Winning the FA Cup Cannot Mask Van Gaal's Failure at Manchester United

When football historians look back on Louis van Gaal’s reign at Old Trafford, they will have a rich seam to mine for its absolute lowest moment.

They might choose when Van Gaal decided to bring on an unfit Nick Powell as a substitute for his first United appearance in 16 months when United were desperately searching for a goal to keep them in the Champions League against Wolfsburg last December.

Then there was the time he brought on two full-backs, Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian, when United were once again searching for goals in their Europa League tie against Liverpool to stop them from going out of a European competition for the second time this season. 

But the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon produced another strong contender with the sight of Ashley Young, a natural winger and recently a makeshift full-back, leading the forward line. 

This novel experiment neatly symbolised the ineptitude and hopelessness Van Gaal continues to bring to this United side.

Tactical quirks are naturally hailed as inspired moments of genius if they succeed, but they can also look rather stupid if they fail.

Too often this season Van Gaal has been left looking very stupid indeed.

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Despite being in charge for nearly two years and having spent £250 million on this squad, Van Gaal’s United side looked to be a horrible mess at White Hart Lane.

Ashley Young was not the only player being used out of position, for Van Gaal had a midfielder in central defence once again (Daley Blind), a winger as a No. 10 (Jesse Lingard), a No. 10 as a winger (Juan Mata), and a striker as a winger (Anthony Martial).

It meant the entire forward line were being played out of position, possibly a reason why United managed just one shot on target all afternoon.

Nine of the 14 players used at White Hart Lane were either signed or given their debuts by Van Gaal himself.

There is nowhere to hide and no more excuses; this is Van Gaal’s mess.

It looks increasingly likely another manager will be charged with clearing it up in the summer, but for now Van Gaal is still there, and on Wednesday night the FA Cup offers him one final chance for salvation when his side meets West Ham in their quarter-final replay at Upton Park.

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A first FA Cup win since 2004 and a day out at Wembley would be a respectable way for Van Gaal to leave United after a distinctly underwhelming two years.

But that is all it should be; a parting gift for winning the trophy would prove nothing and should not be allowed to prolong Van Gaal’s time at Old Trafford.

All it would prove is United were able to get past the lower league in Sheffield United, Derby County and Shrewsbury Town, then West Ham, Everton in the semi-final, and Watford or Crystal Palace in the final.

A Cup run would simply mirror their disappointing form in the league where United have been like a spluttering engine that now and again suddenly surges forward, but most of the time looks on the verge of stalling.

The Cup has so far suited United for there have been gaps and pauses—helpful for a team that has failed to put together a convincing run of results in the league all season. 

All their most impressive performances this season, lately the 3-2 win over Arsenal and the 1-0 victory at Manchester City, Van Gaal has effectively wasted them, for they were soon followed by defeats to West Brom and now Tottenham.

Even a late and undeserved win against Liverpool at Anfield in January, United's ultimate triumph, failed to rouse them, and a week latter they went down to a limp home defeat to Southampton.

United were derided as just a Cup team in the 1970s and 1980s, so Van Gaal should take no pride if he was able to revive that this season.

In 2016 United managers should only be judged on their Premier League and Champions League progress, and, here, Van Gaal has clearly failed.

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The sad truth is the FA Cup has long been a devalued trophy, especially for United, whose last meaningful success in the competition was in 1990.

They have won it four times since then, but in 1994, 1996, 1999 it was overshadowed by winning the Premier League title and in 1999 by the Champions League as well.

The last time United lifted the FA Cup on its own, in 2004, it was something of a consolation prize, and it would feel like that again this season. 

United still have to overcome three top-flight teams, all away from home, to be able to win the FA Cup, and on current form that seems unlikely after they have already lost seven times in their 17 away Premier League games.

But should United lift the Cup at Wembley on May 21, it would still not come close to masking the mess Van Gaal has created at Old Trafford.

The famous old trophy cannot save Van Gaal now.