Soccer News

Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat at Swansea City on Saturday saw the Red Devils drop to fourth in the Premier League table, which surely has to be the minimum requirement for Louis van Gaal and his team this season.

Unconvincing

Manchester United have been rather unconvincing under the veteran Dutch boss.

He seems to believe that he has got a football philosophy, but that philosophy is often hard to decipher watching his team on the pitch.

Even when United have claimed victories this season they have not looked overly convincing. For some teams it is acceptable to grind out wins, United did under Sir Alex Ferguson, but it seems that most of United’s wins have been ground out this season.

Dominated

United dominated the Swansea game, with 18 shots on goal, but only three of them were on target. It was a case of the Red Devils not making possession and their chances count. When United have not won games this has been a common problem for the Red Devils this season.

Defeats

Manchester United have lost just twice in their last 20 competitive games, which is not a terrible record when the team is in such major transition.

United boss Louis van Gaal is still receiving criticism because of the nature of their style and play. Being hard to beat is not enough for United, especially considering they spent over £150million in the summer.

Improvement

Manchester United have improved slightly this season under Van Gaal, but that may have something to do with the fact that the high-profile boss was allowed to spend big, unlikely his predecessor David Moyes.

The Red Devils did not look likely to challenge for the top four last season under Moyes. This season they have at least looked to be a top-four challenger, even if they are not in top form.

Pressure

United boss Louis van Gaal was always going to be under major pressure at Old Trafford. The Dutchman is one of the most high-profile bosses in world football and comes with a reputation to match his profile.

The Manchester United hot seat is one of the most pressurised in European football. Van Gaal is accustomed to pressure though having previously managed the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Van Gaal’s ego will mean that the pressure is unlikely to affect him as it would many other less strong characters. The veteran boss should be the ideal boss to manage the Red Devils and take on the mantle from former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, whether he will be remains to be seen.

Injury

Van Gaal’s compatriot Robin van Persie is currently carrying an injury and United are waiting on news of the former-Arsenal stars injury. Van Persie left the Liberty Stadium yesterday on crutches and could face a spell on the sidelines.

In truth Van Persie has not been at his best in front of goal for a long time and may force a change in formation for Van Gaal, which could actually help the team and give his team more balance.

The strike-partnership of Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie simply has not been working for the Red Devils this season. The failure of the partnership to click has led to fans asking whether one of the pair should be rested, or dropped.

The injury to Van Persie may have given Van Gaal an easy way to give his team the balance that he has talked about previously. It may just prove a blessing in disguise.

Defence

Against Swansea the Red Devils defensive frailties cost the team. Most regular observers of United in the last couple of seasons will tell you that they need to improve defensively if they are return to where they want to be. If United continue to defend how they did in Wales then they will suffer more disappointment this season.

Vital

It seems like Louis van Gaal has to bring Champions League football back to Old Trafford in the near future. United could be out of the top four by the end of the day, with Southampton hosting Liverpool at St Marys today.

Manchester United are by no means in crisis and are currently odds of 5/6 to claim a top four in the Premier League this season. They are still in a strong position and a finish in the top four is very achievable this season.

Something tells me that a top four is a must for Louis van Gaal and his team this season, or he could be facing trouble ahead.