|
|
Post by Dave on Jan 11, 2015 21:52:40 GMT
Still seems to be trying to find a balance and the right positions for our players, injuries haven't helped either but the 352 is starting to look like his own pet project to see how far he can get with it.
The important thing is we get top four this season, which we are on course for.
Then in the summer continue the rebuild starting with some decent defenders.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2015 22:00:45 GMT
Yeah injuries haven't helped either, I don't understand some of his logic in terms of formation and choices of players for certain positions but there must be a method to what he's thinking. He's wise and successful enough for me to not be remotely worried about our future with him as manager.
It's going to get more interesting now as we seem to have more players fit than we have all season. I expect to see a bit of tinkering in the coming weeks. We now have enough players fit that if he doesn't like how we're playing he can change it up, which I hope he does, especially ditching the 3-5-2.
As Dave says top 4 is the priority, as long as we get that I'll forgive the poor performances come the end of the season. I won't be so forgiving next year though as we should be in a position in which we're properly challenging for trophies again.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2015 23:01:49 GMT
I am confused about his reasons for not having Falcao on the bench more than anything. Says he needed to have backup for Shaw and Di Maria on the bench as they weren't fit enough. Surely if they weren't fit enough they shouldn't have even been playing. Di Maria was clearly labouring, Shaw also looked like he was missing a yard of pace. Just a really odd reason not to have a goalscorer on the bench. Think there's more to it than that, signs aren't good in terms of him staying permanently for me.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave on Jan 11, 2015 23:32:47 GMT
Strange.
Even if he wasn't going to play him, having Falcao on the bench would give Soton something to worry about when they saw the team sheet, don't see the point of having three defenders instead even with our injury record.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave on Jan 12, 2015 22:38:11 GMT
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2015 10:11:59 GMT
Sunday was the first time all season I've started to have some doubts about exactly where we're headed.
Southampton were very good defensively, as they always are when they sit Wanyama and Schneiderlin in front of the back four, but United were a complete shambles and were completely void of ideas of how to break them down. What was the point in playing Di Maria up front if you're never going to look for the run in behind? Whether it's van Gaal's or his own I don't know, but Carrick plays miles too deep when he's in front of three centre halves. That position is fine when he's in front of a four, it gives good balance, but we're just losing a body in the final third in this system.
Van Gaal's insistence on 3-5-2 is starting to get annoying, I can't wait until Rojo is back because by my reckoning he's started 10 games this season, and we've played a back four in 9 of them. It appears Rojo is the only centre half he truly trusts.
Next weekend will be intriguing, I'm going to be well and truly pissed off if we don't play a back four, Falcao should start as well.
Last season when we lost at home to Everton and Newcastle in the same week was when I started to have massive doubts about Moyes, if we carry on playing as we are then I'm going to start having the same doubts about van Gaal as well. Sunday was a long, long way short of where we should be right now.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2015 10:38:13 GMT
I still think there's a case of not trusting the players he has, in defence anyway. As you say, with Rojo back fit now I expect to see 4 at the back soon enough, which in turn will bring about a change in midfield and attack setup. I think the performances would improve 10 fold with 4 at the back, Di Maria deeper and Rooney more advanced.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jie on Jan 13, 2015 12:13:23 GMT
That comparison Sky posted between Moyes and Van Gaal really gets to you, even if you don't want to, you just can't help but compare them.
I'm not worried though, even though I'd never understand why he played against Southampton the way he did, the 3-5-2 worked more than I thought it would in the previous games, so I'm sure he'll figure it out for next week.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2015 12:51:35 GMT
Go back a few games and the media were talking about how his record is better than Moyes' was, 2 points from our next 3 fixtures and he's not an improvement. Then if we go and win our next 4 games it changes again. It's completely irrelevant as far as I'm concerned. Compare at the end of the season.
As far as I'm concerned there's still a much more positive feel about our future than there was under Moyes last year. Comfortably beat Liverpool and got battling victories away at Arsenal and Southampton as well as being a match against Chelsea and City. Wasn't the case last year.
I'm not happy with the performances, nobody should be. With the amount of attacking talent at the club we should be able to muster up a few shots on target against even the most stern defences in the league. The manager has to take blame as he has been making some questionable choices of late but bear in mind that we've only just got a full squad, or near enough anyway. I think he feels he has to play 3 at the back as 2 right footed central defenders in a 4 man defence would leave the side 'unbalanced', crock of shit for me but that's his philosophy. Hopefully with all the defenders fit he'll feel comfortable reverting to a back 4.
He has to get the attack right though, playing Rooney in cm, Di Maria up front, Mata and RVP being sub par yet getting games regularly, Herrera not getting a game, leaving Falcao out of the squad entirely and even the lack of chances for Januzaj have all been frustrating for me. This sort of attack should be averaging 2+ goals a game comfortably.
Also think the players have to take some stick, I understand how doing things unfamiliar to what you know can cause mistakes, I understand being played out of position can cause errors in a players' game but what I can't understand is the amount of basic errors some players are making. Van Gaal is right, we dominated the ball against Southampton and had some good possession in good areas but the amount of basic errors was pathetic, no matter where you're playing you should be able to find a United shirt with a simple pass or not needlessly lose possession. Mata was the main culprit for me, everything he did was just too slow and not good enough, even the thing he normally does well (finishing) he couldn't do. Rooney misplaced too many passes, Di Maria tried far too many fancy flicks when there were better options available.
To put it plainly the manager has to stop being a stubborn old shit and change the system to benefit the players rather than putting them under unwanted pressure and the players need to stop making the stupid, silly, basic errors that are putting the side under more pressure.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2015 12:53:05 GMT
In terms of the comparison with Moyes, if he was still in charge I'd have no faith whatsoever that we would start to show signs of improvement, with Van Gaal as manager, I expect us to start showing signs of improvement.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jie on Jan 13, 2015 16:33:57 GMT
Of course, the comparison is ridiculous, at least it feels like there's work in progress, it's just that we haven't been good enough in the last few games. We've had so many injuries though - not that it's an excuse - but we still haven't seen a consistent team.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave on Jan 16, 2015 12:04:01 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave on Jan 16, 2015 12:19:39 GMT
Doesn't sound happy with Falcao.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2015 12:33:30 GMT
He must be absolute dog shit in training because on the field he gives as much effort as anybody.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave on Jan 16, 2015 12:48:37 GMT
Mhm, same case for Herrera as well do you think?
|
|
