[Poll] Will MUFC win the Premier League under Van Gaal?

[Paul the Wolf]

If we manage to keep DDG and AdM then very confident this season, if we add a top striker and a top CB as well, will be extremely disappointed if we don't win it this season.
But whatever happens between now and the end of the transfer window, still believe we'll have a strong chance of winning it, especially that we now have a strong midfield with plenty of cover for injuries/suspensions

 

[NoPace]

I went with "build the team to win it but not win it."

Memphis-Herrera-Schneiderlin-Shaw-Darmian-Smalling is a strong core that will win a league in 2-3 seasons when they are in their late primes or early ones in Shaw and Memphis' case. We'll have a new striker by then and a CB partner for Smalling, too.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

I've no idea.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

If we get a CB (otemendi or Ramos) and striker/winger (muller, reus, griezman, Cavani or Pedro) and manage to keep De gea then we should win the league imo.

We are still those 2 players away from being serious contenders but with them we could do a clean sweep of all domestic trophies imo as for champs league who knows.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

It's not a test, just pick one!

'undecided', pfft.

 

[Sandikan]

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.

it obviously takes a little bit of time, but I'm pretty sure most people would say Chelsea and City did exactly that - buy the title.

 

[BringNaniBack]

If we can get a Reus, a Ronaldo, a Bale, a Muller, a Hazard, a Silva, someone of that calibre, yes

If not, no

I agree with this. If we don't get one of those star players who can win a game on their own then I think we will struggle to get anywhere near the title and will end up in 4th again.

 

[Empire]

I expect us to dominate possession, we will have more chances than the opposition but when countered the opposition will get quality chances therefore I think it depends on how well the team defend decreasing the chances of the opposition, if we win the ball back quickly then it will be difficult facing us home or away for any team, in attack it depends on the quality of the chances we create.

I think we can just about do enough we actually have a very good team and Louis van Gaal has targeted sensible players, Schweinsteiger and Depay already understand his system, Schneiderlin is experienced in the premier league and has played in a similar system and Darmian should be an upgrade on Valencia.

Even targets such as Pedro and Ramos will understand what Louis van Gaal wants and we don't have to play all of our new players at once.

 

[Infra-red]

There'll probably be too many new players to settle in this season to have a realistic shot at the title. The squad is also missing a top level centre half and is generally a little short of quality in the final third. I expect Chelsea will win it. Predicting what might happen next season is enough of a blind guess, looking two or three years down the road is just impossible. In very general terms I'd say that while Mourinho is here and Chelsea keep spending as well as they have done, it's difficult to see Van Gaal overhauling them.

 

[United22]

I agree with this. If we don't get one of those star players who can win a game on their own then I think we will struggle to get anywhere near the title and will end u in 4th again.

All of those are unrealistic so basically we end up 4th again

 

[cyberman]

I expect us to dominate possession, we will have more chances than the opposition but when countered the opposition will get quality chances therefore I think it depends on how well the team defend decreasing the chances of the opposition, if we win the ball back quickly then it will be difficult facing us home or away for any team, in attack it depends on the quality of the chances we create.

I think we can just about do enough we actually have a very good team and Louis van Gaal has targeted sensible players, Schweinsteiger and Depay already understand his system, Schneiderlin is experienced in the premier league and has played in a similar system and Darmian should be an upgrade on Valencia.

Even targets such as Pedro and Ramos will understand what Louis van Gaal wants and we don't have to play all of our new players at once.

Plus there isn't a chance were starting all the signings at once. My bet is Darmian will start on bench, Schniderlin will partner Carrick as to ease Bastian into the pace of the league and same front 3 as end of last season. Maybe Depay replaces Mata if he can adapt quickly enough.
It's not going to be all these players thrown out there

 

[Nighteyes]

Not a chance.

 

[wiz4231]

He needs to stop tinkering with the team and use his players in their favoured positions instead of trying to make them adapt. Instead of always looking for balance, he first needs to build around player who have good chemistry on the pitch.

 

[BringNaniBack]

All of those are unrealistic so basically we end up 4th again

I hope we finish higher but im not confident. Our midfield is stronger but apart from that will we really improve? We lack firepower IMO and will struggle to score enough goals to get near the title.

 

[The United Irishman]

I just don't see it.

Our main problem last season was that we couldn't create shit and we could rarely unlock small teams that had 10 men behind the ball. His rigid system doesn't seem to work against those teams and needs players with xfactor to unlock them, but he doesn't seem to like those players because they lose possession to often, if we sell Di Maria we basically have none of them left.

Wasn't Memphis brought in for this very reason?

 

[The United Irishman]

I'm thinking the league next season but we may challenge this year (I hope) unfortunately I think we will fall just short, 2nd or 3rd for me. The CL is another story he's a master of getting results against big teams and his tactics are perfect for the European game so we may be a surprise in this competition. I think we could maybe lift one of the domestic cups this year and use that as a platform to achieve bigger things next year.

