21 Dec 2015

Van Gaal is a dead man walking

Amongst the boos and jeers at Old Trafford following the shambolic defeat to Norwich, you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. This was the day that Louis van Gaal lost the majority of supporters who are still baffled as to what his famous "philosophy" actually is.

The body language the Dutchman displayed as he made his exit from the pitch suggests he knows he's a dead man walking.

To grant him more time to turn things around would be ludicrous, simply because there have been no signs of a big improvement since the days that David Moyes was sat at the helm with his Manchester United mouse mat, and he didn't spend £250m.

Out of the top 4, out of the Champions League, out of the Capital One cup, why continue to let the rot set in? It makes no sense at all? Some climb above their high horse and claim he needs time?

Others say we're not a sacking club and point to the time it took for Sir Alex to turn things around. The wonky nosed Dutchman is halfway through a 3 year contract that he has no intention of extending, thankfully! So why back him financially again when he'll be gone after next season?

Some spout about us requiring a manager with longevity, someone to build a dynasty, basically, another Sir Alex Ferguson. Stop living in the past, football has changed. All the top European sides change their manager to freshen up the ideas of team. We were lucky that we had a manager who spoilt us for 26 years. Ultimately it's a results industry, and if you're not succeeding, you're gone, that's just the nature of the beast that is modern day football.

Louis van Gaal's is a dinosaur, his methods and brand of football is outdated, he has failed miserably at Old Trafford after blowing £250m on new recruits. No other manager would get away with this in top flight football.

The timing of this disastrous and embarrassing run of results couldn't have come at a better time, following the Russian crooks decision to hand Jose Mourinho his P45. Mourinho has already stated he has no intention of taking a break from football, a wounded Jose could be just the tonic.

Mourinho's obsession with Old Trafford could be the key. The fact he would bring confidence, an ego, and a CV showing he wins trophies makes it a match made in heaven.

Questions will be asked about his failure to promote youth from within, but you get the impression that given the job, he'd adapt to this, he'd know what the club and supporters would expect of him and I believe he would respect and honour this tradition.

He could be the closest thing to Sir Alex Ferguson, the way he deals with the press, that "it's us against the world" mentality, that ability to piss off every other rival manager and get under their skin. Mourinho would make us hated again, but never ignored.

A criticism of Lois van Gaal has been his inability to get off his arse during games, he doesn't lead the team from the sidelines or bark instructions, you'd get the complete opposite with Mourinho. I recall the time he put his finger to his lips against Liverpool celebrating a goal that Chelsea had scored, what's not to like about that kind of carry on?

Stick with Louis van Gaal and run the risk of finishing outside the top 4? No thanks. Appoint Mourinho and with the players actually playing for him and willing to impress, we could get ourselves back into a title charge. That's the Mourinho effect, he would relish the job and the supporters would take to him. Rival fans see him as a bit of a twat, but he'd be our twat.


@KevinAshford7


27 Feb 2015

Rooney's talent wasted in midfield role

How exactly has Louis van Gaal got away with playing Wayne Rooney in a central midfield role this season? Would Manuel Pellegrini play Sergio Aguero in that position? Only a person heavily under the influence of recreational drugs would argue that indeed, the Chilean would.

*cue Dizzee Rascal song 'Bonkers'*

We've had to witness Rooney, a talisman figure at Old Trafford, participate in games that he has had little or now effect in, and this is a player who only last season, was well on course to become Manchester United's all time top goalscorer before hanging up his boots for the final time? Maybe the Dutchman has placed a wager on the serial increased-terms contract seeker not achieving that honour?

United occupy 4th spot in the Premier League at this moment in time, with some very difficult fixtures to play in the coming months.

Rooney has cut a frustrated figure this season, he's been playing with a ball and chain around his ankle, unable to have little influence on games, he's not been able to express himself and let his talent flow because he's being asked to play a role that's not familiar to him. It also doesn't help him that he's coming up against players in the Premier League who are far more experienced and superior to him in that midfield role, Rooney has looked lost in some games.

