Manchester United Manager Louis van Gaal knows that his team is much better at stopping people from scoring than he is at scoring. Birds know it, bees know it. The truth is certainly in the same boat being piloted by Captain Obvious. However, it’s kind of funny, and ironic, given how exactly a year ago at this time, we were saying the complete opposite about Manchester United.
In the early season of 2014-15 everyone was talking about how United were so strong up front, and weak at the back. That 3-1 halftime lead at Leicester City collapsing into a stunning 5-3 defeat certainly verified this idea. Of course, an insane amount of injuries caused United to be so bad at defense last season.
Van Gaal was forced to play so many players out of position, and even out of position groups. He’ll try it again tonight by moving Marouane Fellaini to striker.
“He can play in a No. 9 position and a No. 10. He can also play [as a No.] 6 [a holding midfielder] and [a No.] 8 [a box-to-box midfielder] but this year he shall play more 9 and 10 than 6 and 8 because there we have other players.” Here’s more on that.
Van also admitted that United are much better without the ball and defending it, then they are while attacking with it.
“Until now our defensive organization,” Van Gaal said in a press conference previewing the Champions League.
“I divide football into four main moments and we have two moments when the opponent has the ball and then we are at our best.”
“We have proved that last year also but now we are continuing with a lot of clean sheets so that is very important but we have to improve when we have the ball.”
Here’s the link to the YouTube of the Louis van Gaal press conference yesterday previewing today’s Champions League clash against Club Brugge. (full version)
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is part of the FOX Sports Engage Network. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous talk radio stations all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN 1620 the Zone.
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