 

[m1tch]

Very difficult to say. Mixed feelings about him from last season but lets see what the new season brings.

 

[Bwuk]

No. A lot of the decisions last season were just baffling.

Our squad is as good as anyones, but I can't see us winning it.

If Mourinho was the manager I'd happily slap a months wages the current squad winning it.

 

[Ballache]

Plus there isn't a chance were starting all the signings at once. My bet is Darmian will start on bench, Schniderlin will partner Carrick as to ease Bastian into the pace of the league and same front 3 as end of last season. Maybe Depay replaces Mata if he can adapt quickly enough.
It's not going to be all these players thrown out there

The only person Depay will replace is Young. Mata is a guaranteed starter and rightly so. I agree with the rest though.

 

[Rado_N]

I doubt it to be honest.

I still have concerns over LVG in terms of selections and moreso substitutions, plus his apparent obsession with possession stats.

Maybe this season he'll prove me wrong. I hope he does.

 

[ItsEssexRob]

it obviously takes a little bit of time, but I'm pretty sure most people would say Chelsea and City did exactly that - buy the title.

Yeah maybe, but its a bit ignorant.

We were 4 points off the title in 1999, and a very good team before we got taken over. It pushed us up another level, but you cant just 'buy a title' by simply signing all the 'best' players, as there has to be cohesion, team spirit and a top manager as well. Real Madrid are a prime example of why you cant buy success. Look how much they have spent in the past 6 seasons.. for 1 league title.

The term buying a title indicates that no effort or team building was put into it that an owner simply signed all the best players at the time and muddled them together. That has never happened and would never work.

 

[red_devil83]

It's clear he can get us performing at a suitable standard in the big games, which bodes well for the CL. Whether he can do that consistently and better than Mourinho can, not so sure.

The main problem we had last year was that when Carrick was missing, we were up shit creek. Our defence is a year older and more experienced, our midfiield now has 3 players of Carrick's quality, so him missing won't be an issue this season. Di Maria can't really be any worse this coming season (if he stays). We've improved the wide area with Memphis. Bit lighter up front but lets be honest, that was our weakest area last season, so losing RvP and Falcao isn't such a big deal. I think a lot rides on Rooney. If he has a great season, I think we'll win it...and I'd really love that to happen because he gets a lot of stick.

I'm confident we will do well. I think there's a decent chance of the league. Chelsea aren't infallible. I would love us to win the FA Cup again. As long as we're close this season 5-6 points, then that's probably good enough.

 

[vk20legend]

Can see us winning the league next year.. I think we are finally putting together a squad capable of doing it. I just think we have added too many at the same time ( Not a bad thing, as we needed an overhaul) for them to gel quickly and mount a title challenge from start to finish.

But if we are about 3 to 5 points off the top by January, then with better injury luck, I can see us doing it this year.

We still need a CB and a Striker with DDG and AdM staying for the year. If DDG and AdM leave, we need to add 4 players more. Just fear that is too many players to understand the philosophy and hit the ground running.

We might have a better 2nd half of the season though.. Can see us winning a Cup this year. League would be a great bonus and a year early.

 

[Raoul]

If only we could predict the future, we'd be billionaires and living in the garden of eden.

 

[Empire]

I'm thinking the league next season but we may challenge this year (I hope) unfortunately I think we will fall just short, 2nd or 3rd for me. The CL is another story he's a master of getting results against big teams and his tactics are perfect for the European game so we may be a surprise in this competition. I think we could maybe lift one of the domestic cups this year and use that as a platform to achieve bigger things next year.

That's if we can get through the qualifiers and our group! I'm expecting a slow start before things start clicking around the end of October, I'm tempted to put a bet on us winning the Europa League, the odds must be pretty high considering we're not in it yet.

 

[ItsEssexRob]

Wouldnt it be a good idea to actually see how some of these players play first before deciding they are title winning quality? Wasnt the same thing said last season when ADM, Falcao, Shaw, Herrera, et all had just come in?

 

[Full Member]

I went with "build the team to win it but not win it."

Same here. I think it will take a few seasons for the team to gel sufficiently that they can mount a credible title challenge. It took Mourinho a season to blood his new team, and Chelsea were arguably the better squad already at that point even minus the new signings. LVG has completely transformed this United team not only in terms of personnel but playing style and attitude. It's more difficult than he initially thought it would be but I think we're well on our way to getting our identity back that we seemed to lose under Moyes. I think it will come to fruition a season too late tho, so hopefully when (if) he does decide to leave after next season (16-17) we get somebody in who'll continue in the same vein.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

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.

Of course you can. Look at the most successful teams in the history of the PL over the last decade and tell me wealth isn't correlated with success. Even the occasional outlier who mounted a challenge from out of leftfield (e.g. Blackburn) did so because of a massive cash injection.

 

[Full Member]

Of course you can. Look at the most successful teams in the history of the PL over the last decade and tell me wealth isn't correlated with success. Even the occasional outlier who mounted a challenge from out of leftfield (e.g. Blackburn) did so because of a massive cash injection.

