Posts Tagged ‘Louis van Gaal’

Mourinho To Replace Van Gaal, (Eventually)?

Posted: April 18, 2016 in Football, Managers, Manchester United, Opinion
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So, the big question is: Is Jose Mourinho taking over from van Gaal at United or not?

The answer to this question should be very simple. Even the most anti-Mourinho supporters are now in the “anyone but van Gaal” camp. Mourinho certainly fits the “anyone but van Gaal” criterion.

So what is the problem? What is holding up the proceedings? Is it Woodward? Is he so stubborn that he doesn’t want to sack the second manager he has appointed? Would being removed from overseeing all things football be such a tragedy for him? That is what appears to be his biggest fear.

He has an awful record since replacing David Gill both in management appointments and in transfer dealings. His appointment of David Moyes, on a seven years contract was just idiotic. This was followed by van Gaal. He was, in fairness, appointed for all the right reasons, he just went past his sell-by date very quickly and Woodward seems loathe to accept the fact. (more…)

Now The Idiot Van Gaal Has United Out Of The B Competition

Posted: March 17, 2016 in Football, Manchester United, Opinion
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When the teams were announced before the game and James Milner was going to be playing at left back for Liverpool, myself and Paul Scholes both thought the same thing: play Martial on the right to have a run at him.

What did van Gaal do? Played Mata on the right! Apart from being slow, very left-footed and useless as a winger this was a stupid move. He also played Lingard, who should be dropped, on the left and he looked completely clueless.

Another stupid move was playing Varela at right back when he has the Italian right back sat on the bench. Darmian has nineteen caps for Italy so surely he is good enough for this Manchester United team!

Fellaini was retained in midfield for no apparent reason and huffed and puffed without ever achieving anything. (more…)

Why Oh Why Is Van Gaal Still There?

Posted: March 13, 2016 in Football, Managers, Manchester United, Opinion
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(Louis, as he appears in my dreams, waving goodbye to Manchester United. It is long past the time when this dream should have come true)

West Ham are now favourites to progress to the semi-finals of the FA Cup having drawn with Manchester United at Old Trafford 1-1.

Liverpool are favourites to progress to the last eight of the Europa League having beaten United at Anfield 2-0.

The Red Devils currently lie sixth in the Premier League and look like missing out on a place in next season’s Champion’s League, unless Arsenal collapse, (which is a possibility), and/or City continue their current winless run.

This, to a deluded Dutchman, is progress. According to him his three year plan is well on track. Well, unless his three year plan was to waste millions of pounds on average players, finish in a lower league position each year and win absolutely nothing, then he is not on track. In fact, he is so far off track that he is in serious danger of requiring a psychiatrist to explain his problems to him. (more…)

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. (more…)

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! (more…)

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. (more…)

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. (more…)

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. (more…)

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. (more…)

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.

(more…)

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