United fans entitled to expect more from van gaal

If there is anyone who knows that winning football and entertaining football do not have to be mutually exclusive, it is the average follower of Manchester United.

Old Trafford’s current fans were brought up on a healthy diet of passionate, prosperous play under Alex Ferguson.

So what they are being fed by Louis van Gaal, on and off the pitch, is totally unpalatable in comparison. To them, the stale football served up by their plain-talking manager has dragged on for far too long.

They are right to be furious.

When he waltzed into English football 18 months ago, I remember the 64-year-old bragging that it would take three weeks for his philosophy to take hold at the “Theatre of Dreams”. That pledge was later extended to three months, and once this period elapsed, a promise was made for the following season. This season.

Yet little has changed.

In fact, rather than exploding into life like his aesthetically pleasing Ajax and Barcelona pass-and-move sides of yesteryear, United’s class of 2015 are getting uglier to watch.

STIFLING FLAIR

Slow, laborious and robotic. These are not words associated with United, but even their own fans will admit this is what their side has become.

Stifling flair with a cautious tactical approach, the fun (and life) is gradually being sucked out of a side that is costing an awful lot of money to fund. We should not discount that outlay either. After spending £250 million (S$534 million) on new players and footing the highest wage bill in the Premier League, there should not be any excuse for dreary performances.

Yet Van Gaal dismisses that criticism, and treats his supporters as if they are fools.

In the aftermath of an embarrassing Champions League elimination this week (finishing third in their group behind Wolfsburg and PSV Eindhoven), he should have apologised.

Instead, he said: “The facts are saying we are better than last year.”

I am sorry, but that is clutching at straws.

It is factually correct that they have one extra Premier League point after 15 matches; they did progress a round further in the League Cup; and defensively they are more difficult to break down this season.

Bravo.

What United’s belligerent boss failed to mention was that his side sit one place lower in the division than 12 months ago, that Middlesbrough knocked them out of the League Cup, and that they are six goals shy of last season’s tally at this stage.

Considering their mammoth investment, is that the kind of progress you should be boasting about?

PRAGMATISM ABOVE ALL

Van Gaal will argue that given his past glories, fans should trust him to bring the glory days back. That is fair comment, but the “philosophy” he loves to talk about so much still remains as nebulous as ever.

What type of team is he attempting to construct? I watch them a lot and I am still confused.

Throughout his career, Van Gaal has always demanded a high work rate from his players and for them to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, no matter how gifted.

In his most recent positions at AZ Alkmaar, Bayern Munich and the Netherlands, though, you could tell that the joy of thrilling performances had gradually diminished in favour of pragmatism.

Put it this way: An LvG tactical masterpiece in the late ’80s would have been devised around the prospect of destroying the opposition. These days his grand plans are to nullify them instead.

That is not the United way. And I wonder if their board of directors gave that enough consideration before appointing him.

Under Ferguson, their brand of swashbuckling football was recognised and revered the world over, but one dark season under David Moyes should not have seen them dispense with those ideals completely.

Retaining their classic pace, dynamism and width should have been non-negotiable when choosing the right successor, but they panicked and went for a “results” guy instead.

NOT GOOD ENOUGH ANYMORE

To pacify disgruntled supporters (who were always going to be turned off by dull football), Van Gaal was under pressure to meet his targets last year, and to his credit he made it.

But top four is not good enough on its own any more. The only justification for serving up turgid fare for a second season running would be taking the Premier League crown itself — and I do not see that happening.

Why? Because there are mistakes everywhere you look.

He should have tried much harder to coax performances from the potentially brilliant Angel di Maria, instead of pushing him out the door at the first sign of dissent. He would be invaluable right now.

Was he right to dismiss Danny Welbeck as not good enough, Robin van Persie as too old, Javier Hernandez as stylistically unsuited and Adnan Januzaj as unneeded? There are not enough attackers on the books.

Why were more defenders not recruited last summer? They were clearly short on numbers and, now that injuries have struck, they are down to the youth team crop. Was Memphis Depay a risky choice? Was adding the slowing Bastian Schweinsteiger in preference to an athletic box-to-box midfielder a good idea? There are so many question marks.

The season is not over yet. No matter how slim, they do still have a chance of winning this season’s title, FA Cup and Europa League. But the real “facts” are clear. Van Gaal’s reign as manager has been blighted by bad decisions, and bad football.

He looks to me like a man who is dining out on past glories, and I do not see a happy ending. So, I would not be surprised if Bournemouth, who are buzzing after their 1-0 win over Chelsea, pull off another scalp tomorrow.

The sooner United bring in someone else, the better. They deserve much better.

Prediction for Bournemouth v Man Utd: 2-1

OTHER BIG MATCH PREDICTIONS

Manchester City v Swansea

I’m still in shock that Swansea have sacked Garry Monk, a bright young manager who took them to a record points haul last season. In disarray off the pitch, I can’t see them coping with City on it. This should be a straightforward home win.

Predicition: 3-0

Aston Villa v Arsenal

Remi Garde knows Arsene Wenger inside out, but that knowledge isn’t going to aid his struggling side too much. The Gunners arrive in buoyant mood thanks to their ‘Great Escape’ in Athens, and Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud and company will have too much class for them.

Prediction: 0-3

Liverpool v West Brom

The Reds don’t look anywhere near as fluent on home turf, and West Brom are just the kind of stubborn opponent who’ll take great pleasure in making life wholly uncomfortable. They’ll scrap it out, disrupt play, and make this game ugly.

Prediction: 0-0

Tottenham v Newcastle

Will the real Magpies please stand up? Fresh from their vastly improved performance against Liverpool, Steve McLaren’s men should give Spurs a decent test. That said I do see Kane, Eriksen and Alli making hay against their wobbly defence.

Prediction: 2-1

Leicester City v Chelsea

We must wait until Tuesday morning for this one, but it could be a pre-Christmas cracker. The Foxes’ bubble hasn’t burst yet, and if Chelsea aren’t fully focused they will come a cropper at the King Power. I see plenty of goals in this encounter.

Prediction: 2-2

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Adrian Clarke is a former Arsenal midfielder who has played at every level of the English game. Now an experienced journalist, he writes for many international publications.

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TONIGHT:

Norwich v Everton (Singtel Ch 102 and Starhub Ch 227; 8.45pm)

Crystal Palace v Southampton (Ch 103 and Ch 228; 10.55pm)

West Ham v Stoke (Ch 104 and Ch 229; 10.55pm)

Sunderland v Watford (Ch 105 and Ch 230; 10.55pm)

Man City v Swansea (Ch 102 and Ch 227; 11pm)

TOMORROW

Bournemouth v Man Utd (Ch 102 and Ch 227; 1.30am)

Aston Villa v Arsenal (Ch 102 and Ch 227; 9.30pm)

Tottenham v Newcastle (Ch 102 and Ch 227; 11.55pm)

Liverpool v West Brom (Ch 103 and Ch 228; 11.55pm)

TUESDAY

Leicester v Chelsea (Ch 102 and Ch 227; 4am)