I see LvG as a Ranieri type influence. Someone who can build a a title winning squad but won't be able to take it all the way. It's not that I think van Gaal's a bad manager. It's just that Mourinho is better.
[Poll] Will MUFC win the Premier League under Van Gaal?
- Thread starter Pogue Mahone
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
This is so key.
If we lose those two and fail to replace them we've arguably gone backwards this summer, Keeping de gea is massive.
No, not if we sign mediocre players like Pedro.
Let's wait and see what the team looks like at the end of the transfer window, still think we've got a high profile player lined up.
Let's wait and see what the team looks like at the end of the transfer window, still think we've got a high profile player lined up.
Shall I add a poll @Pogue Mahone? Gimme some answer options if so.
This is true in some ways for this LVG, he was a winner in his prime though.
Being simplistic - say we're on a level playing field with Chelsea, City and Arsenal at the moment, giving us a 1 in 4 chance of winning the league. It's not going to be easy but we have a decent chance over the next 2 seasons, but for this coming season I'm simply too concerned about the ridiculous turnover of playing personnel and the quality of our attacking options.
Our attack has a lot of question marks over it, mainly that we've really only got 1 first team striker as things stand, our wingers in Depay and (probably) Pedro are going to be in their first season in the league, it seems very unlikely they're going to deliver on a consistent basis the way a top attacking talent does for our rival's (e.g. Hazard, Sanchez). Our other options are either not really wingers (Mata) or so far short of top quality that it's going to be quite evident (Young).
Have to agree.
Our attack has a lot of question marks over it, mainly that we've really only got 1 first team striker as things stand, our wingers in Depay and (probably) Pedro are going to be in their first season in the league, it seems very unlikely they're going to deliver on a consistent basis the way a top attacking talent does for our rival's (e.g. Hazard, Sanchez). Our other options are either not really wingers (Mata) or so far short of top quality that it's going to be quite evident (Young).
We need a world class goalkeeper, attacker and defender for that to happen.
Rooney for me is not the guy we should be building the attack around. If Jones and Smalling are our main CBs, we will win nothing as one of them will be injured by September.
Rooney for me is not the guy we should be building the attack around. If Jones and Smalling are our main CBs, we will win nothing as one of them will be injured by September.
Perhaps something like:
- Yes, this season
- Yes, next season
- Undecided
- No, but he'll leave behind a team that can win it
- No, United need a better manager
e)boue.
Yes but not this season
The club have given LvG everything he's wanted and that is rare at top clubs these days, so he has no excuse there, but I can't help feeling at some point something will happen and he'll just snap, every interview feels like a hairtrigger situation.
Team-wise we are still waiting to see how the team looks at the end of the transfer window, we need a CB but if we get the one he wants then we could have a big keeper problem, I'm also not confident we have the striker required to win the league. I also worry that LvG wants the system he lays out to get credit for winning games as opposed to payer brilliance, that restrictive mindset is problematic against resolute bus parkers.
I've gotta go with no, I think we'll be improved this season and could win a domestic cup, but I think he's setting the table for who comes next when it comes to the two big prizes.
Team-wise we are still waiting to see how the team looks at the end of the transfer window, we need a CB but if we get the one he wants then we could have a big keeper problem, I'm also not confident we have the striker required to win the league. I also worry that LvG wants the system he lays out to get credit for winning games as opposed to payer brilliance, that restrictive mindset is problematic against resolute bus parkers.
I've gotta go with no, I think we'll be improved this season and could win a domestic cup, but I think he's setting the table for who comes next when it comes to the two big prizes.
We have won league titles without those so called top attacking players, arsenal still cannot win a league even with a sanchez. The key thing is? we have a strong spine to build our attacking players around. It is still July mind and we have wrapped up the bulk of our signings, and a CB is going to be signed so all in good time. And the turnover of players, is anyone saying the one's we have moved on, would have made united any better if they stayed? we have signed players in problem area's, the CM 2 signed, the RB area has been strengthened, more quality in the attacking third in depay, so VG has signed the players to fill in the holes in the squad we all said need sorting out. So I say VG has been smart identifying problem area's, its not so much who we have in the squad, its just getting them working has a team
And with the players leaving, all VG has done is move on the players we know are not good enough. Every position does not have to be complete, VG has identified the deep issues within the squad, and we have very good variety and possibly we have a plan B, it is all about gelling this team.
