United under LvG: verdict so far!

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Insanity said:
I have had my doubts, still do but the last two have been fantastic results. Totally contrary to the expectations. Never expected to turn it around so swiftly.

Well done, Louie!

Get us top 4 and I'll punch myself on the face for calling him a moron earlier.
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No need for that. There'll be a queue of Caftards ready to do it for you.

Think of the movie 'Airplane'.

A few weeks back I called LvG a 'disappointment', so my fate (and face) hangs in the balance over the next 8 games. I'm ready to sacrifice my handsome features though and hope we qualify for the Cl.
 
Will Absolute said:
No need for that. There'll be a queue of Caftards ready to do it for you.

Think of the movie 'Airplane'.

A few weeks back I called LvG a 'disappointment', so my fate (and face) hangs in the balance over the next 8 games. I'm ready to sacrifice my handsome features though and hope we qualify for the Cl.
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:D

I know there will a queue of "I told you so" bastards.
 
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I've been skeptical, to say the least, but always maintained that we must judge him by the results come the end of the season, with top four a must. Today was a huge step towards achieving that.

As an added bonus, we've played some really, really entertaining football against quality opposition in these last two games (as well as the first half against Arsenal in the FA Cup). If we'd been playing that brand of football throughout the season I would gladly opine that he must be given more time regardless if we don't make top four.

Hopefully we'll make top four though, so that it will be a moot point.
 
I've always supported the guy, I do believe in him. I do think he underestimated the Premier League and how competitive it is. Doesn't matter whether you are playing a top team of a bottom of the league team, it is always going to be often unpredictable. That is the result of loads of money in this league. He probably went home often and said "shite..this is much tougher than I thought...". But he's a winner, proven, and is pretty stubborn, we had someone pretty similar in charge. On top of all this, I think you can tell he's really enjoying it..the challenge.
 
togg said:
I've always supported the guy, I do believe in him. I do think he underestimated the Premier League and how competitive it is. Doesn't matter whether you are playing a top team of a bottom of the league team, it is always going to be often unpredictable. That is the result of loads of money in this league. He probably went home often and said "shite..this is much tougher than I thought...". But he's a winner, proven, and is pretty stubborn, we had someone pretty similar in charge. On top of all this, I think you can tell he's really enjoying it..the challenge.
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I don't think it's to do with the money at all as PL teams are not really high in quality. The thing that might have surprised him is that every PL team plays with so much more heart over brains. Pace, high tempo, relentless running, all these things can really disrupt the meticulous tactical approach that Van Gaal has. Games in Spain or Germany, teams still try to develop their game which can be slow and labored. Over here, it's harried and frantic without much else which is admittedly very entertaining.
 
Theonas said:
I don't think it's to do with the money at all as PL teams are not really high in quality. The thing that might have surprised him is that every PL team plays with so much more heart over brains. Pace, high tempo, relentless running, all these things can really disrupt the meticulous tactical approach that Van Gaal has. Games in Spain or Germany, teams still try to develop their game which can be slow and labored. Over here, it's harried and frantic without much else which is admittedly very entertaining.
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yes, don't disagree, although I do think the richness of the Premier League allows for smaller teams to buy one or two players in their team who can change a game with a single piece of magic. However, yes...it's the relentlessness and pace of the Premier League that means some of the more artistic players don't have the time they usually need to exercise their skills. Di Maria is certainly finding that I reckon. Be interesting to see how Messi would do week in week out.
 
togg said:
yes, don't disagree, although I do think the richness of the Premier League allows for smaller teams to buy one or two players in their team who can change a game with a single piece of magic. However, yes...it's the relentlessness and pace of the Premier League that means some of the more artistic players don't have the time they usually need to exercise their skills. Di Maria is certainly finding that I reckon. Be interesting to see how Messi would do week in week out.
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Yea that's a fair point about teams usually having one or two special players. It definitely helps against the big boys. I think for a select few like Messi, it wouldn't matter that much. Maybe he won't be as productive but not by a long margin I reckon. I think the most important thing here is that people mistake the fact that PL teams are more competitive with actually quality. I wouldn't fancy mid table PL teams against their equivalent in Spain or Germany but I would think for us, it's easier to play Córdoba away than Burnley. It's strange but I really feel the British mentality and mindset have that big of a factor.
 
