Louis van Gaal | Manchester United manager

Status
Not open for further replies.
He said that we have 4 number 10s and that one of them may have to go.

Mata - no chance
Rooney - no chance
Kagawa - He seems to like him. His system can get the best out of him.

That leaves Fellaini. Pretty certain he will be sold.
 
I really hope he clicks for us this season. I love him as a player, shame he's been misused in his time here. I agree with Klopp when he said its criminal that he's played on the wing (or something to that effect).

The system LvG seemingly wants to use could be beneficial for Kagawa, his intelligence behind two strikers could be lethal.
 
He said that we have 4 number 10s and that one of them may have to go.

Mata - no chance
Rooney - no chance
Kagawa - He seems to like him. His system can get the best out of him.

That leaves Fellaini. Pretty certain he will be sold.
Given that he moved Herrera forward into the No. 10 role in the second half I'm pretty sure he was referring to him as the 4th. It would seeem to me that Shinji is under most threat here based on that list.

I doubt Fellaini is even a consideration for the No. 10 role in LVG's eyes.
 
Loved van Gaal's reply when asked about the mentality of the players(team).

Van Gaal replied, "No, I don't have to restore the mentality because what I have seen in the first week, they have the mentality. They have the winners mentality. I only have to give them structure, structure in the game and structure outside the game. And that I have done."

Brilliant.

Really enjoying how van Gaal conducts himself.
 
Loved van Gaal's reply when asked about the mentality of the players(team).

Van Gaal replied, "No, I don't have to restore the mentality because what I have seen in the first week, they have the mentality. They have the winners mentality. I only have to give them structure, structure in the game and structure outside the game. And that I have done."

Brilliant.

Really enjoying how van Gaal conducts himself.

I know it's been said a billion times, but fecking compare that to the absolute shite Moyes was spouting out. These players have won titles, yet he kept banging on about us needing a new team and how we aspire to be City. It makes by blood boil just thinking about it.
 
He said that we have 4 number 10s and that one of them may have to go.

Mata - no chance
Rooney - no chance
Kagawa - He seems to like him. His system can get the best out of him.

That leaves Fellaini. Pretty certain he will be sold.

Based on what?

I doubt this system will get the best out of him, simply because if he does stay, I think he'll start on the bench more often than not.
 
He said that we have 4 number 10s and that one of them may have to go.

Mata - no chance
Rooney - no chance
Kagawa - He seems to like him. His system can get the best out of him.

That leaves Fellaini. Pretty certain he will be sold.

He also said we have 4 strikers which is why he wants to play 2 up top. So I don't believe he considers Rooney a no10.
Rooney played as a Striker yesterday along side Wellbeck.

We have one position for the no10 in the formation.

I would guess it would be:

Mata
Kagawa
Januzaj
Fellaini
 
Based on what?

I doubt this system will get the best out of him, simply because if he does stay, I think he'll start on the bench more often than not.

IIRC there was a quote from him about knowing how Kagawa was one of the best players in Bundesliga when he was at Bayern
 
That quote was made up, there was never any source attributed to it.

Oh didn't know that. Fair enough.

I still maintain Fellaini will go without being involved in pre season. Kagawa will have a chance to prove himself. Not too fussed if he does go or stays tbh
 
I think we'd do well to try and shop both of them out. We can get close to £20/£25 million for the pair of them I reckon. Some parts need tearing out and it will just be a pointless exercise trying to accommodate them both if they have to be shoe-horned in. This isn't a slight on their qualities as players, they are both very good but there isn't a role for them here IMO.
 
Who are the 4 number 10s?

Mata - sure
Kagawa - sure
Januzaj - not in my opinion, mostly seen as a winger
Fellaini - probably
Rooney - not in my opinion, seen as a number 9
Powell - probably
Herrera - not in my opinion, seen as a midfielder

Have I missed anyone? All these players can play as a number 10, but Januzaj, Rooney and Herrera have other primary position. To me the 4 are Mata, Kagawa, Fellaini and Powell. One of them will likely go and I think it's between Fellaini and Powell. Kagawa is more similar to Mata and makes a good backup. Fellaini brings something different - we have seen at the WC that if LVG is loosing he likes to change the tactics and throw a tall target man in the last 15 minutes. Fellaini is probably best suited for that in our team. Which leaves Powell - I think it's not a coincidence that LVG has asked him to join the team on the tour - he is going to be evaluated and shipped if not good enough. I would rank the chance of one of the number 10s leaving like that:

Mata: 0%
Kagawa: 10% to get sold
Fellaini: 40% to get sold
Powell: 50% to get loaned or sold
 
The other thing I picked up from LVG's after the game interview was that we are short on defenders (which we knew) and probably we will sign one or even two. From the youngsters yesterday James impressed the most. Blackett for me is not ready. The jury is still out on Keane.
 
LVG likes attacking wingers the only ones we have in that mould are Januzaj and Young (Valencia too but obviously not so productive these days). I could see him trying to strengthen there but think he has other priorities.

Personally think unless Kagawa really impresses he'll go (as LVG has called out we have 4 10s), Fellaini will do too as soon as/if we sign a CM, Nani will go. Ashley young may play himself back into the squad.

I do think LVG would only buy if we can sell though he doesnt want a huge squad. Lets hope all the ones he wants rid of all go soonish.
 
I think LVG will use Januzaj off the bench a lot this season. Fantastic option to bring off the bench when you need something a bit different. He will also start some games in the Robben role alongside RVP, Rooney, or Welbeck. LVG will juggle his options.

