United linked with van Gaal in the meeja

Status
Not open for further replies.
:lol:
 
article-2528329-002E065F00000258-680_634x472.jpg

Christ. We won't know what's hit us.
 
:lol::lol:
 
3rd Quarter Results are supposed to be announced tomorrow. Am sure that Woody wants to save the LVG appointment the same day or the day after.
 
I am probably one of the people who least want Giggs in a managerial role but he has genuinely impressed me with his team selections using Kagawa as a central midfielder. Not at all because it has worked out greatly, but it is the sort of thing LVG will do as well and shows a desire for offensive and modern possession football.
 
I am probably one of the people who least want Giggs in a managerial role but he has genuinely impressed me with his team selections using Kagawa as a central midfielder. Not at all because it has worked out greatly, but it is the sort of thing LVG will do as well and shows a desire for offensive and modern possession football.

Yeah, you got to keep in mind its dead rubber games but still it was nice to see him experiment with the squad a fair bit and try to play players in positions that would suit their natural tendencies. I remember Ferguson playing Kagawa in a midfield two a lot during his first preseason.
 
Yeah, you got to keep in mind its dead rubber games but still it was nice to see him experiment with the squad a fair bit and try to play players in positions that would suit their natural tendencies. I remember Ferguson playing Kagawa in a midfield two a lot during his first preseason.

Against Southampton Mata and Kagawa at times defended in a midfield three just in front of Fletcher so it looked like Giggs had told Mata to defend as a central midfielder in a 4-5-1 rather than defend as a second striker in a 4-4-1-1 defensive set-up. I think Mata did really well in that role defensively, I didn't notice how well he did the first time I watched the game though.

Kagawa was lazy though, so lazy it isn't about inability just a complete lack of desire which resulted in zero intensity. Not sure whether it is down to him over-thinking every movement as he is unused to the defensive role, or if he is saving himself for the World-Cup like some players has stated they are doing or if he doesn't want to play in that role at all so he is upset. No clue really, a terrible game from him.

He has been our best winger defensively after Valencia this year statistically in terms of tackles and interceptions so he has the ability and intensity to get stuck in a tackle and intercept passes. But since being played as a CM he has completely lost this intensity to his game, but I am fairly confident he'd never dare to not give 200% if he was under SAF/LVG even in dead-rubber games.
 
Against Southampton Mata and Kagawa at times defended in a midfield three just in front of Fletcher so it looked like Giggs had told Mata to defend as a central midfielder in a 4-5-1 rather than defend as a second striker in a 4-4-1-1 defensive set-up. I think Mata did really well in that role defensively, I didn't notice how well he did the first time I watched the game though.

Kagawa was lazy though, so lazy it isn't about inability just a complete lack of desire which resulted in zero intensity. Not sure whether it is down to him over-thinking every movement as he is unused to the defensive role, or if he is saving himself for the World-Cup like some players has stated they are doing or if he doesn't want to play in that role at all so he is upset. No clue really, a terrible game from him.

He has been our best winger defensively after Valencia this year statistically in terms of tackles and interceptions so he has the ability and intensity to get stuck in a tackle and intercept passes. But since being played as a CM he has completely lost this intensity to his game, but I am fairly confident he'd never dare to not give 200% if he was under SAF/LVG even in dead-rubber games.

Yeah the biggest concern with Mata & Kagawa playing deeper is that both of them get shrugged off the ball pretty easily. Someone like Gerrard could fluster them just by being a little physical and putting in a rough tackle or two. Kagawa has a nice burst of pace on the ball even from a stand still so playing him on the wing is not half bad as playing him deeper and he has the tendency to track back and defend on the wings. Mata is a disciplined player but he severely lacks physically to play anywhere else but as a #10.
 
Yeah the biggest concern with Mata & Kagawa playing deeper is that both of them get shrugged off the ball pretty easily. Someone like Gerrard could fluster them just by being a little physical and putting in a rough tackle or two. Kagawa has a nice burst of pace on the ball even from a stand still so playing him on the wing is not half bad as playing him deeper and he has the tendency to track back and defend on the wings. Mata is a disciplined player but he severely lacks physically to play anywhere else but as a #10.

Physicality isn't a necessity to be an offensively minded possession keeping central midfielder, in fact it is a rarity to combine the two traits.

Kagawa can't play as a winger under LVG as he requests his wingers to be very wide without cutting in(before they get the ball at their feet). Their main goal is to beat their full-back as consistently as possible which is something Kagawa has proven he can't do.

So the option is either benching Kagawa or forcing Mata and Kagawa to share defensive responsibilities in the central areas. It is a much bigger step to ask Kagawa/Mata to play as a central midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 and handle the defense, it is extremely unlikely they'd handle that - than to ask them to defend centrally together in front of a great defensive midfielder in a 4-5-1.

Iniesta for example can't play the 4-2-3-1 role in the central midfield as the defensive contribution and physicality needed is way above his abilities there - but in a midfield three he can handle it to a world-class level.
 
Physicality isn't a necessity to be an offensively minded possession keeping central midfielder, in fact it is a rarity to combine the two traits.

