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Post by Splendid Spy on Apr 14, 2015 7:15:21 GMT
I am still wondering what was the spark that made us tick? Pre-Spurs game we were pretty hopeless. 1 shot or 2 shots on goal, no direction, lifeless , zero creativity... post-Spurs game, we became another team with almost the same personnel and tactics.
It's like we had transformed from Barnsley to Barca overnight. Not logical.
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Post by Jerry Koh on Apr 14, 2015 7:46:26 GMT
*cough* Herrera *cough*
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Post by Nemanja79 on Apr 14, 2015 7:48:43 GMT
I am still wondering what was the spark that made us tick? Pre-Spurs game we were pretty hopeless. 1 shot or 2 shots on goal, no direction, lifeless , zero creativity... post-Spurs game, we became another team with almost the same personnel and tactics. It's like we had transformed from Barnsley to Barca overnight. Not logical. More like sparks, in plural. Players started to understand what is the Philosophy actually, that was what made us tick. The same happened at van Gaal's Bayern, all of a sudden everything was perfect after some abysmal performances that carried a lack of cohesion and compactness. Now in a hindsight it looks like all of our previous matches were some kind of training of everything. Mentality (players are listening and follow the instructions without doing something on their own, part of the reason why the likes of Herrera and di Maria weren't playing as much as we hoped for, due to their "free expression"), movements into positions without too much deviations, defensive (ball retention as the key part) and offensive discipline and compactness of the whole team. All of those requires a lot of tactical drilling and needs time to gel and that's exactly what's happening right now. It started with Spurs, over Liverpool and Villa and this last match was a confirmation as Gary pointed out. There is a lot more work to be done of course but at least now we have a basis and many teams will need a lot of tactical work as well against us in order to stop us. No one will ever be casual facing this team like it was last year. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2015 7:57:39 GMT
You could see it coming before the Spurs game. The game vs Arsenal was a pretty good performance despite losing, played at a higher tempo, looked more compact and created more going forward against a good and in form Arsenal side. You could argue it's been coming all season.
LVG has been telling us all season they need to understand his philosophy, once they do the performances will come and he's been proven right. He's found the right side as well, Blind at left back has been great combining down the left with Young and Fellaini. Valencia, Herrera and Mata combining well down the right and of course having Carrick back controlling the game from midfield has also played a huge part.
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Post by Nemanja79 on Apr 14, 2015 8:12:21 GMT
Yes. When you go back and re-watch some of the matches that could well be said. He's been trying a lot of variations in order to make at least some sort of balance, shifting people out of their natural positions and many didn't see it at the time why he was doing that actually. Heck, some even now argue that he shouldn't be doing this and that and play him and them instead. That's either stubbornness or lack of mental ability to understand why it was like that. It wasn't nice, it looked illogical but it payed off massively in every sense, the table position, points gained and gelling the team.
After seeing all of the last developments and analysis everyone with a one and a half functional brain cell should comprehend and see the direction where this team are heading.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2015 8:17:18 GMT
The exciting thing now is imagining the foundations laid in this team, with some more tailored high quality signings added plus the chance for van Gaal to have a proper preseason with his players - we might just be in for something special next season.
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Post by Nemanja79 on Apr 14, 2015 8:18:39 GMT
But the most ridiculous statement I've read online was "van Gaal isn't flexible coach" after all we have seen. That's really something.  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2015 8:19:54 GMT
I agree, I've already backed us to win the league next season, might have a look at the Champions League odds as well. I think the way we play will be even better suited to European football, I arrogantly make us one of the favourites despite us not officially qualifying for next year's tournament yet. :lol:
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Post by Nemanja79 on Apr 14, 2015 8:21:14 GMT
The exciting thing now is imagining the foundations laid in this team, with some more tailored high quality signings added plus the chance for van Gaal to have a proper preseason with his players - we might just be in for something special next season. Exactly that. Bayern Munchen of today is a living proof of that foundation van Gaal has left there, carried on later with Jupp and now Pep. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2015 8:26:47 GMT
I arrogantly make us one of the favourites despite us not officially qualifying for next year's tournament yet.  I wouldn't be going that far yet but I really can't wait for next season. Another thing last night showed though with Neville talking about the attacking structure, it's easy to see why van Gaal has clashed with so many played in his time and why the likes of Zlatan and Ribery haven't got a good word to say about him. It's also why I think we can kiss goodbye to any chance of Nani coming back, I'd personally give him another shot but I can't see him playing in that type of structure. It's weird in a way in that it's a complete contrast to the fluid attacking line that we've all been calling for but it's very hard to pick fault with how we've been over the last month. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2015 8:43:25 GMT
It's well structured and precise but as attractive on the eye as anything you'll see. We're making it look so easy at the minute, some of the team goals have been brilliant to watch. I've always preferred watching the well worked team goals to a 30 yard screamer or a mazey run from an attacker resulting in a nice finish. We're just picking sides apart, it really is great to see at the moment.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2015 10:37:48 GMT
That's his detractors biggest negative against him "micro-managed", "over-thought", "clinical", "joyless" but if you look at the old Dutch football tapes they were anything but that, they just played freely but within a tight organised structure.
It's next level 'not running about like a cunt on a pitch' is what it really is. :lol:
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Post by Jie on Apr 14, 2015 12:03:42 GMT
I think most of City's defense efforts were focused on keeping Rooney from scoring, that's why he didn't get much action. He was however causing them a lot of problems off the ball running between their lines.
Really don't have anything bad to say about anyone, although Jones was making me uneasy at times. I like seeing these all-round good team displays.
Maybe if it wasn't for the injuries earlier in the season Van Gaal would have implemented his philosophy earlier and we would have been challenging for the title
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Post by matt on Apr 14, 2015 18:20:22 GMT
I never doubted LVG. But I have to say I didn't expect us to be that "transformed" in less than one season. I have been annoying you guys, even since SAF's old days, saying how we needed to shift towards a more continental approach, focusing more on ball possession and tactical awareness (as opposed to the English directness) etc, etc.
When he was announced, I had always been convinced LVG was the man. But I have been caught by surprise too in a way. And like you guys, I can't even imagine how good we can become with a few more quality signings and a full preseason under LVG.
There will still be tough games ahead, and probably a few disappointments because that philosophy and system of his won't be perfect overnight and we're bound to make mistake, learn from them, and progress. But it's so good to finally have a coherent structure and game plan, a proper philosophy, and what looks like a bright future.
I hope the lads can finish this season on a high, keep the momentum, and enjoy a good break before coming stronger to reclaim the title next season.
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