Why not go with a 4-3-3 and I think eventually we will need to drop Young to accommodate Herrera/Schweinsteiger.

He's said that he's playing 4-3-3.....

 

[Hed Zitin]

Today is about the results, as it will be over the next three to four games. After that we should be playing more entertaining football with the players we have and creating far more than lasts seasons boring football.

 

[DevilRed]

He didn't look happy throughout the entire match. Didn't even celebrate the goal. Nor the victory.

Im sure this wasn't the type of performance he was looking for.

 

[united_99]

I like that we "control" the game, but for God sake a team and club like ours with the players available should surely create more against an average team like Spurs.

 

[Full Member]

- "Louis, have Real made a sensible bid"

- "This is not the place to talk about it. And it's also none of your business"

Excellent.

 

[Loon]

Des Kelly is a dick. Glad Van Gaal bossed him.

 

[DevilRed]

Today is about the results, as it will be over the next three to four games. After that we should be playing more entertaining football with the players we have and creating far more than lasts seasons boring football.

Not convinced with that at all. If we continue this playing style it will be more of the same.

First day of the season at home and we should be running roughshod on the opposition. We looked a bit tentative but lets chalk it down to new team/new players.

I just hope we sign another pacy winger (or play Janujaz) and actually try to attack with some purpose rather than just keep the football.

 

[#07]

The switch from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1 has had no obvious benefits (and yes I know he calls it 4-3-3 with the point forward). We have six defensive players, the two holding midfielders do pretty much nothing besides screen, and four attacking players. There is no link up between them. Midfield is pretty much a graveyard for us. All of our attacks (the few there are anyway) come down the flanks, and we surrender ground in front of our box with a huge gap opening between #10 and the rest of the midfield. Its a recipe for disaster. Van Gaal has learned nothing from the second half of our defeat against Arsenal in the F.A. Cup last season. If we play this way against sides that overload midfield e.g. City and Arsenal, we will get hammered. No idea why he's tinkered with our shape after the way 4-3-3 delivered for us in the run in.

 

[NinjaZombie]

Surprise, surprise, he changes his mind again. This time about which CB he preffers.

He was preparing the whole pre season for playing Jones and Blind, apparently because Jones is better CB in his system, and now he decides again that Smalling is better and starts him after he played very little football recently(not that I disagree with this though).

Will now people at least stop saying that he has his rules because he clearly breaks them all the time?

The whole centre back situation is annoying. He complained of injuries disrupting his centre back selection last season. This game, he had all his cbs to choose from, and he plays Blind.

 

[Full Member]

Des Kelly is a dick. Glad Van Gaal bossed him.

LVG is just too cool for school. He's so abrasive with the media but it just reminds me of the Fergie days

 

[SoCross]

4-3-3! 4-3-3!

Just play this instead of messing around without a number 10 and we'll be fine. Herrera, Schneiderlin and one of Carrick/Bastian.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Happy Birthday you sexy Dutch bastard, hope you enjoy your Wing's tonight.

 

[Empire]

Surprise, surprise, he changes his mind again. This time about which CB he preffers.

He was preparing the whole pre season for playing Jones and Blind, apparently because Jones is better CB in his system, and now he decides again that Smalling is better and starts him after he played very little football recently(not that I disagree with this though).

Will now people at least stop saying that he has his rules because he clearly breaks them all the time?

I'm pretty sure it's one of his rules not to play injured players.

He didn't look happy throughout the entire match. Didn't even celebrate the goal. Nor the victory.

Im sure this wasn't the type of performance he was looking for.

It wasn't, he said in the post match interview his family came to watch, his children and grandchildren too because it was his birthday and if he lost he wouldn't be able to have a laugh and joke later at wings. With the way we were playing the lucky goal could have gone to either team, he said as much in the press conference, he is happy now we won though but we obviously need to improve.

 

[Jed I. Knight]

Surprise, surprise, he changes his mind again. This time about which CB he preffers.

He was preparing the whole pre season for playing Jones and Blind, apparently because Jones is better CB in his system, and now he decides again that Smalling is better and starts him after he played very little football recently(not that I disagree with this though).

Will now people at least stop saying that he has his rules because he clearly breaks them all the time?

If it hasn been pointed out already, Jones is injured. He'll be out for around three weeks.

 

[entropy]

- "Louis, have Real made a sensible bid"

- "This is not the place to talk about it. And it's also none of your business"

Excellent.

Anyone got a video link? His expression

 

[Hamadovich86]

Formation and starting XI is wrong especially considering the group of players we have at the moment.

 

[Señor]

As I've said before, I'm not convinced by him yet. That month last year where we were playing godly football is the only thing I'm clinging on to in hope of it all working out. Apart from that, he's either par or under having had the full support of the United board.

A 'worse' manager would be able to produce better results than Van Gaal simply because they would actually pick our best XI and play our best players in their best positions. E.g. there would be no Blind at centre back, Herrera would be in the starting XI, Depay would be on the wing instead of up front.

 

[marlowe78]

Jones, it turns out, has a thrombosis and will be out for at least 3 weeks. Call me cynical, but did Smalling play only because Jones couldn't and LVG was left with no choice?

 

[Garethw]

Jones, it turns out, has a thrombosis and will be out for at least 3 weeks. Call me cynical, but did Smalling play only because Jones couldn't and LVG was left with no choice?

I think so. Blind playing CB over Jones or Smalling is utterly ridiculous.