Rooney is the club captain, I certainly wouldn't fault his commitment and willingness to perform in the centre of the park, the book has to stop with the man that is wasting a player who broke onto the Premier League stage as one of the most exciting English talents we'd seen, since the days that Paul Gascoigne announced himself to the world.

Only recently, Rooney registered his first shot on target from open play in 2015, that tells it's own story. We've now become accustomed to him spending his game time chasing after referees, disputing decisions. Maybe he feels that as captain of the club he needs to air his views, I'd much prefer him using his passion and anger in the final third of the field, use it on opposition defenders, use it on the ball like that time against Newcastle at Old Trafford in 2005, when Rooney unleashed a thunder bolt of a volley in frustration after decisions had gone against United.

In 2004, Alan Smith joined Manchester United from Leeds for £7m. He signed as a forward, a promising English talent at the time. Smith started well, scoring goals, but was soon changed to a central midfield role, Sir Alex Ferguson wanted his commitment and tough tackling style to flourish as a midfielder. It never really worked out for Smith, he ended up at Newcastle, then MK Dons, he now plays for Notts County. He was a player who had big potential but found a switch of role difficult at Old Trafford.

Rooney is a player who should now be at the peak of his career, that 18 year old lad who stood out at Everton should be the key to Manchester United's attack, creating and scoring goals. Comparisons with Paul Scholes are very wide of the mark.

Louis van Gaal has been getting away with it this season, the football has not been what we expected when we were told to wait for his famous 'philosophy' to kick in at the club, 9 months in and supporters are still waiting anxiously for it to announce itself. His stubbornness is his downfall, and playing players out of their natural position. Only recently, he has played Rooney in his natural position, hopefully the 'tinker van' keeps him there and finds him a player who can feed off him, because a top 4 finish is vital for Manchester United this season.


@KevinAshford7


23 Jan 2015

Supporters Unconvinced With LvG's 3-5-2 Formation

Under the guidance of former Manchester United manager David Moyes, we were left with that hangover feeling, Louis van Gaal was effectively our paracetamol, but, as we find ourselves at the halfway point of the season, do supporters believe the Dutchman's 3-5-2 formation is the way forward?

Much has been said about the way Van Gaal sets up as a tactical unit. Too defensive? No width? Yes, the  formation goes against United's tradition of attacking teams using wide players. Granted, United play with wing-backs, but the players performing these roles are being asked a huge task to both attack and defend.

It's been the subject of debate between supporters, pundits and the media. It does seem that the majority would prefer a switch back to a flat back four. It's blatantly obvious that three at the back is not working, especially when you take into account how poor the current defense are technically. It's a system that almost breeds nervousness.

Personally, the wake up call for me was against Southampton at Old Trafford, a game United lost 1-0. The formation offered nothing as an attacking threat, the fact United failed to register a single attempt on target tells its own story. Leaving Falcao out of the squad baffled most supporters and pundits, sparking stories of a bust up. United managed to keep possession of the ball against Southampton, but it was pointless possession, it's a statistic Van Gaal seems obsessed with.

Van Gaal maintains that he will stick with his formation, supporters are still waiting for signs of the horribly over used word 'philosophy' to kick in. Signs that the setup is not to the taste of the fans was evident at Loftus Road, as they chanted '4-4-2' and 'ATTACK'. Van Gaal made the change and United ended up winning the game.

Perhaps the most bizzare thing at Loftus Road that day, was witnessing Phil Jones on corner kick duty, what next? De Gea taking penalties? Rooney on goal kick duty? Falcao to be the new Old Trafford ball boy?

Van Gaal is the man to take the club forward, his 'It's us against the world' swagger, and the way he deals with the media is a breath of fresh air compared with the previous manager, But it's been a strange season, a season where we have won games that we probably shouldn't have, a season in which our goalkeeper has easily been the most impressive player out on the field, on a weekly basis. 

There is an argument that Van Gaal doesn't yet have the correct players to fit into the system he believes will one day flourish, but, at this current moment, Champions League qualification is vital for Manchester United, it would be a realistic step in the right direction that we can then build on next season. If Van Gaal persists with his current tactical formation, he could jeopardise that early season target.


@KevinAshford7