West Bromwich Albion Loss Highlights Manchester United's Current Limitations

Manchester United's loss to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday was an immensely frustrating affair, but one that Louis van Gaal slightly foreshadowed in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

When asked about the difficulties of facing a team that sets out with a very defensive mindset, the Manchester United manager replied:

"

It is always a concern. It is also the next step in our process. I have said that also to my players.

We are playing much better, also against Everton we are playing—in phases—very good. We have a ball possession of 63 percent against a very defensive organisation. That's not so easy. But the time for the opponent to intercept balls is also higher and the space behind us is bigger than ever, because we are always on the half of the opponent.

So, it demands also another attitude of the players because they are doing that now. So that's also the next step in our process, we have to improve that.

"

West Brom can count themselves fortunate to have come away from their trip to Old Trafford with three points, because in many ways United did improve. The statistics—apart from the all-important one, of course—show just how dominant United were, not just in terms of possession, but in terms of chance creation. 

The Baggies had six attempts at United's goal, and even their most generous admirer would have to concede that their goal contained a large element of good fortune. United, on the other hand, peppered Boaz Myhill's goal with 26 shots, plenty of which came from inside the box.

And yet even if Albion were lucky, and United unlucky, there were plenty of examples of why Van Gaal wants to improve his "selection" in the summer ahead. United's XI was a rag-tag assortment of square pegs in round holes and understudies brought on to the main stage.

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Paddy McNair deputised in central defence. Ander Herrera covered for Michael Carrick. Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie played the second half in attacking midfield behind Marouane Fellaini up front. None of those players would expect to be playing in those positions in next season.

Arguably neither Daley Blind nor Antonio Valencia are likely to be first-choice at full-back either, and while Ashley Young and Juan Mata have done well on the flanks it is hard to shake the idea that United could be in the market for an upgrade in quality on Young, and that Mata could be even more effective in a more central role.

The Fellaini-gambit, throwing the Belgian forward to try to smash open some space from which Van Persie and Rooney could benefit, was ultimately ineffective. It is hard to imagine that Van Gaal perceives that as the long-term solution he discussed before the game.

Indeed, if anything, it would appear to be the manager's response to the fact that United really have yet to master this stage of his process. It looked like an emergency plan designed to try to short-cut a way through West Brom's resolute defence.

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It also looked as if Albion were defending so deep that they were leaving space outside the area, and given that both Rooney and Van Persie are more than capable of scoring from range, that may have factored into Van Gaal's thinking.

However it did not work. That United were unable to make the breakthrough in spite of their dominance was unfortunate. There were plenty of occasions when the ball just did not quite fall right to their front men, but there was also a lack of quality in key moments.

Van Persie's penalty was eminently saveable. Plenty of United's shots were scrappy attempts rather than clean strikes at goal. United's crossing was, for the most part, easily dealt with by West Brom.

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As well as discussing process, Van Gaal also talked before the game of his need to improve the balance of his squad.

Of the two the latter seems the more important in terms of how United can improve in games like this going forward. The key players they are relying on to both create and finish chances simply did not perform to the required level to win Saturday's game.

Lots of chances were created with Van Persie, Fellaini, Herrera and Mata all being credited with three key passes. However, none of them were exactly gilt-edged. 

Just nine of United's 26 shots required a save from Boaz Myhill. Five were wide of the mark, but 12 were blocked. That last number could be, accurately, described as testament to how crowded the penalty area was. However, there was a lack of clinical finishing from United's forwards.

It is hard not to think that United need investment up-front, too. Rooney has done OK since moving to centre-forward, but will too often be deputised into deeper-lying duties to be first choice all season. That is on top of his tendency to go through regular dips in form.

Van Persie has been erratic for two full seasons now. Radamel Falcao will surely not be at Old Trafford come the opening of the 2015/16 campaign.

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Three defeats in a row obviously casts some doubt over where United are in terms of Van Gaal's process. However, that process dramatically transformed United for the better in key high-profile games in recent months.

It is thus easy to be optimistic that he will get it right for these scrappier games, against teams that set out to defend deep for the vast majority of the game.

With some key additions to the squad and further work on how to use a possession-based system to unpick deep-lying defences, it is easy to imagine this fixture being very different come next season.

All advanced statistics per WhoScored.com.