Opposition fans view - Louis van Gaal

[Robbie Boy]

But we've been shit (objectively speaking) for years now so we're used to it. It's hilarious seeing United fans, who became so used to winning under Fergie, throwing their toys out of the pram coz you're not winning the league every year. And tbh you're miles off winning it. And say what you want about Wenger but we've never been as shit as you guys have in the past few years.

Well the Arsenal fans have thrown a fair few wobblers this season, to be fair. I can fully accept our shitness to be honest. As long as this clown is in charge, we will continue to be, well shit.

 

[diarm]

Of course it's good fun when your rivals are not playing well but you're still ahead of us in the league even with a donkey like LvG in charge... I wouldn't be that bothered if he got the sack, you're bound to become better somewhere in the near future anyway so... I just hope it's not Mourinho who takes over because I hate him already and being the new United manager certainly won't help, especially if he brings you back into the title conversation.

I'll laugh if someone like Giggs or Solskjaer will take over though, but I doubt that'll happen. Another year with LvG would be fine for me either, although I've never seen the Caf not moaning about almost everything football related so it might make for a nice change if he does get fired.

Believe me, it's much better seeing your rival get a manager who you already hate, than watching them get Jurgen Klopp and you have to start pretending you don't like him!

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

Just to echo a few sentiments from the oppo fans, i was never looking forward to his appointment in the first place, but it was that odd situation where nobody else better was available iirc. The telling point was, as mentioned, When he was the main contender for the spurs job, the vast vast vast majority, myself included thought that was probably his level, and an interesting appointment coming off a somewhat successful summer with holland. Never in a million years was he ahead of klopp for example in the pecking order. was just a very "meh" appointment overall, and that would probably define his reign. "Meh"

 

[Klopper76]

When he was announced as the United manager I was concerned about Van Gaal's appointment. He has a pretty good CV and was clearly one of the best available options at the time. Then I watched the 2014 World Cup and was sure he'd do well with signings like Shaw and Herrera already coming in and probably more to follow. Then you signed Di Maria and Falcao with no European football to offer and it felt like United were going to be back at the top in no time.

I remember watching you destroy QPR (yes I know, it was only QPR) 4-0 whilst playing some pretty good football in the process. You looked pretty good at that point but then that game against Leicester happened (5-3, Clattenburg etc). That felt like a pretty big turning point for Van Gaal, like the collapse made him feel like he needed to be far more cautious if he wanted to get anywhere in England. You had a decent run beating Spurs, City and ourselves but if I remember correctly you didn't end the season particularly well (still in the top four though). At that stage I still felt like you'd challenge for the league this season. You went out and made some smart signings (on paper) like Depay, Schneiderlin and Darmien. I thought you might struggle in the striking department with only Rooney and the relatively unknown Martial as striking options, but the rest of the squad looked good.

If you look back at the early months of the season you did fairly well in terms of results, picking up points without really playing well. It felt like it was a matter of time before it all clicked and you started beating teams with some style but it seemed to go the other way. Ever since December though I've thought that Van Gaal would never get it right. He's never really known what style of play suits the players at his disposal, or what players suit the way he wants the team to play. He's been fortunate to have a keeper as good as De Gea and it feels like he stumbles upon something that works now and then, instead of it coming about due to his tactical knowledge. He deserves credit for bringing in the likes of Rashford, Fosu-Mensah, Borthwick-Jackson and a few others but it felt like a lot of those players only played out of necessity due to injuries (which has also been an issue under Van Gaal). The football's been dire for a while and I've been hoping since January that you'd stick with him as I don't think that you'll ever progress under his management.

He's still a good manager in some regards, his big game management has been mostly impressive for example. I think his ''philosophy'' is outdated though and United needed someone with a more modern view of the game to see them through this uneasy period following Sir Alex Ferguson. I think fans would have shown more patience with a manager following David Moyes if there was a clear idea of where the team was going in terms of style of play. The football under Van Gaal has been so negative that it's ruined what used to be the most exciting part of the week for a lot of United fans. Results are important but it's easier to forgive a side suffering a few negative results if you can see a favourable direction that the side is going in. That hasn't happened for LVG though and it's alienated a large percentage of the fan base.

As much as I would love to see Van Gaal stick around for another year, I think you'll be rid of him in a couple of weeks with Mourinho coming in to replace him.

 

[Donaldo]

Good post.