Seem to remember one of the Bayern lads on here talking about how, during the 09/10 season, they were largely playing the type of shite, dull stuff we've been used to for large parts of this season, until in one match everything just kind of clicked and they never looked back (went on to do the double of course). Maybe something similar happened against Tottenham last week. Obviously too late to challenge this year, but I don't see any reason why we can't make a serious run for the league next season if this continues and we spend wisely over the summer.
 
This guy gives me a headache but after Fergie's official statement in defense of LVG I have no doubt now that he's staying here for even 5 years.

Sometimes you just can't argue with SAF even if there's some points to add like doubts and questions. I wish him well here but the season is still on and loads of decisions to be made in the summer.
 
Great results and performances in the last couple of weeks but we need to build on them and end the season strongly. It's quite clear that the shift to a 4-3-3/4-1-4-2 has been behind these results/performances, now the challenge is will he maintain the same shape when 'you know who' is back. Sadly, after what I've seen, I don't trust him to do the right thing when the time comes- he will value pampering Van Persie's ego over this brilliant run of form.
 
2cents said:
Seem to remember one of the Bayern lads on here talking about how, during the 09/10 season, they were largely playing the type of shite, dull stuff we've been used to for large parts of this season, until in one match everything just kind of clicked and they never looked back (went on to do the double of course). Maybe something similar happened against Tottenham last week. Obviously too late to challenge this year, but I don't see any reason why we can't make a serious run for the league next season if this continues and we spend wisely over the summer.
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Yup, it was against Juventus in CL's group, iirc.
 
Sitting on 59 points after 30 games. We finished the season on 64 last year. It could be better, but it's substantially better than Moyes.
 
I think this game in particular, as well as the game with Spurs, will make a lot of doubters happier for him to be given another season, even if we go back to playing how we did before.

I always thought he should get another season, but was creeping slowly towards becoming a doubter myself. Its definitely made me have a rethink there.
 
You'd have to be made of wood for doubts not to have started creeping in. But yeah, we can see now what we are trying to do, whether we can do it consistently or not at least we have that sense of what we're working towards.
 
gerdm07 said:
For the first time since the preseason I'm starting to believe!

The big difference for me is that we are finally moving the ball quickly with one-touch passing and that caused so many problems for Spurs and Liverpool.
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exactly the same...
 
His philopshy has coincided with Carricks return and a Carrick/Herrera partnership.

Its no surprose that we have Carrick/Herrera/Mata/Fellaini/Blind all on the pitch at the same time and we keep the ball well whilst being more incisive with our passing.

Di Marias red card, Shaw and Falcao being out of form and RVPs injury, along with Carrick coming back, has seen LVG possibly stumble across something a lot of people have been crying out for (433 with Carrick/Herrera and Rooney as lone man). Its working,
 
He really doesn't deserve much credit yet. The Caf's a difficult place to reach a consensus but almost to a poster we could've told you to: play Rooney up front, start Herrera and Mata. Our upturn is less philosophy, more common sense, and after our last couple matches, the question is how much has LVG's inability to recognize this cost us.
 
He's turning things around big time.

Some may say it's been coming for a long time, but i think it's about van gaal fixing his mistakes more than anything, he knows now his best players and best formation, having falcao, van persie and rooney in the same team was a poor approach.

Now we have a much balanced team, so credit to him for changing things, he even had the balls to drop di maria today after our performance without him against spurs, which was a great call.

A good manager should always be open to change, and now i'm much more relaxed about our future under him, it took him a while but he's there.

He's also clearly a big game manager, and i expect us to do really well in europe under him.
 
Pretty sure we will make top four now - and what's more the last two games have seen us play some really good stuff.

We still need to cement top four of course but it looks like everything is clicking at just the right time.
 
Looking back on results now it's Kind of frustrating when you consider all the silly points we've dropped.

