Louis Van Gaal's 3-Month Report Card at Manchester United
Back in July, as he embarked on Manchester United’s summer tour of the United States, Louis van Gaal asked for patience from journalists, fans and general observers.
“Every club where I have been, I’ve struggled for the first three months,” he said, according to David McDonnell of the Mirror. “After that, [the players] know what I want—how I am as a human being and also a manager, because I'm very direct.”
Well, the Dutchman has had close to the time requested since taking over the Premier League club in the days following the World Cup. With that in mind, an examination of his tenure to date seems a worthwhile exercise.
The following slideshow will grade some key elements of Louis van Gaal’s progress at United, concluding with a head-to-head comparison of his record with that of predecessor David Moyes.
General Tactics: B-
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Louis van Gaal began his Old Trafford reign with the 3-5-2 formation that served him so well at the 2014 World Cup.
It was an absolute disaster.
From the first match of the season, in which Swansea escaped the Theatre of Dreams with a 2-1 win, the system appeared a poor fit for the players available to the Dutchman. After an embarrassing 4-0 defeat to MK Dons in the League Cup, he finally set about making the necessary adjustments.
What he has since deployed is a midfield diamond anchored by Daley Blind and fronted by Wayne Rooney (although Juan Mata will fill the latter role during Rooney’s absence through suspension).
Record signing Angel Di Maria has started to thrive on the left-hand side of the setup, while goalscoring chances have come thick and fast for strikers Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie as well.
The changeover from 3-5-2 has been a good one.
Defense: C
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But for the four goals shipped at MK Dons and the five conceded at Leicester City, Manchester United’s defense under Louis van Gaal hasn’t been woeful—merely unconvincing.
Not that injuries to Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling has helped the Dutchman in his efforts to shore things up at the back, although he has drawn rave reviews for bringing Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair into the first team. The pair of youngsters have been a breath of fresh air to the unit.
But it’s nevertheless curious that for all the money spent during the summer—nearly £150 million—relatively little was targeted for defensive upgrades.
Granted, Marcos Rojo has been solid if unspectacular, and there’s still the feeling the Argentina international could switch to left-back in the next few weeks—such is the skepticism that prevails regarding Van Gaal’s faith in Luke Shaw.
United could also use some cover at the right-back position, although the addition of a central defender will surely be among the manager’s top priorities in January.
Offense: B+
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It took Manchester United until their fifth match of the season to score their third goal. But since that 4-0 trouncing of Queens Park Rangers, the Red Devils have had little difficulty finding the back of the net.
In the five matches he has played for the club, Angel Di Maria has scored three goals and contributed three assists while driving opposition midfielders and defenders absolutely crazy. It would hardly be an exaggeration to call him the form player of the Premier League going into the weekend.
Radamel Falcao, who took a few games to settle, is also looking more and more the player who scored 70 goals in 91 matches for Atletico Madrid, even if Robin van Persie has had his struggles.
And Rooney, before picking up his suspension, had scored a trio of goals in addition to a pair of assists.
United won’t have a lot of difficulty putting the ball in the back of the net from hereon in, and given their defensive wobbles that can only be a good thing.
Training: A
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One of the biggest differences between Louis van Gaal and David Moyes can be found on the training pitch.
In the weeks before he was sacked as Manchester United manager last spring, David Moyes’ training methods are thought to have quite nearly inspired a revolt among the players.
According to ESPN FC, Moyes’ methods rarely called for the on-the-ball drills to which the United players had become accustomed. His failure to delegate training sessions to his assistants only caused the players to tire of him faster, all the while frustrating coach Steve Round, as reported by David Anderson of the Mirror.
Van Gaal, on the other hand, has routinely encouraged 11 vs. 11 matches two days before games, directed various passing drills and provided players with DVDs of their displays to review when not on the pitch, as reported by the Daily Mail and relayed by the Mirror.
The practice has already paid off, with the Red Devils looking far more comfortable on the ball than they did at any time during Moyes’ spell in charge of the club.
Communication: C
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Louis van Gaal’s arrogance is well documented. Shortly after agreeing to take the helm at Old Trafford (but in the days before his unveiling), he accused a journalist of asking “a stupid question,” per David Wilson of the Daily Star.
“What do you know about Manchester United?” he then asked, quite obviously rhetorically.
Yes, Van Gaal can be a handful for reporters, but his self-confidence is part of what makes him who he is. And that won’t be diminishing anytime soon.
He may never be a cuddly, welcoming figure during press engagements, but it’s his communication with his players that counts. To that end, it would seem he’s doing well enough.
Comparison to David Moyes
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Louis van Gaal has slightly outperformed David Moyes through seven matches so far this season.
Louis van Gaal
Three wins
Two draws
Two losses
11 points
13 goals scored
10 goals conceded
David Moyes
Three wins
One draw
Three losses
10 points
10 goals scored
Nine goals conceded
(Numbers courtesy The Independent)
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