How Can Manchester United Even Contemplate Keeping Louis Van Gaal When Jose Mourinho Is Available?

Posted: March 6, 2016 in Chelsea, Football, Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal, Managers, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League
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Recently I have been reading that the last three results have turned Louis van Gaal into such a good manager that Manchester United couldn’t bear to see him leave at the end of the season and would like him to stay on for his contracted final year.

The last three results have been the Europa League win over FC Midtjylland, who would just about survive the first division in England, followed by a good 3-2 win over Arsenal, who were abysmal and ending in a very fortuitous 1-0 win over Watford, a game in which they were lucky Watford didn’t score three.

With the exception of the Arsenal game, the other two again papered over the cracks and certainly made van Gaal look a lot better than he really is. The problem when this happens is that some people actually believe he is good, only for a short while, but long enough for the damage to be done.

Louis van Gaal has, basically, had his day. He cannot live with the modern game, particularly in the Premier League where he has never managed before. He is far too arrogant to admit it and prefers to rely completely on excuses when his team loses. Read the rest of this entry »

Normal Rubbish Has Been Resumed By Van Gaal And Manchester United

Posted: March 6, 2016 in Football, Louis van Gaal, Managers, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League
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Well, after this result at the Hawthorns, we have learnt something more about Louis van Gaal or, should I say, a previous theory has been confirmed.

When he has a lot of injuries and selection is not a very complicated process the team have been getting results. He hasn’t had the luxury of being able to mess around with formations or philosophies etc. He has had to pick whatever has been available and run with it. This had proven to be quite successful recently.

So, now a couple of the more experienced players are back from injury, why would you change a winning formula? I certainly don’t know, it is a question for the arrogant Dutchman to answer.

Of course, there was no way of knowing that a normally reasonably intelligent player like Juan Mata would decide to become stupid for a ten minute period during which he managed to collect two yellow cards. This was obviously never going to help the cause. He was, however, not one of the returning injured and had played throughout the good spell, so his dismissal, while stupid should not have been terminal. Read the rest of this entry »

Why I Support Manchester United

Posted: March 4, 2016 in Football, Manchester United, Opinion
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The Manchester United I began supporting as a boy were far removed from the Manchester United of today.

I first started going to Old Trafford in 1965 and sat in the Stretford End whenever United were at home. Deemed too young to go to away games, (that was the excuse anyway), my father would take me to Maine Road to watch City whenever United were away.

City never held the same attraction for me as United. It could have been that they were in the second division, it may have been that they had no “star” players, (although they were to acquire some in the near future). The atmosphere in the Platt Lane End of Maine Road didn’t seem to have the same intensity as Old Trafford. So I looked forward to United’s games with far more excitement than those of City. Read the rest of this entry »

United, City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs & Liverpool. Normal Service Will Resume Next Season!

Posted: March 1, 2016 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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Manchester United: Not too long ago I wrote an article which described how United weren’t too far away from having a team to win the title. I thought, at the time, that they were short of two, maybe three, top players.

I have since revised my opinion. Whilst playing quite well recently they have relied on injuries to force through some of the promising youngsters. This is a sad indictment on the transfer windows where adequate players were not purchased. If van Gaal sees out the final year of his contract then they will again struggle to reach the top four.

If, however, they take the logical option and appoint Mourinho, then I would make them slight favourites to win it.

Manchester City: Should be a lot closer to winning the title than where they are now. Having said that, with the bonus of the Capital One Cup win, they could very easily go on an unbeaten run that still achieves their goal! Read the rest of this entry »

Same Old Arsenal Under Wenger, Different Manchester United Under Van Gaal

Posted: February 28, 2016 in Arsenal, Football, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League
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Well that was a nice surprise! Arsenal were favourites to win at Old Trafford for the first time in ages and never looked as though they would actually manage it throughout the game.

After the game Graeme Souness, Thierry Henry and David Platt all questioned the commitment and desire of the Arsenal eleven. Arsene Wenger saw nothing wrong with the commitment and desire of the Arsenal eleven, and THAT is the problem!

Wenger thought United had kept breaking up the game with petty fouls although, given that all the experience was with his team you would think that they could have coped. United won this game with an overall possession of 39%.

Arsenal, yet again, proved susceptible to the counter-attack, which was how United had to play due to injury and no adequate replacements ever being bought. In Marcus Rashford though, they seem to have inadvertently found a star for now, never mind the future. His two goals were taken very well and now bring his tally to four in two games. Read the rest of this entry »

Manchester City & Liverpool Fans Pay The Price Again For Wembly’s Shortcomings

Posted: February 28, 2016 in Capital One Cup, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Opinion
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Wembley Stadium - Pre Carling Cup Final

If a family of four, from either Manchester or Liverpool, wishes to see the Capital One Cup final at Wembley they can do so for a reasonably small fortune.

