Upon his arrival at Manchester United, Louis Van Gaal brought an aura of confidence and optimism with him following the World Cup. I asserted that Manchester United fans should be encouraged by the Netherlands’ success in Brazil, and that Van Gaal showed the qualities necessary to turn things around at Old Trafford.
Weeks later, Manchester United are now out of the Capital One Cup courtesy of League One side Milton Keynes Dons, who ruthlessly bludgeoned the Red Devils 4-0 today. After a poor start to the premier league, Van Gaal was the first to tell us that things would get worse before they would get better. Well, the Dutchman was right, and things are now worse…or are they?
One of the things I love about Van Gaal is his willingness to put promising but unproven players on the pitch in competitive matches. Marnick Vermijl and Saidy Janko were given their debuts for the club, a sign that Van Gaal is looking toward the future. Besides, is this not what explicitly what Van Gaal promised in his first press conference at Manchester United?
Being eliminated from the competition altogether negates the likeliness of these players seeing more chances, but first-team players should nonetheless be wary of Van Gaal’s affinity for fresh blood. Reece James, Tyler Blackett, and Michael Keane have featured heavily in preseason and in games against Swansea and Sunderland, and are likely to stay in contention for roles in the squad.
The presence of new faces from within will only push the likes of Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, and Jonny Evans. Van Gaal will instill it in his players that no one is assured a spot in the team, and that a younger, hungrier player will always be waiting in the wings should someone become complacent or lazy.
In the long run, getting these players on the field will benefit the club, and don’t be surprised to see more unknowns make their debuts for the club this season. Van Gaal said after the game that he is here to build a new team, a feat impossible in such a short amount of time. He’s right, and United fans have to maintain their patience with the accomplished Dutchman.
Meanwhile, Anderson, Nick Powell, Shinji Kagawa, Chicharito, and Danny Welbeck all failed to impress. One can only wonder if any of these men have played their final game in a Manchester United shirt. In the end, seeing these players play such a horrible game collectively is a blessing in disguise since players more likely to feature in the years to come will see more opportunities.
The worst thing that can happen at Manchester United right now is for the supporters not to be 100% behind Louis Van Gaal. He is not David Moyes, and he has won handfuls of trophies over the years. One of the conditions of his arrival was that he would be given time, and time is definitely still on his side.
Ed Woodward knew of the imminent departures of Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, and Patrice Evra, but did nothing to soften the loss of three quarters of United's best back line for years. It isn't just that Woodward hasn't replaced them by now, it's that he didn't do it years ago. Van Gaal implied his displeasure at the lack of work done already when he arrived, calling his new team a 'broken squad.'
On a final note, I will reiterate how important Van Gaal has been to the shape of football since his first coaching role with Ajax in 1991. Wherever he has managed, Van Gaal has injected previously unknown talent into the spotlight. By no means are Reece James, Michael Keane, or Saidy Janko destined for super-stardom, but here are a few reasons to still be positive if you’re a Red Devil fan.
At Ajax, Clarence Seedorf, Edgar Davids, and Patrick Kluivert all saw their first-team debuts. The Dutch national team consequently enjoyed high degrees of success in the late 90’s.
Over two stints in charge of Barcelona, Van Gaal integrated Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, and Victor Valdes into the Catalan squad, two of those men spearheading three major tournament wins for Spain.
Most recently at Bayern Munich, Van Gaal installed first-team players Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller, and Holger Badstuber. All three are integral to both club and country, and have enjoyed the highest success at both levels.
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