Kagawa can't play as a winger under LVG as he requests his wingers to be very wide without cutting in(before they get the ball at their feet). Their main goal is to beat their full-back as consistently as possible which is something Kagawa has proven he can't do.

So the option is either benching Kagawa or forcing Mata and Kagawa to share defensive responsibilities in the central areas. It is a much bigger step to ask Kagawa/Mata to play as a central midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 and handle the defense, it is extremely unlikely they'd handle that - than to ask them to defend centrally together in front of a great defensive midfielder in a 4-5-1.

Iniesta for example can't play the 4-2-3-1 role in the central midfield as the defensive contribution and physicality needed is way above his abilities there - but in a midfield three he can handle it to a world-class level.

Iniesta is a good example on how to use Kagawa as he used to drift wide if necessary and add width before they started playing Neymar on the left. Prior to that Pedro used to play further upfield more as a wide striker in a 4-3-3 and Iniesta was on the left side of the midfield 3. Still its nice to see Giggs show more in 4 games than Moyes did in his entire tenure and it'd be interesting to see how van Gaal tackles this roster.
 
Iniesta is a good example on how to use Kagawa as he used to drift wide if necessary and add width before they started playing Neymar on the left. Prior to that Pedro used to play further upfield more as a wide striker in a 4-3-3 and Iniesta was on the left side of the midfield 3. Still its nice to see Giggs show more in 4 games than Moyes did in his entire tenure and it'd be interesting to see how van Gaal tackles this roster.

I agree. Hopefully Giggs can stay at United and learn from LVG as if he can combine the tactical genius of LVG with the man-management of SAF he will have a great base for a coach career.
 
Giggs is flying to the Netherlands today with Woodward to discuss his future with Van Gaal, that's all we know for certain. The announcement's got to come today or tomorrow IMO.
 
Giggs is flying to the Netherlands today with Woodward to discuss his future with Van Gaal, that's all we know for certain. The announcement's got to come today or tomorrow IMO.
I suspect it will be later this evening or tomorrow afternoon sometime (if reports are true).
 
This is from VI a well rspected football magazine in Holland, although their source is the BBC
Louis van Gaal benut de rustdag goed, want de bondscoach van het Nederlands elftal heeft een ontmoeting met Ryan Giggs en Ed Woodward van Manchester United meldt de BBC.
Giggs, de huidige interim-manager van Man Utd na het ontslag van David Moyes, en vice-voorzitter Woodward zijn naar Nederland afgereisd voor afrondende gesprekken met topkandidaat Van Gaal.

Na het dramatische seizoen, waarin de regerend kampioen op een beschamende zevende plaats eindigde in de Premier League en zo Europees voetbal misliep, is de blik op de toekomst gericht. Van Gaal is de gedroomde nieuwe manager, die de club weer naar de top moet brengen. Ruim voor het WK in Brazilië wordt een akkoord verwacht.
A quick translation;
Giggs and Woodward are in Holland today to finalise negotiatopons with tjhe mian candddate LVG. They expect an agreement before the start of the World Cup4
 
Some of you are sentimental softies. You should all be glad that we're moving away from this needless nepotistic culture at the club.
 
Some of you are sentimental softies. You should all be glad that we're moving away from this needless nepotistic culture at the club.

Agreed, nostalgic preference is a warm comfort prior to the cold hard slap of reality. This club is great, not because we stop long enough for sentimentality, but because it evolves by necessity to remain at the top.
 
What's all this about Scholes and Butt leaving the club? :(
Could someone elaborate?
Reports are that Scholes and Butt will be kept on but will coach the under 18's.

Either way, if VG decides to let them go and it's for the best of the club then that's what has to happen. We can't get caught up in personal feelings towards individuals if it's going to harm the club, just look at what happened when Fergie wanted his mate to come in.

I'd be sad to see them go, especially for the experience they could pass on to the under 18's but if it has to happen then it has to happen.
 
What's all this about Scholes and Butt leaving the club? :(
Could someone elaborate?

Theyre not. Reality is though its back to U18s.

Concern is with no CL, it means the youth team don't have it either which means there will be a chronic lack of games.
 
Some of you are sentimental softies. You should all be glad that we're moving away from this needless nepotistic culture at the club.

I think the notion that simply because someone was a great player for us we should bend over backwards to find any possible role for them is daft.

What I would say though is that any large business has a hard to define but definite culture. Thats only more true for football clubs. Where two candidates are otherwise even, someone who understands & has experience of that culture is preferable to someone who doesn't.

What is also true is that senior figures in football are influential and well connected with each other. It gives the club many benefits to keep these players close. Giggs, Scholes and co are probably a bit too soon retired to be in that category. But in 20 years time the likes of Platini, Beckenbauer and Valdano will be gone, and the senior figures in European football will be people like Casillas, Puyol and Maldini. At that point the influence of people like Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs will be (potentially) very large and we want to ensure those people are involved with our club. Its why City keep Patrick Vieira so close to the club.
 
Some of you are sentimental softies. You should all be glad that we're moving away from this needless nepotistic culture at the club.
Absolutely agree. I am not saying we should not take care of our great servants but only if it really makes sense
 
Status
Not open for further replies.