A win at last, but little to entertain fans as balance eludes LVG
HERE in a nutshell, over the course of 90 minutes of fluctuating football, lay the root of Louis van Gaal’s problems.
As Manchester United manager, he is expected to win and win in style. The first objective was accomplished yesterday for the first time in nine games. The second clearly remains a work in progress.
Because, at present, winning and entertaining are two very different issues for this team.
What came naturally to Alex Ferguson’s United of old is alien to Van Gaal. He likes to control a game, to kill opponents with possession.
Throwing caution to the wind or allowing players more freedom of expression will never be part of the plan.
There may well be a balance in time, but finding it is proving difficult.
For the first half yesterday, we witnessed a return to the turgid football that has so frustrated United fans this season; sideways passes, a slow, methodical build-up, and a lack of cutting edge football.
The result? A depressing step backwards after the encouraging performance against Chelsea here on Monday.
In the second half, a more enterprising approach brought goals for Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney, but one at the other end for a Swansea side who have scored fewer goals than any other team in the Premier League apart from bottom club Aston Villa.
Andre Ayew hit the post and if Gylfi Sigurdsson’s late corner had fallen to anybody else except goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, we would be talking about another United draw this morning.
The simple fact is that when Van Gaal’s team open up at one end, they leave themselves wide open at the other.
It was clear when they had to win in Wolfsburg last month and got taken apart at the back in a 3-2 defeat, and it was clear for periods in the second half yesterday when Swansea had them rocking.
No prizes for guessing which approach brings Van Gaal more satisfaction.
‘I think the first half was better half than the second,’ said the Dutchman.
‘The second half is better because we scored two fantastic goals, but as a team our performance in the first half was better.
‘We don’t give any chances away in the first half and we played with three defenders. We have created pressure and chances. In the second half we created less chances but we scored.
‘It’s amazing that you can perform the gameplan like we have done in the first half, and play the second half in a risky style under this pressure.’
For now, the United fans who demand attacking football and victory must accept that something has to give.
Their long wait for a win is over. But anybody who expects Van Gaal to entertain them in the process looks like being disappointed.