United are still out of tune
LOUIS van GAAL sang the Beatles, Mauricio Pochettino sang the blues and Manchester United fans were singing Sergio Romero’s name by the end of a curious afternoon at Old trafford.
It was reminiscent of so many during Van Gaal’s first season in English football when United’s expensively assembled squad struggled to play the same tune. they kicked off his second campaign with a victory but it was about as unconvincing as they come.
United have not finished spending yet. Van Gaal is expected to step up his pursuit of Ajax goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, as a potential replacement for David de Gea, and Barcelona forward Pedro at a cost of around £47million.
that would take the club’s summer transfer businessess past the £120m mark, in n addition to the £150m m outlay 12 months ago. throw in the £ 65m spent under David Moyes and the total investment in United’s squad since Sir Alex Ferguson vacated hiss position little more thanan two years ago would be well north of £300m.
And still they look short of the finished article. Against tottenham, United were ponderous, a little disjointed, and lacked a cutting edge. All the things one might forgive on the opening day, except that Van Gaal’s side spent much of last season trying to discover an identity.
It is puzzling that a coach who is so single-minded and sure of his philosophy has yet to make a strong imprint on his team.
Van Gaal has not ruled out even more new arrivals if there are players available who are better than those he has already. Asked if the ‘minor thrombosis’ in a calf that will rule Phil Jones out for at least three weeks might necessitate signing another right-sided centre half, he replied: ‘ No, we have ( Paddy) McNair, Jones and (Chris) Smalling, but if he is much better than them then it is possible.’
Nothing sums up the way United have stumbled into the new season better than the bizarre goalkeeping situation. Romero was thrown in for his debut and ended the gamgame being lauded as a hehero, while De Gea sat in ththe stands alongside Victtor Valdes and Anders LLindegaard waiting to see if United and Real Madrid can reach a compromise over his move tto the Bernabeu. Although Van Gaal claclaimed that De Gea agreagreed on thursday it would be betterbet to stay out of the firing line until his future is resolved, sources close to the goalkeeper are concerned by suggestions that he is not in the right frame of mind to play. they have made it known that he has trained ‘ perfectly well’ over the last fortnight, while some of his teammates were said to be surprised by the decision to go with Romero.
Of United’s other debutants, Matteo Darmian was outstanding and Morgan Schneiderlin displayed some of the drive he will add in midfield. Memphis Depay showed glimpses of his exciting talent, while Bastian Schweinsteiger’s appearance as a substitute provided evidence to support Pep Guardiola’s claim that he was not fit for the last three years at Bayern Munich.
Still, Van Gaal was satisfied enough to disappear for his birthday celebrations with a brief rendition of the Beatles’ hit When I’m Sixty-Four.
Kyle Walker’s early own goal settled the game after he ended up nicking the ball off Wayne Rooney’s toe but sliding it into his own net.
‘With the style we play, the gaffer puts a lot of trust in us to get forward but the main thing is defending,’ said Walker. ‘I’ve done well to get back but we’ve lost because of it.’
Pochettino, meanwhile, who introduced himself to the Premier League by pressing the life out of United when Southampton lost by one goal at Old trafford in January 2013, left feeling aggrieved that similar tactics had not produced a better result this time.
‘We deserved more than to lose 1-0,’ he said.
tottenham will not be the last team to fancy their chances against United this season.
SUPER STAT: When Kyle Walker put through his own net, it made Premier League history with the season’s first goal being an own goal.
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): Romero 7.5; Darmian 8 (Valencia 81min), Smalling 7, Blind 6.5, Shaw 6; Carrick 6 (Schweinsteiger 60, 5), Schneiderlin 6.5; Mata 7, Depay 6 (Herrera 68, 6), Young 7; Rooney 5.5. Subs not used: Hernandez, McNair, Pereira, Johnstone. Scorer: Walker 22 og. Booked: Schweinsteiger, Mata.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-2-3-1): Vorm 6.5; Walker 6, Alderweireld 7, Vertonghen 6.5, Davies 6; Dier 6.5 (Alli 77), Bentaleb 5 (Mason 53, 6.5); Dembele 6.5 (Lamela 68, 5.5), Eriksen 7, Chadli 6; Kane 7. Subs not used: Lloris, Trippier, Wimmer, Carroll. Booked: Vertonghen, Dier, Alli.
Man of the match: Matteo Darmian. Referee: Jonathan Moss 7.