I think the reason he's using this system is because he knows we have a pure no.10 in Mata and lots of strikers, so this is almost the only system that will get all our best players on the pitch and our frailties have been defensively and in midfield. By playing with two wingbacks, we also don't have to play our wingers in conventional wide positions which suits Young and Valencia as we saw last night.

You can see that Van Gaal has worked things out very quickly and I can only see our players growing as they adapt more and more to Van Gaal's thinking.
 
AIEGpK4.jpg
 
"We have 4 number 10's. So our squad isn't balanced in my eyes."

Doesn't that basically mean that he as admitted that he wants to buy more midfielders?
 
"I have no more defenders," explained van Gaal to MUTV. "So I have to pick a player [Fletcher] who can do the job but he is not so suitable for this position."

I haven't seen this mentioned today. Hummels or Benatia? :devil:
 
"We have 4 number 10's. So our squad isn't balanced in my eyes."

Doesn't that basically mean that he as admitted that he wants to buy more midfielders?
No it means we've too many no. 10's to fit into our first team.
 
I think LvG was talking about Mata, Kagawa, Januzaj and Herrera. I'm sure he sees Rooney as a forward. Not sure what he sees Fellaini as. Included Herrera in my list as he was played in the hole during the second half this morning.
 
I think LvG was talking about Mata, Kagawa, Januzaj and Herrera. I'm sure he sees Rooney as a forward. Not sure what he sees Fellaini as. Included Herrera in my list as he was played in the hole during the second half this morning.

A Bog Borstel apparently.
 
I said on the other thread but I think LVG was talking about our 4 strikers when he said "four number 10's". Remember, English is not his first language and Rooney wears number 10 for us. It fits in with what he was talking about.
 
I said on the other thread but I think LVG was talking about our 4 strikers when he said "four number 10's". Remember, English is not his first language and Rooney wears number 10 for us. It fits in with what he was talking about.

I don't think so. Why would four strikers be a problem when LvG is choosing to play two up front? Four numbers 10s is more of a problem if we're only playing one in the hole.
 
The other thing I picked up from LVG's after the game interview was that we are short on defenders (which we knew) and probably we will sign one or even two. From the youngsters yesterday James impressed the most. Blackett for me is not ready. The jury is still out on Keane.
We need another ball playing centre back. Too many times Jones and Smalling are too happy to just hoof the ball clear instead of picking out the trickier pass. Can imagine that LVG will be getting them to work hard on their passing games. It's been a problem for ages actually, our players were too comfortable going for the easy option.
 
I don't think so. Why would four strikers be a problem when LvG is choosing to play two up front? Four numbers 10s is more of a problem if we're only playing one in the hole.
He was saying how three strikers would be on the bench if we play 433 hence he is planning 352 instead. It fits.
 
Sir Alex, Giggs, Neville and Scholes have all taken a lot of criticism on the Caf in the past one year for some reason.
I don't think they have been criticized without objectivity. And It has been constructive criticizm. At least most of it. People still love them.
 
Last edited:
I keep reading people talk about wingers. However, in the system we played today, there are no typical wingers. We have 3 central defenders with 2 wingbacks. Those wingbacks need to be able to defend, so Valencia can be included as he has played in the fullback position previously. However, players like Januzaj, Kagawa, Nani and Young (our other supposed wingers in the squad) are not suited to this position at all. Kagawa and Januzaj can fit the no.10 position that Mata is first choice in, but I don't see any place for Young and Nani, unless we switch to 4-3-3. Some tough decisions coming up.

If he does stick with 3-4-1-2, then it could possibly mean:
3 CDs: Jones, Evans and Smalling (but I expect we will sign Vermaelen so one will be be backup, along with Keane or another signing like Di Vrij) Hummels would have been perfect, but Dortmund won't sell, not this year anyway.
2 WBs: Shaw and Rafael (Valencia and backup left wingback)
2 MFs: Carrick, Herrera (Fletcher and Cleverly as backups, but hopefully Vidal is signed)
1 AM: Mata (with Januzaj, Kagawa as backups)
2 STs: Rooney and RVP (with Welbeck and Hernandez as backups)

Have I missed anyone out? This means Fellaini, Nani and Young should be on their way out of the club (Anderson too, unless he convinces LVG, but doubt it). I have a feeling Hernandez won't want another season of being backup, so he will also be on his way out with Wilson or Keane deputising.
 
He was saying how three strikers would be on the bench if we play 433 hence he is planning 352 instead. It fits.

Is there a video version of the interview or a transcript? Can only seem to find the short interview LvG gave straight after the match.
 
While the 7 -0 win was impressive,I m concerned with playing 3 at the back.

Our defenders arent good enough to play 3 at the back and I don't see us pulling this off in the EPL but it seems like he is going to go for it as he said we dont have a lot of time to test out a new formation.
 
While the 7 -0 win was impressive,I m concerned with playing 3 at the back.

Our defenders arent good enough to play 3 at the back and I don't see us pulling this off in the EPL but it seems like he is going to go for it as he said we dont have a lot of time to test out a new formation.
If you are concerned about playing 3 at the back, think of it as 532 instead - problem solved!
 
Good to see that LVG has already come to the conclusion that the squad is massively unbalanced. Now time to bring in some bloody defenders and midfielders!
 
I know it's been said a billion times, but fecking compare that to the absolute shite Moyes was spouting out. These players have won titles, yet he kept banging on about us needing a new team and how we aspire to be City. It makes by blood boil just thinking about it.

I know...and when he said those things...it was such a shock and something so alien from a united manager that I think it left people a bit dumfounded. Thank goodness some sense of normality has resumed.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.