Nice, poll added.
It's an easy answer to give I guess but I do think given enough time that he could. I don't think we'll win it this season but we're getting much closer, purely from looking at the progression of the squad. Two more years may not be enough to get us there, but if LVG were to have a Moyes-esque contract I would definitely say he could win the title here.
Of course.
Also thought that you could add an option saying "Yes, he will extend his contract to win it"
I think those options are enough.
Fair enough.
Yes, I believe he will. Positive about our chances this season, and even more so the one after. I'm an optimist and believe that before he leaves the club he'll have won the league, the CL and the FA-cup. 
We'll certainly challenge. What I think Van Gaal will definitlely do is a build a solid base to improve upon. We'll have a squad full of quality players that are technically sound, adept at being able to pass the ball under pressure.
So I'm undecided overall. Winning the league isn't easy, and City, Arsenal and Chelsea are all improving. I'll be happy if he leaves here having issued some stability, title or no title.
So I'm undecided overall. Winning the league isn't easy, and City, Arsenal and Chelsea are all improving. I'll be happy if he leaves here having issued some stability, title or no title.
I think it depends on if we can sign a dominant, experienced centre back and a good back up striker in this transfer window. The rest of the squad looks very strong now.
Thanks boss.
We can win it but few things have to be done in that matter while there's still time.
1. Preparations, way better than season ago to allow better league start and return to Champions League.
2. Quality performances from youth could help a lot. (We certainly have few youngsters who could contribute)
3. Signing right players (Enhancing team's firepower, creativity and defense which we're still waiting to happen even after signing Darmian)
4. Dealing with injuries must be level above after what we've seen in the past. Can't see fighting on all fronts with another hospital at Old Trafford.
5. LvG handling his decisions better and creating a stable system without chance of too many useless experiments. Goals one, two and three if reached will probably sort that out automatically.
If we're gonna be still aggressive on transfer market and most of players will click with the philosophy I don't see why we couldn't win trophies but club's officials need to use full influence of the club at their disposal and make thing happen for better. Same goes for players.
EDIT: For now voted 'undecided'. Still need to see more games and actions to judge where it's taking us this whole process... So far it's the right direction.
1. Preparations, way better than season ago to allow better league start and return to Champions League.
2. Quality performances from youth could help a lot. (We certainly have few youngsters who could contribute)
3. Signing right players (Enhancing team's firepower, creativity and defense which we're still waiting to happen even after signing Darmian)
4. Dealing with injuries must be level above after what we've seen in the past. Can't see fighting on all fronts with another hospital at Old Trafford.
5. LvG handling his decisions better and creating a stable system without chance of too many useless experiments. Goals one, two and three if reached will probably sort that out automatically.
If we're gonna be still aggressive on transfer market and most of players will click with the philosophy I don't see why we couldn't win trophies but club's officials need to use full influence of the club at their disposal and make thing happen for better. Same goes for players.
EDIT: For now voted 'undecided'. Still need to see more games and actions to judge where it's taking us this whole process... So far it's the right direction.
You cant just buy a title, as you are starting to and will soon find out. This is probably the hardest league to win, and Joses teams are one of the best under pressure... odd post.
True but trying to explain how Fergie achieved 89 points with the squad he had at his disposal is somewhat impossible.
I don't think we have any 2 attacking players on the level of Hazard/Costa and Silva/Aguero as a duo, for example, which I'm sure not many would argue with - and clearly that puts us at a disadvantage to our biggest rivals. Sure we could be strong in other areas but goals and creativity were already a major problem for us last year and it goes without saying they're extremely important in terms of accumulating enough points to win the league.
