Manchester United's Attack Has Eased the Pressure on Louis Van Gaal

After Manchester United lost to Stoke City on 26 December, it was hard to imagine manager Louis van Gaal's job would survive any length of time.

It looked for all the world like his time at United was coming to an early end. It was the fourth of a run of four losses in a row. It meant United were winless in seven. The players looked lost—directionless in possession and calamitous out of it.

The last two games have changed things a little. A bright first half against Chelsea on Monday hinted at better to come. In spite of a few fans with "Van Gaal out" signs and the sale of United-themed Jose Mourinho scarves, Old Trafford was, for the most part, free from the groans and grumbles that had become the norm.

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However, that game finished 0-0, and having failed to beat the then-14th-placed team in the Premier League, further improvement was needed. That improvement arrived on Saturday as United beat the league's 17th-ranked side, Swansea City.

They had previously been Van Gaal's bogey team, but having lost three times in a row to the Swans, United finally mustered a win.

At the end of the first half on Saturday, it did not seem all that likely they would. Everything felt eerily familiar.

In spite of Van Gaal's decision to switch to what he described in his post-match press conference as a "risky system" of a back three, United, after a bright opening, relapsed into the dull, unconvincing possession football this season has brought in abundance.

The first half finished 0-0—as has become traditional—and there were once again audible sounds of discontent as the referee blew his whistle. United play "Glory Glory Man United" over the loudspeaker when the first half ends during their home games, but the inglorious performances they have put in of late have made that sound increasingly ironic.

The second half, though, was much better. Ashley Young looked a changed man as he put in crosses and took on his full-back with confidence and poise. He laid on the assist for Anthony Martial, who then returned the favour for Wayne Rooney—who scored a breathtaking goal.

Of course, there were moments of uncertainty too. Changes to personnel and systems in defence meant the confusion that appeared in the ranks was not all that surprising. Eventually, thanks in no small part to David De Gea's now-traditional heroics, United secured the three points and ended their winless streak.

At the end of the game, there were certainly no boos.

Of course, Van Gaal, ever the contrarian, claimed he preferred United's performance in the first half. He was asked about United's second-half improvement and replied:

"

Of course the second half was better because we score the goals, and you win only when you score the goals, but as a team our first-half performance was better.

We don't give any chance away in the first half and we play with three defenders a risky shape, a risky system, but we want to give pressure from the first minute and we have done that, and we have created chances but we don't score.

But you have to score out of the chances. But in the second half we created less chances but we scored, and then you say 'Yeah, the second half is better.'

"

As well as being contrarian, he was also factually inaccurate. According to Squawka, United created four chances in the first half and nine in the second. Although Swansea were more dangerous in the second half, they did make two chances in the first. 

However, in that first 45, it would appear United followed the Van Gaal template more closely. There was less risk but also less penetration, less excitement and considerably less joy. That was not just about the goals—though they certainly helped.

Rather, it was about the attacking interplay, as Young lit up the right touchline and Martial and Rooney combined thrillingly on the left. There was a verve to United's attacking football that has been largely missing this season.

If Van Gaal cannot sustain that, then the recent easing of pressure will be short-lived.

Seeing United playing with more urgency, with more attacking enthusiasm, was a real delight, and if the Dutchman can somehow come to understand this is what the fans want from his side, perhaps some chance remains his reign will end with success.

That still seems a long shot, but at least the win over Swansea offered a narrow ray of hope.