The feeling going into Saturday afternoon at Old Trafford was one of optimism and excitement. Set to forget last seasons disappointments and led by a new manager fresh off an outstanding World Cup for the Netherlands, the attitude was positive. That all changed after 90 minutes of inconsistent football against a well-organized Swansea squad.
First and foremost, Louis Van Gaal must re-think his tactical outlook, unless the players he has now make drastic improvements or he dips into the transfer market. The 5-3-2 proved to be ineffective with struggling center backs, and the four-back formation he switched to at halftime was only so much better.
Most importantly, Van Gaal needs to add depth to his team by bringing in at least two top players before the window closes. There is a sense right now that United are on the cusp of making such deals. Marcos Rojo unofficially declared he is heading to Old Trafford, a signing I thought was a must.
Meanwhile in Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti has reportedly said Angel Di Maria is free to leave, the caveat being he can leave for the right price. United could be willing to part ways with a lot of cash this summer, and they may have to in order to reach the Champions League. Di Maria would be a fantastic signing, but it remains to be seen if he can play in a more physical league, while United could ultimately be priced out of a deal for the Argentine.
In the wake of ‘Vidal to United,’ a phrase we’ve heard too much this summer and one I believed to never be legitimate, Van Gaal has supposedly switched his focus to Alex Song. Since joining Barcelona, Song has failed to impose himself as he did in the premier league, and is often played out of position. Song would be a terrific signing for United, unless he does anymore of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTYGF2XAJNc
Even with the signing of Rojo, Daley Blind should still be a target, the reason being he would complement Ander Herrera extremely well in the central midfield. Both players are flexible position-wise; Blind can also play wing back while Rojo plays left center back primarily for his club. Depth on the left side would allow Ashley Young to play a more familiar role and not endure days like Saturday anymore on the left.
Van Gaal should be considering other targets too, ones that the tabloids and media don’t know about. Ron Vlaar could quietly be a target for the Dutchman, who saw his countryman flourish in Brazil at center back. Hector Herrera, another standout in Brazil, would be a perfect addition, as Rio Ferdinand said on twitter during the group stage. Christoph Kramer, whose World Cup was cut short by a concussion in the final, would be a fantastic signing too.
Whoever Van Gaal signs, United fans should rest easy that they will improve the squad, which is all they can ask for right now. Another important thing to point out is that often times for athletes, starting such a long competition in poor fashion can ease expectations, although given the Moyes effect I’m not sure that’s the case here.
Regardless, United must improve, and they must improve with haste. It may not be as difficult as people are making it out to be, but Van Gaal certainly has his work cut out for him. United enter a seven day stretch in which they play five matches starting on Sunday against Sunderland, thus the Dutch manager may need reinforcements sooner than he thinks.
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