Agreed. See Leeds United and Portsmouth. Both lived beyond their financial means for short term gain, and both suffered the consequences as a result of this.

 

[shamans]

Yes, but honestly I wouldn't say it's because of Van Gaal for the most part. For the money we've been spending, not winning would be a shame.

 

[Sandikan]

Wouldnt it be a good idea to actually see how some of these players play first before deciding they are title winning quality? Wasnt the same thing said last season when ADM, Falcao, Shaw, Herrera, et all had just come in?

Yep. It's way too unpredictable a game.

Who'd have thought our best displays would come from Fellaini and Young being the stand out performers!

 

[Isotope]

I just think that if we sign someone like Bale or Muller, we can win it this season.

 

[LeftyBlaster]

I think someone else with a different approach can win it with this team. We've overcomplicated ourselves because of Louis' philosophy. Willing to give him the benefit of doubt because of his track record and because it's only his second season here. But judging from our pre-season so far I think we'll still end up with the same problems as last season; stifled creativity, lots of possession without penetration, one dimensional, lots of unfruitful crossing, lack of pace and tempo, struggling against teams that sit deep and hit us on the break.

 

[Maagge]

It's difficult to win the Premier League. The important thing is to be consistently challenging as in be in with a chance in the last round or so. If you manage to do that every year then you're bound to win it at some point.
Currently I think we have the makings of a very good team. If we can play more consistently like we did against Spurs, 'Pool and City last season then we're going to challenge this time around. We need our players, especially at the back and up top, to stay fit if we aren't going to sign anyone else (I do think we are though).

 

[kouroux]

No but he might just leave a team capable of doing so. We play way too conservative under him to be a real threat.

 

[zing]

Neither the manager nor the team are 'great'.

Won't win the league. 3rd at best.

He's a bit of a drama queen and keeps too much attention on himself. Managers like Mourinho do the same occasionally, but are far more ruthless about winning.

 

[redindian1987]

I voted no, but I do think he will leave a team behind to win it. My reasons for why we won't win the league under van Gaal is not because I don't trust the manager but because of the competition and the fact that it is very difficult to basically have a new defence and new midfield and win the league.

What I don't get is this feeling that van Gaal encourages football that isn't risky or that football is conservative. If this comes from some of the tumescent football we played at times last year, if I remember correctly van Gaal did agree that we were poor after some of our worst games last season. Southampton at home, Everton away, he did say we needed to improve.

If this feeling comes from memories of the Sir Alex era, I'm sorry but there are multiple ways of playing the game. A possession game is just as valid and just as exciting as the sort of football Sir Alex's teams played. High line, quick pressing, triangles and the like, how is any of that conservative?

 

[redindian1987]

Neither the manager nor the team are 'great'.

Won't win the league. 3rd at best.

He's a bit of a drama queen and keeps too much attention on himself. Managers like Mourinho do the same occasionally, but are far more ruthless about winning.

So him canning van Persie because he felt he wasn't doing enough and that another striker would do better is being charitable. Or getting rid of the likes of Nani, Welbeck, Cleverley, Anderson, Fletcher, etc because they weren't good enough is him being charitable.

Claiming that a manager who has won almost every major trophy at club level and took a poor Holland team to 3rd in the World Cup, what is your definition of a great manager then?

 

[redindian1987]

But judging from our pre-season so far I think we'll still end up with the same problems as last season; stifled creativity, lots of possession without penetration, one dimensional, lots of unfruitful crossing, lack of pace and tempo, struggling against teams that sit deep and hit us on the break.

If we're going to make judgements from pre-season, what was the worst half of football we've seen in these 3 games? The second half in the second game, right? Here's the thing, van Gaal agrees that it was bad.

I'll be grateful if I'm given an explanation of how he stifles creativity? I agree, against the lesser known sides last season, it was one-dimensional at times and we were susceptible on the break. How about we wait for the actual football to start to see if that has changed, given that the manager has attempted to address it with his signings?

This is a manager who a) has won everything and b) has put in place systems that result in success long after he's gone. Why should United be any different? I mean, we know his philosophy is successful, why can't we just be patient and give him time?

 

[LeftyBlaster]

If we're going to make judgements from pre-season, what was the worst half of football we've seen in these 3 games? The second half in the second game, right? Here's the thing, van Gaal agrees that it was bad.

I'll be grateful if I'm given an explanation of how he stifles creativity? I agree, against the lesser known sides last season, it was one-dimensional at times and we were susceptible on the break. How about we wait for the actual football to start to see if that has changed, given that the manager has attempted to address it with his signings?

This is a manager who a) has won everything and b) has put in place systems that result in success long after he's gone. Why should United be any different? I mean, we know his philosophy is successful, why can't we just be patient and give him time?

I did say give him time. I did acknowledge his track record. And I did say we should wait for this season. Read it again.