*Disclaimer: This article is unsuitable for humans who do not understand soccer. 😛 *
It has been a long 19 months. Very long. Since that 8th day of May 2013 when Sir Alex made the announcement, everyone knew things were bound to change. For the better or worse, no one could say for sure. Talk of Mourinho succeeding him abounded, but such thoughts were quickly put to rest when Chelsea swooped him up a few days later.
Then it was announced that Fergie had handpicked David Moyes as his successor. (What?!) A manager with undeniable Premier League (survival) experience, yet had no single trophy to show for his 11 years in charge at Everton. Why would Fergie do this? The only answer that made sense was because they’re both Scots. Still, he deserved a chance, didn’t he?
What followed was the absolute worst season since anyone could remember. A year to forget for all Red Devils. Game after game, fans and haters alike were left aghast by his tactics. He broke records. Records no Manchester United manager had any business breaking.
When the Glazers finally pulled the plug, everyone cheered. Giggs took over, but he couldn’t rescue us from the deep number 7 pit Moyes had left us. Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, even Everton crossed the line ahead of us. It was amazing, to say the least.
World Cup euphoria soon took over. Die Mannschaft (Germany, for the soccer challenged) lifted the trophy. At least the team I rooted for took top honors. At least I forgot about Manchester United and Moyes for a while. Meanwhile, Louis van Gaal, the manager taking over at Old Trafford, rocketed into near superstardom when he made an unprecedented 120th minute goalkeeping sub in the quarters against Costa Rica. It paid off. The Dutch eventually ended up third, while they could have as well won the tournament. Van Gaal was declared a football genius. Consecutive 3-1 victories against Real Madrid and Liverpool boosted his credentials further. Finally, Man U fans could cheer again. Finally we would rise again.
Season starts. Man U hosts Swansea at the Theatre of Dreams for the first game of the season. Even Chelsea fans bet big money on a comfortable afternoon for United. 90 minutes later everyone was left shocked. 1-2, read the scoreline. LvG’s 3-5-2 had failed miserably against a midtable team with a rookie manager in Garry Monk. What would happen against Chelsea? Man City? Something had to be done quickly. And something was done. 200 million Euros were splashed. 6 new Red Devils, for insane amounts of money. Yet none was the exact answer needed. All 6 have failed to fulfill expectations, with only Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo being able to nail down regular starting berths.
LvG has been stubborn, yet stubbornly inconsistent. He continued to stick with his beloved 3 at the back, even when it had become abundantly clear that it would not work, not for this squad. He even tried to sneak it through the back door in the second half of matches. When Big Sam made fun of his long-ball tactics, he decided to make that his main game plan: play long balls to a player whose only ability seems to be maintaining his wig. Falcao, who famously destroyed Chelsea with a first-half hat trick, is at the club. I, like many other football enthusiasts, believe he still has the potential to be the best striker in the Premier League, the man to take us back into the Champions’ League. Yet his manager is content with playing Fellaini as a striker and leave him on the bench. Januzaj has proven that after a debut season any teenage footballer would wish for, it’s gone to his small head. He has evolved into a selfish footballer, trying to prove to us and himself that he can emulate Cristiano Ronaldo, but all he has ended up doing is wasting chance after chance. Yet van Gaal still trusts him with games. Let me not even talk about last week’s loss to Arsenal, the first time at Old Trafford since 2006. It’s too painful. So many times I have wished I could fly up there and slap some sense into LvG.
It is said that over the last 18 matches, only Chelsea have taken as many points as United. No team has scored more than 2 goals against De Gea all season, save for that freak 4-0 drubbing at MK Dons. Yet, for all this good run, United are going to end this season trophyless. Dumped out of the FA Cup by Arsenal, the Capital One Cup in Chelsea’s cabinet, and needing no small miracle to have a chance at the league, van Gaal is destined to end his first year in charge with nothing but excuses.
In fact, it is my firm belief that were it not for the constant heroic efforts of David de Gea, we would be battling relegation. His performances against Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool, West Ham, practically almost every single team he’s played against, have spared Man U’s blushes. Rooney has been played in virtually every position except defense and keeper. He has never complained; he’s constantly and consistently put in good performances. He’s even the joint top scorer with van Persie among United players. Di Maria has also suffered from the inconsistencies of his manager, being played in positions he is not comfortable in, in his first season in an underperforming team and in arguably the toughest league in the world. His status as the country’s record-fee signing, settling problems (like having to live in a hotel due to a burglary) and the sparkling performances of his fellow summer signings from La Liga, Alexis Sanchez, Cesc Fábregas and Diego Costa have not helped his confidence or peace of mind. Yet he has the most assists of any Red Devil by far.
Starting today, Louis van Gaal faces probably the toughest run of matches of his career. Man U welcome Spurs to Old Trafford, with Harry Kane, who has left keeper after keeper after keeper on the seats of their pants with his superb goalscoring ability, and Christian Eriksen, who is as good a playmaker as I have seen. Even if we scrape through that, Anfield is next, to face a Liverpool team who have not lost a Premier League game since December. Then Aston Villa. A few weeks ago that looked like the saving grace of this run of fixtures, but after Tim Sherwood inspired them to push 4 goals in 45 minutes past Sunderland, at the Stadium of Light no less, I am not so sure. Then the Stamford Bridge, to meet the champions-elect, then the Manchester Derby at home, then Everton. If LvG gets us through next month on the right side of the Champions’ League line, he deserves to keep the job. Otherwise…
Today, like all Man U fans, I’ll be watching today’s game, albeit with one eye shut in fear. Fear of what could happen today. Fear that we could end up the laughing stock once more. My fingers couldn’t be crossed any tighter. I just hope that we were all wrong, that it was just bad luck, and that Louis van Gaal is an actual football genius.
Today Chronicles 