Louis van Gaal is already showing that he was the right choice to manage Manchester United

Louis Van Gaal has justified that he is the right man to lead Manchester United.

It has been less than a month since the Dutch manager, Louis van Gaal, took over the reigns of Manchester United, and ever since his appointment, United are beginning to look a more attacking and promising side than they were under the command of Moyes last season.

The fans after witnessing the melancholic tale of their team last season, have a lot of expectations from their new manager. And unlike Moyes, for whom the task of managing United seemed a bit too daunting, Van Gaal is aware of the challenges and expectations.

The team which lost all their confidence last season after a disastrous campaign seem to have been rejuvenated by the arrival of the Dutch tactician. His reputation and demanding nature have been great in making the players work harder and prove their credentials once again.

Changes brought by Van Gaal

Soon after his appointment, he immediately made his presence felt by ordering the ripping of the Carrington training pitches and replacing them with the desso surface that has been integrated with the natural Old Trafford surface. Having similar playing surfaces both in the stadium as well as the training grounds will help the players get accustomed to the desso surface even better.

He has brought his attacking philosophy to United. He chose to make the tactical shift to a 3-5-2 formation, which was his first major decision after taking over. The 4-4-2/ 4-4-1-1 formation that had been a classic United formation for many years was left behind. His recent success with the Netherlands, who also played with the same formation, and his intention to accommodate both Rooney and Van Persie together in the same starting line-up was key to this change. It also solves the problem of playing Kagawa and Mata in their best positions, as they can now play just behind the two strikers.

When questioned at the press conference about the new formation he simply justified the shift by saying:"The squad is imbalanced, we have four no.10s". He further added: "I think with the quality of selection I choose this system and I always do that because I am more in favor for 4-3-3 system also what Sir Alex had played but I think with the selection now I have to choose for this system."

Apart from the new formation and training methods, the most important change Van Gaal has brought about in the players has been in their attitude, which was shattered by the team’s struggles last season.

United look a rejuvenated team

The recent results are a reflection of what Manchester United under Van Gaal can do and possibly will do this season. United started their pre friendlies in United States, playing L.A.Galaxy and then competing in the Guinness International Champions Cup against top teams like A.S.Roma, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, and until now have won all their matches pretty convincingly to reach the finals of the tournament.

Not only this, United now resemble a completely different side from what they were under Moyes. Fluid passing, maintaining possession, and an attacking mentality are now prominent features of the team’s gameplay. The players are beginning to appreciate their new boss, his training methods and his philosophy which he has developed during his long career as a manager.

Louis van Gaal has a direct approach when it comes to communication with the players. When he isn't happy with a player’s performance, he lets the player know immediately that he isn't satisfied with it. The most recent case was when he ordered Luke Shaw to train alone after the team’s training session as he was unsatisfied with his fitness levels.

The likes of Cleverley and Smalling who were very erratic last season have shown that they are all focused to prove themselves to their new manager. Cleverley, who was once recognized by Sir Alex as a replacement for Paul Scholes, has seen his reputation plummet in the eyes of both fans as well as critics.

But this might be his chance at redemption and show the world what Sir Alex once saw in him. His confidence in Louis Van Gaal is reflected by what he wrote on his twitter account: ‘I watched the manager's Holland team in the World Cup and from that I think I'm going to be his type of player,' said Cleverley. ‘I have to show that in training and, most importantly, in games. I think there's a place for me but I have to prove it.'

Squad depth a work in progress

Despite the recent success during the friendlies he is well aware of the situation that the present United squad isn't complete and he needs a minimum of two signings to build a more balanced squad. Bringing Herrera into the squad has somewhat solved the problems faced by United's midfield. Luke Shaw, the long-term replacement for Evra, has started performing to his immense potential. The Dutchman’s use of the youngsters from the academy has been admirable, and he has shown that he is ready to play them regularly, provided they perform to his expectations.

Manchester United are now to meet Liverpool in the finals of the International Cup on 5th August. But whatever be the result of the match, Louis van Gaal has successfully passed his first test at United, as he has shown to the world that he is the right man to restore Manchester United's lost pride.