For my money, this is the most interesting thing in the last 228 pages.
Basically, Fergie thinks that the club has wiped away its old identity, but that LvG is the sort of character that can get away with it. I'm beginning to agree.
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) are here to discuss three 1-1 draws.
The first got us knocked out of the FA Cup, the next puts us in a good position in our Round of 16 Europa League game, and the latest was an actual decent performance against Arsenal at Old Trafford.
All hopes for the season now rest on the Europa League - does Amorim have the squad to win it?
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Basically, Fergie thinks that the club has wiped away its old identity, but that LvG is the sort of character that can get away with it. I'm beginning to agree.
Yep that's what I made of those's comments. Although I think it's clearly the right thing to do because as we saw with Moyes the 'old identity' was pretty poisonous.
I love the way he's assured enough in his preparations that he doesn't need to get off the bench during games. SAF style 
I love the way he's assured enough in his preparations that he doesn't need to get off the bench during games. SAF style
I agree! Although, I would love to see him tear it up with a kung fu kick from his Ajax days
Probably not the best idea at his age though!The main issue with Moyes was that the side didn't even have an identity. Moyes' seemed trapped between wanting to play the 4-2-2-2 he used at Everton and the 4-4-2 he felt he had to play at United, because wingers were in the DNA of the club (quote Gary Neville).
Van Gaal has come in and already tried two systems to suit the players at his disposal, and he's been drilling the players religiously in his methods.
The big difference between the two men, and their two sides, is confidence. Van Gaal had the belief to come and say 'my way or the high way'. Moyes, sadly, never really imposed his (or any) real ideas on United: the squad looked and played like strangers.
We've been hanging on in some games, but in these games we could have easily been three or four goals up. There will be a game this season we demolish a side with a cricket score, I've no doubt in my mind.
Yeah, I'm a lot more confident than last year that we have the ability to completely outclass teams when we come up against them. We were pretty convincing against QPR, although 4-0 obviously falls short of a demolishing.
I was more meaning that 'Old Identity' was about the players at the club(Rio,The Class Of 92,)and how they acted during Moyes management rather than the playing style.
Although I agree with you about their identity issue under Moyes and the positives with Van Gaal
I wouldn't read a whole lot into that QPR game. We did the same to Norwich in Giggs' first game. And QPR are probably the worst side we've played in the league for a while.
When we start consistently doing it against better sides and/or away from home, then it's really telling us something.
True, although our football in the past couple of games has generally been a lot more promising. Not to mention that, in Di Maria, we've arguably got a player who's more capable of ripping apart opposition defences than anyone we've had since Ronaldo. Add into that a very good central midfield in Herrera and an array of attacking options, and I think we've got a team who will be able to score plenty of games when they're in form. If they can dominate certain games to the extent where our defensive issues aren't really being exposed at all, we'll likely have a few games this season where we can steamroll the opposition.
Re: di Maria, that's not arguable, that's a fact. And a very nice one, at that!
Was difficult two years for Ribery. Not just with football. Not just with van Gaal. Bayern did not let him go to Real, they implemented a second star with Robben, Lahm went from left to right what lead to a lot experimenting with the fullback on his side whereas the emphasize was now on the Right with Robben and Lahm and Müller often drifting there, he had to keep more rules when he was playing to match to the system. The story with that underage prostitute, the problems with his wife he is married to since he was very young, the World Cup story, the bad media because of this off-the-pitch-things... - and he was often injured...
Seems like everything came together in that two years.
He learned of it. 2009 he was not really the disciplined professional he is now. A Guardiola is a coach who is as much a discipline fanatics like van Gaal is.
A fun comedy skit from Dutch TV about LVG
That's probably why he failed to land the Sunderland managerial vacancy when he was looking for a new job prior to Bayern.
Frankly I'm surprised there's space for anything other than medical rooms around Carrington and Old Trafford.
Can someone post the article please???
Pity they must all be staffed by students or something.
There must also be a McDonald's somewhere at Carrington to have kept Ando satisfied all these years.
I think so too, the key here to running away with the points is Falcao. As soon as he finds his scoring feet it's going to be amazing. When it happens the squad will become more confident and a lot more players will get on the score sheet as well. I'm certainly not taking away Di Maria, Blind or Herrera's contributions so far, as they have all made a massive difference to the squad but I feel that Falcao is the difference that can get us at least top 3 this season. Goals can change matches and bring confidence to the team. IMO when Falcao is back I think he will give Costa a run for his money.
Full Time Devils have done a 3-part special in conjunction with Squawker to look into how LVG has done in his first 3 month. Check it out! Let us know if you like these studio chats too, coz if you do we'll bring more of em to ya.
Not so sure about that because in the Ronaldo thread we learn from some posters that goals can be pointless, especially the 3rd or 4th in a match.
I like them a lot, the fancams are great but the studio chats are good too. Adam's doing great I think. I've subscribed to FTD's youtube channel and I make sure I watch most if not all of their videos.
Ok so a 20 goal a season striker isn't something we need then?
Sorry folks' majorly off topic here!
I think Stretford Red's having more of a dig at those posters who he's talking about rather than saying goals are unimportant.
Really enjoyed this. Agreed with much they had to say as well.
No dig's here! Everyone is entitled to their opinion, it is a forum! I just think that it's important to the team as a whole and to our final position this season. that's all!
Yeah Giggs being the manager is pretty much nailed after LVG(If things go according to the plan).
I doubt that the club is going to hire Giggs after the Moyes debacle and it shouldn't. The club should stop giving important position to past players just because they are legends (especially Giggs who seems to be rising up from job to job without much qualifications). If they prove themselves capable, then they should be given an opportunity, and not be given everything on a silver platter.
I don't see why it's so important for United to fast track Giggs into being their manager. Too symbolic and too sentimental.
I agree but I can only think Giggs would of only taken the assistant role if he knew it was going to lead somewhere(I can't see him being assistant to another manager after LVG).Also I seem to remember that although LVG normal has one of the coach from the club on his team. The United board wanted Giggs to be that person.
The biggest worry for me with Giggs is that it could quite easily go so wrong and then if it does the Moyes shit storm will look like a breeze when compared how bad it could go with Giggs(Can you image the headline 'United Sack Giggs').
My hope for Giggs being the United manager(A part from LVG comments) is that by the time Van Gaal has turned the team around it. That the team will have so much quality in it that it will Giggs job a hell of a lot easier(In the same vain as Guardiola at Barca,although looking back you could hardly call it easy or stress free ).
Feel the same way. Can only image Giggs is rated highly with the people at the top at United.
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Maybe Giggs can take over at Dortmund when we get Klopp.
Are the bad results for the Dutch proof of how well Van Gaal did in Brazil? I certainly think so.
I think so, he picked a formation that suited the players he had, not try to keep the Johan Cruyffs of the world happy. I wonder what old Johan is thinking about the Holland performances now. Also all the bickering in the squad seems to be surfacing again. LvG kept the squad happy.
It's early days, still think they'll come good, but Hiddink's last real great managerial performance was taking Australia to a World Cup and they were unfortunate not to make the quarters of that World Cup.
Guardiola didn't inherit a great Barcelona side by any stretch of the imagination. Giggs becoming United's next manager is their big chance to have a club legend in charge. Doesn't make it right though.
Didn't they win the CL - against us - in his first season?
He inherited a Barcelona side that had won nothing for two consecutive seasons.
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