I'm not really concerned about the players that have moved on, more that when you make 5/6 signings from foreign leagues, it seems likely that some of them will have an adjustment period or may struggle to show their true quality in their first season at least. A young talent like Depay is basically going to have to carry the 'unpredictable' nature of our attack single-handedly next season because we barely have any players who can beat a man one on one, for example. He's our equivalent to Hazard/Sanchez but we'll be extremely lucky if he can elevate himself to that level so soon.
There's also an issue of the team gelling as you say - we'll probably start the first game against Spurs with at least 4 new players in the 11, we don't want to have to give other teams a head start before the team starts to click - it'll be very difficult to catch up.
You needed a striker / holding midfielder / attacking midfielder / Cech replacement last year and you went out and got them. Along with Hazard ( who you were willing to pay an agents fee to get, a fee no other club were willing to pay) sorted any weakness you had the year before.
They didn't exactly come through your acadamy.
Let's be honest, the top 3/4 outside of the champions were the weakest in a long long time.
Yeah but what Im saying is you dont simply buy the top players and that = a league title, if it was we would have won more than 4 league titles in 10 years, or City wouldve won 4 in a row. Lest we forget when we mention about the competition that had Uniteds competition been as good as say the previous season they would have finished 6th with 70 points not 4th, one point ahead of 7th. (2013/14 5th placed Everton had 72 points) After spending a lot.
They were weaker all round but even had they been stronger we still would probably have won as our performances in the big games werent that amazing but we still finished with an 8 point lead. Just noticed we had the fewest losses in the league since 2008/09(liverpool) and the fewest losses for the champions since we won it in 04/05.
Psychology. Teams faced United already mentally beaten, like when they faced us in 2004/05 or even last season at times, which is why fewer teams had a go at us and ironically when they did we conceded a few. SAF was a genius, more so than Jose when it came to the EPL, but they are two of a kind overall.
I'm totally undecided. He's done a good job so far and with the financial backing we can compete at the top level again.
But the competition in this league is so high. It's hard enough trying to compete with City and their owners endless cash injection, but a rejuvenated Arsenal team will challenge also. Thats even without counting Chelsea and Mourinho who will be utterly relentless in their pursuit of the league title.
We are going to need a lot of luck, but the best teams have an air of invincibility about them. We just don't intimidate teams like Chelsea do at the moment and that will be a key factor for LVG for us to go that extra mile.
But the competition in this league is so high. It's hard enough trying to compete with City and their owners endless cash injection, but a rejuvenated Arsenal team will challenge also. Thats even without counting Chelsea and Mourinho who will be utterly relentless in their pursuit of the league title.
We are going to need a lot of luck, but the best teams have an air of invincibility about them. We just don't intimidate teams like Chelsea do at the moment and that will be a key factor for LVG for us to go that extra mile.
same here.
For me his d
This is pure gold summary.
100% correct.
I went for, "No, but he'll leave behind a team to do it.", but then it's easily subject to change. It also largely depends on how other teams perform. LVG could do a superb job here, leaving a brilliant team, but then if Mourinho also continues to improve Chelsea and they dominate, it's going to be hard for us to surpass them.
At the same time though, we could end up having an incredibly lucky season where we're not that great ourselves, but the competition is also quite poor and we manage to sneak it.
I definitely think it'll be a couple of years at least though before we're winning the title again, although football's obviously unpredictable. One certain event/signing/sacking can change the course of a major team.
At the same time though, we could end up having an incredibly lucky season where we're not that great ourselves, but the competition is also quite poor and we manage to sneak it.
I definitely think it'll be a couple of years at least though before we're winning the title again, although football's obviously unpredictable. One certain event/signing/sacking can change the course of a major team.
This is one of the tightest poll i have seen. Very close. I voted that he will win in 2016 although i was tempted for the 4th option.
