Louis Van Gaal Deserves Credit Not Ridicule over Tactical Explanation

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal drew scorn and jokes on social media and in conversation on Tuesday, when his pre-game press conference saw him refute suggestions of long-ball playing with a four-page analysis of the game.

BBC Sport reports Van Gaal's comments from his presser:

"Because I expected this question, I have made an interpretation of the data for this game and then I have to say that it is not a good interpretation from [Sam Allardyce]. You have to look at the data and then you will see that we did play long balls, but long balls wide rather than to the striker."

The unconventional approach drew some jibes and criticism, but rather than this reaction, should the professional observation and attention to detail from a Premier League manager not have been applauded and encouraged?

Long Ball?

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Allardyce—boss of West Ham United, who knows more than a thing or two about hoofing the ball aimlessly himself—said of United after the weekend draw, per BBC Sport: "It was just, thump it forward and see what they could get. In the end, it paid off for them."

United rescued a late point as Daley Blind scored to seal a 1-1 draw.

Van Gaal's analysis and explanation rejected this notion, showing instead that his team played it long into wide areas, rather than into the area, which they only did after Marouane Fellaini came on late in the match to provide a central reference for those long balls.

"

Louis van Gaal produces a dossier of stats at his media call, after 'long-ball' claims http://t.co/FaEP01PFS1 #mufc pic.twitter.com/YO9UJZfs4o

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 10, 2015"

Professional Opinion

Journalists and fans spend hours complaining that there is not enough communication in football from the top folk. They complain that answers to questions are bland, pre-prepared, stock responses which give away little and offer no insight beyond the obvious.

And yet, here is a manager, who has won trophies, been in charge of entire nations and is now boss of one of the richest, biggest clubs on earth, sharing insight and opinion with them on a professional level...and he's criticised as cracking up. Feeling the pressure. Coming off as a fool.

Really?

Because he cares enough about a comment from, comparatively speaking, a boss who is middle-of-the-road, has never won a thing and has far lower aspirations, casually criticising his team (about long balls, of all things!) to set the record straight?

Give over.

@karlmatchett

If you don't want to listen to an expert opinion on the matter at hand, fine—that's well within everybody's rights. But don't expect to have your less-than-considered arguments as a supporter, a commenter or an outsider carry any weight or point to them. If you want to write up in a paper that the United boss isn't capable, isn't handling things well, isn't on board with how things work in England, fine, also well within any writer's remit. But again, don't expect to have opinions later on not scrutinised, criticised or completely ignored.

"

Louis van Gaal's stats sheets. No, I'm not sure I understand them either....#mufc #whufc pic.twitter.com/jMbiOI3IFp

— Ian Ladyman (@Ian_Ladyman_DM) February 10, 2015"

"

Van Gaal presser reminds me of this Reagan quote: "If you're explaining, you're losing."

— Matthew Stanger (@MatthewStanger) February 10, 2015"

"

Van Gaal's next press conference: statistical proof his press officer was only grimacing because she was sitting in an uncomfortable chair.

— Tom Williams (@tomwfootball) February 10, 2015"

The point is not whether or not Van Gaal was even right in disputing the claims, it's that he was offering a professional opinion, a worthwhile, authoritative view on the matter, which has been ridiculously palmed off by too many.

Foreign Concept

Rob Smyth perhaps sums things up efficiently for Eurosport:

"[In media coverage of football,] almost everything is geared towards a perceived audience who are very stupid. ... Van Gaal’s biggest mistake was to think he could educate or reason with those entrenched in such a culture."

Therein lies part of the problem—too many who attend, who ask, who write up the responses, are looking merely for the headline. The "who is injured, who is unfavoured" approach. Instead of questions of what tactical elements of Jack Wilshere's game need improving and how, in a practical sense, this can be done in training, Arsene Wenger is asked questions of him smoking.

This is the same thing. Maybe football coverage is to blame, maybe football consumption is to blame.

But there are still some out there who appreciate insight and something different.

"

I love Van Gaal's press conferences!! "Give this to Big Sam"

— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) February 10, 2015"

"

Quite like the way Van Gaal doesn't feel such a nonsense spat is beneath him, and wants to very pedantically prove a point.

— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) February 10, 2015"

For those who actually want to follow or study the game, hopefully this won't be an end, but only an inauspicious beginning to managers offering more detail, insight and in-club analysis. It's never always going to be right, or even necessarily telling, but it's most certainly better than banal, back-slapping "yeah we're pleased with a point" post-match nonsense that too many come out with.

We'll close up with this. It's Dutch, but subtitled in English, and not something of the lines we ever expect to see represented in coverage of the Premier League, even with its huge levels of saturation and availability.

Can you see Allardyce, Alan Pardew or Paul Lambert sitting around giving such explanations? Probably not. Brendan Rodgers, Roberto Martinez...or Van Gaal? Almost certainly. So maybe let's not be too quick to criticise his methods of putting across his point. Maybe, just maybe, he knows something you don't.

Follow @karlmatchett