Yes folks, it is that disgraceful time of they year when the FA, for reasons known only to themselves and for a lot of money, decide that two teams and their fans, separated only by 30 miles of motorway should travel, at great expense, to London to play a game of football which could have been played a lot nearer home.

Without going into any great research I just quickly looked for match tickets and train tickets and found that for a mere ÂŁ82 each return, the family can get to London. For a further ÂŁ40 each, they can have a ticket to watch the match.

So, assuming that they travel to, and back from, London on the same day, eat before they leave and when they get home, thereby spending nothing more than the ticket prices, (train and match), the cost to this family will only be ÂŁ488 in total.

By the time they get back to either Liverpool or Manchester they will be starving and very tired, but one of them will have seen their team lift a trophy. Read the rest of this entry »

Manchester United’s Limp Turns Into A Stroll!

Posted: February 25, 2016 in Europa League, Football, Manchester United, Opinion
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To be honest, this was a very decent performance by Manchester United. Despite going a goal down in the first half and missing a penalty they played with enough purpose and resolve to score five good goals.

To add to the reasons for slight celebration, two of the goals were scored by Marcus Rashford, making his debut after Anthony Martial had decided that David De Gea shouldn’t have the monopoly on pulling up with an injury just before kick-off. What further added to the feel-good factor was the fact that Memphis Depay was the man-of-the-match.

To continue with the honesty, though, this was always a game that a Manchester United team should expect to win. They are in the Europa League playing teams who weren’t good enough for the Champion’s League. The fact that they have now fallen into this category is their own fault, but they should still be good enough to win it, even though they probably won’t.

Staying with “honesty is the best policy”, the young lads who won the game tonight were not playing because van Gaal gives young lads a chance, no, they were playing because injuries give young lads a chance. Read the rest of this entry »

Manchester United Trying To Catch Manchester City, Whatever Next?

Posted: February 25, 2016 in Football, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League
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What is happening in Manchester? United, if they are not very careful, will continue on their downward slope into total mediocrity, (in some people’s eyes, they are already there)!

City, on the other hand, can afford to throw away the FA Cup in order to be able to win in the Ukraine three days later. Many people think they could have achieved the Champion’s League win without sacrificing the other trophy but, what the heck? This is City. Who cares what the fans want?

What was particularly annoying was that they had been on a very good run in this competition with some good away wins and there was a very real possibility that a stronger City team would have beaten Chelsea.

So, at least if City win the treble, it will not include the FA Cup so wouldn’t be quite the achievement of United in 1999. Read the rest of this entry »

Jose Mourinho Doesn’t Want The Manchester United Job Now

Posted: February 24, 2016 in Chelsea, Football, Jose Mourinho, Managers, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League
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The latest from the gutter press appears to be that Jose Mourinho doesn’t want the Manchester United job! Not until June anyway. That means that whatever happens between now and the end of the season can be blamed on van Gaal and van Gaal alone!

Could be a smart move, Jose and, then again, maybe not. What happens if United win the FA Cup and the Europa League? Remember that the team have now returned to winning ways and have just beaten a team sixty places below them who are struggling against relegation. According to Louis this was “fantastic”.

It does seem, unfortunately, that barring relegation and all the players handing in transfer requests, van Gaal will be there until the end of the season. Nobody appears to want to be called the “interim manager”.

There is also the Ed Woodward factor. He would be stupid enough to insist that van Gaal saw out his contract if he was given the slightest excuse and winning a trophy or two would pass for the slightest excuse. Read the rest of this entry »

Same Old Arsenal, Same Old Barcelona

Posted: February 23, 2016 in Arsenal, Champions League, Football, Opinion
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Without playing particularly well, (by their own standards anyway), Barcelona were able to win this game as though they had played particularly well.

Arsenal had chances and should have certainly scored at least one goal. They didn’t and, against a side as good as Barcelona, that will always be a problem. As Aaron Ramsey pointed out the Spanish side average a goal per game so somebody WAS going to score for them.

When the goals came they came from Lionel Messi. No surprise there you may think but, before tonight, he had NEVER scored against Petr Cech.

His first was laid on a plate for him by Neymar, who unselfishly squared the ball back for him to take a touch, which beat Cech all ends up, then place the ball in the net.

His second came from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by Mathieu Flamini, who was making his first tackle having just come on as a substitute for Coquelin.

Read the rest of this entry »

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