Silva aguero? yea they are good players, but to say we do not have players of that quality is a tad overboard, as mata and herrera could easily be those players to give us the creativity not to mention what depay could do with his ability, and herrera do not think another PL team has that same energy and creativity, and that pressing game he is good at. But we have a potential backbone that can slug it out with anyone, only thing this team has not got, is playing has a team. If we can tear city apart with carrick herrera fellaini young and mata in midfield, we can defiantly raise the level of our game on a weekly basis with the players we have signed. Is basing our little run true evidence? not really. We had problems with the pivits of the team breaking down, smalling, jones, carrick, di maria not settling.
Like I say, if DDG stays, we sign a CB, our new RB, 2 CM players and our attacking winger in depay settle in with DDG, smalling blind shaw, herrera, mata and rooney, and if we keep di maria who knows what this team is capable of. United have question marks of the team gels, but has for what we are missing, it aint much
It could all go wrong, and the players we have signed struggle with fitness and stepping up in a big team. If they avoid fitness problems and they settle, we are very capable of beating anyone. At the minute the squad is the classic case of looks great on paper, not what goes on the football pitch
We're talking the main attacking players that will win us games... Any combination Mata/Rooney, Depay/Rooney is not on City's or Chelsea's level, if they happen to perform to that level next season then it will be a welcome surprise.
Well one of the three years he signed for are gone. So now given two years left if we assume that he will leave after 3 years, it will be close. He can build a strong team but with strong title rivals nothing can be certain
He will 100% come close, even this year I believe we will put up a strong challenge. You never know what can happen though, we may surprise everyone and play brilliantly and win it this season. I am certain though that he will build the foundations for us to go on and be successful winning the league after he leaves.
I do not think the level Aguero and silva are at, the bar is that high we are not that far behind. The combinations united have, are quiet capable of challenging for the title, because of the platform they potentially have got. Yes I would agree what chelsea have got is better than what united have got, but its not has if hazard and Costa are in that bracket of what Barcelona have got. Would I be surprised if depay/rooney surprise us? considering the players that will be playing week in week out around them, not really. Schweinsteiger Schneiderlin with herrera mata controlling the teams controlling game, with depay and rooney pushing forward is a pretty good combination. We have yet to see them play together, but the potential is there
Chelsea completely bought the title in 2005 and 2006 (Before you say they were already a decent team unlike Man City, Man Utd were PL champions 2 years ago...not some small club who are attempting to buy there way to the top from the bottom).
The current Chelsea team will also be no where near as hard to topple as the 2006 team, and we managed that in 2007 anyway. If United continue to invest the way they are, with a strong mixture of established talent, experience, PL proven talent and good upcoming young players then they will eventually, whether it's now or in 5 years, win the league.
The fact of money is the exact reason why Man City have come onto the scene winning titles and why Arsenal have struggled for so long.
so far so good in the transfer window, and on paper both the starting centre mid, and now the options look very strong.
Too many issues to sort out though at the moment to definitely say we have a big chance this season.
Obviously the keeper situation.
Jones/Smalling might well be a cracking combo, but they'll never be able to stay fit to play even 10 games together in a row.
The Di Maria situation is a huge make or break too.
Not to mention, we've brought 4 players in. If the keeper and Di Maria go, and are replaced, and we also bring another centre back in, that'd be 7 big changes, which is surely way too much to gel for a while.
Too many issues to sort out though at the moment to definitely say we have a big chance this season.
Obviously the keeper situation.
Jones/Smalling might well be a cracking combo, but they'll never be able to stay fit to play even 10 games together in a row.
The Di Maria situation is a huge make or break too.
Not to mention, we've brought 4 players in. If the keeper and Di Maria go, and are replaced, and we also bring another centre back in, that'd be 7 big changes, which is surely way too much to gel for a while.
I wish you would disable the "Change your vote" button at least after a short period of time if people accidentally choose the wrong option by mistake, and also same as on other polls, either you have an opinion or you don't, if we're 20 points clear or 20 points behind at Xmas then some people may change their vote
If he sticks to his contract .It will be a tough task for him to win the title in that time. But he'll leave behind his so called philosophy and a stronger youth setup.