OLD TRAFFORD UNCOVERED: Van Gaal WILL get £150m to complete United project
THE word at Old Trafford is that Manchester United will back Louis Van Gaal with another £150m-plus transfer war chest this summer to complete his “project” – whether he guides them back into the Champions League or not.
Louis van Gaal will be given £150m to bolster his squad at Manchester United this summer
United’s FA Cup exit to Arsenal simply underlined that the squad is not good enough to compete for the major prizes in the game.
Van Gaal is looking for a right back, centre half, midfield enforcer, a winger and one, if not two, strikers.
On the radar are Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne, long-term targets Mats Hummels and Kevin Strootman – if he can make a full recovery from his knee injury – Memphis Depay, and two England prospects, Saido Berahinho and Danny Ings.
But United followers are wondering if the Dutchman can be trusted to spend the money wisely after a season when it has been difficult to see any real progress since the departure of David Moyes last April.
So far none of last summer’s signings have been an unqualified success while there are serious doubts emerging over Van Gaal's tactics, formations and team selections, not to mention fears that he is "over-coaching" the players and stifling initiative and risk-taking.
Angel Di Maria’s miserable debut season in English football reached a new low on Monday evening when he was foolishly sent off for laying hands on referee Michael Oliver. Whatever the legitimacy of a protest over a decision, every player should be aware you cannot do that and expect to get away with it.
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Angel Di Maria covers his face after being sent off
The fact Radamel Falcao was not even summoned from the bench as United chased the game underlines football's worst-kept secret - that Van Gaal has already decided not to turn the Colombia international striker’s loan spell from Monaco into a permanent move.
The irony that Arsenal’s winner was scored by Danny Welbeck, the player displaced by the misfiring Falcao, was not lost on Van Gaal.
Luke Shaw, not helped by several niggling injuries, appears to have gone backwards since his move from Southampton. His trademark attacking forays are limited and he appears inhibited.
Like Shaw, Ander Herrera was also replaced at half-time and although he is a neat and tidy passer, and has weighed in with a number of goals, there are doubts whether he can develop into the creative midfield force United need.
Daley Blind is a steady holding player but his limitations were exposed against Arsenal’s pacy, skilful raiders on Monday and he is far from being a “game-changing” force.
On balance, centre back Marcos Rojo has been Van Gaal’s most successful signing but he needs to curb a reckless streak that could have earned him a red card for a scything challenge on Santi Cazorla.
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Radamel Falcao failed to come off the bench
Van Gaal’s experiment of using Antonio Valencia as a right back was exposed once again as flawed. While the Ecuador international is a capable right winger he has never been, and never will, be a defender.
Not for the first time, he was caught out of position for Arsenal’s first goal – when, inexcusably, he also turned his back on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s run – and then gifted Welbeck the winner with an under-hit back pass.
Van Gaal’s claim that Valencia was United’s best player on the night was not only bewildering but also cast further doubts on his judgment.
Coming on top of several unconvincing performances, the Cup exit left United followers wondering what progress, if any has been made this season.
United’s hierarchy however, cannot and will not contemplate another managerial change.
They acknowledged the daunting task facing Moyes when he took over from Sir Alex Ferguson, by handing him the security of a six-year contract, only to lose their nerve after 11 months and fire him following a string of embarrassing defeats to Olympiakos, Liverpool, Manchester City and Everton.
Having giving the vastly-experienced Van Gaal three years to turn round the club’s fortunes, it would smack of knee-jerk panic if they then got rid of the Dutchman after his first year, even if he fails to deliver his bottom-line remit: a return to the Champions League.
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Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs talk at the end of the match
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The next month will be a defining period whether Van Gaal’s first season will be viewed a qualified success, by virtue of a return to Europe’s top table or, as former captain Roy Keane, put it, “a disaster.”
Despite that doomsday comment, Keane argues that Van Gaal deserves time to complete what the Dutchman calls “the project.”
The trouble is United have no time to feel sorry for themselves. They need to pick themselves up quickly from their FA Cup disappointment with games against top four rivals Tottenham and Liverpool before the international break.
After the resumption, they face rejuvenated Aston Villa before the Manchester derby and a trip to Stamford Bridge.
Failure to return to the Champions League would throw up all manner of problems, not least delivering another serious blow to United’s revenue streams, especially as their new £750m Adidas kit would be considerably reduced.
It could also hinder the search for top players to Old Trafford while possibly influencing goalkeeper David De Gea, out of contract at the end of next season, to decide maybe the time has come to return to Spain and join Real Madrid.
Van Gaal arrived at Old Trafford with a glittering CV and on the back of guiding Holland to third place in the World Cup. Now he has 10 games to prove he hasn't lost his managerial magic.