5-3 vs Leicester

O-1 loss at OT vs Southampton

1-1 away at Sunderland

0-0 away vs Burnley

All very winnable games and we'd comfortably be top of the league.
 
dannyrhinos89 said:
Looking back on results now it's Kind of frustrating when you consider all the silly points we've dropped.

5-3 vs Leicester

O-1 loss at OT vs Southampton

1-1 away at Sunderland

0-0 away vs Burnley

All very winnable games and we'd comfortably be top of the league.
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Same case can be argued for the other teams around us. Preferably,you'd like to gain more points from those type of sloppy games, but one would only frustrate the grey hairs out of him in counting points when you could have won them.
 
Someone said:
He's turning things around big time.

Some may say it's been coming for a long time, but i think it's about van gaal fixing his mistakes more than anything
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Agreed, he's clearly not as stubborn as people feared.
 
I hope the ones who were comparing him with Moyes and saying he is no better, without taking all things in perspective, are seeing their error now.
 
Paul the Wolf said:
This thread will be a hilarious read at the end of the season, especially if we get 2nd (or better - well probably not)
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Why? It'll have been a surprise to everyone and it doesn't change the shockingly shit and boring football we've played. Everyone was still right to judge him as much as they have, IMO. Particularly because the lineups he should have been starting with were so obvious to everyone here, which has been proven now. Most people have stuck by him though, even if they had their doubts (me included). I think this place will be a very happy one indeed if we did come second.

Edit: Also, this is two games. Two great games, but lets just calm down a sec here. No one needs to 'see their errors'.
 
It's hard to be too critical of Van Gaal. Maybe he should have worked out our best line up earlier than March but it's understandable that he went to great lengths to try to fit the British record signing and someone previously regarded as the world's best number 9 into the side. You can also argue that RVP (the league's best striker in 2012 and 2013 seasons) deserved every chance to prove he could still do it.
 
Van Gaal's pointless possession game has been pissing me off big time, not going to lie. But, today and against Spurs, we looked very solid and it proved to be effective. 4-3-3 definitely seems to suit his "philosophy" on the pitch better and the players are simply more comfortable. At times today, we made Liverpool look like a bunch of headless chickens, which made me laugh out loud. Still a lot of work to be done in order to get the best out of the players and the overall cohesion but I'm finally seeing progression, which most of us fans have been craving for this season. Some areas in the squad are still weak (not looking at you Antonio), but hopefully after the right signings this summer, we could be looking at an impressive and consistent United once again. Tactics today were spot on, props the players and LVG. One thing you have to give Van Gaal, he is bloody confident which is why the players respect him a lot more than Moyes.
 
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VeevaVee said:
Why? It'll have been a surprise to everyone and it doesn't change the shockingly shit and boring football we've played. Everyone was still right to judge him as much as they have, IMO. Particularly because the lineups he should have been starting with were so obvious to everyone here, which has been proven now. Most people have stuck by him though, even if they had their doubts (me included). I think this place will be a very happy one indeed if we did come second.

Edit: Also, this is two games. Two great games, but lets just calm down a sec here. No one needs to 'see their errors'.
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It's not just the last two games, and it's not just the line-ups and it will be no surprise to me if we finish second and never has been
 
Our retention has progressed to the middle of the field/start of the final third and not in our own box. It's very good to see, and takes a lot of pressure of off Smalling/Jones/De Gea.

I still worry that he has the throb for his golden boy RvP, but we'll cross that bridge when we reach it.
 
royboy16 said:
I like RVP but I hope LVG doesnt feck up the team now and automatically start him as the last 2 matches have been great.
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Interesting issue indeed. There is no place for passengers in this crucial period. RvP is a worldclass striker who can individually decide the game, but characteristically he usually has slow starts after an injury. Problem here, not to many games left to find the rythm again. Hope i am wrong ofcourse, because a fit RvP can still create that bit of magic up front.
 
fishfingers15 said:
Some of @Sultan 's posts in this thread are baffling. Always such an articulate poster and preaches for patience, but has been put off by Van Gaal for some reason.
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To be fair, LvG has been baffling with some of his formations and personnel choices. Last couple of games is an indication we had the squad to have done a lot better in a lot of previous games.
 
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