Manchester United waiting for Louis van Gaal’s 'orange' magic wand

Louis van Gaal

When Manchester United lost to Swansea last weekend, the cudgels were out and the knives were sharpened in the media with remarkable urgency. The severity of post mortem observations by many pundits might have lead one to believe that Manchester United’s season was already over and the last rites were being performed.

Never was there a mention of a missing Van Persie, Rafael, Welbeck, Carrick, Shaw, Evans et al in the obituaries, which denounced the United squad and condemned them to the Premier League mediocrity for this season and beyond. Statistically too, a population size of 1 event doesn’t lead to results of any significance.

Manchester United are a work in progress

The quick-fix being propounded by the various media-pundits involve new signings followed by some more new signings. They fail to take into account that this was the first competitive match for Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United (after the ‘fitness’ boosting exercises in the United States). The ideas of Van Gaal would need time to bed in and subsequently reflect on the pitch.

Expecting a miraculous and seamless transition from Moyes’ rigidity to Van Gaal’s fluidity after one competitive fixture is symbolic of the ‘instant-nirvana’ prevalent in the footballing world – one swish of his magic orange wand and the Red Devils are world beaters again!

This weekend’s fixture at Stadium of Light would be a tough test for United for precisely the same reasons. The mood in the United camp however, would be alleviated by the return to fitness of Van Persie, Evans, Rafael and Valencia – all first team personnel and integral to Van Gaal’s 3-5-2 formation.

The midfield duo of Fletcher and Cleverley though would have to come unscathed in the absence of Herrera, Fellaini and Carrick. The triumvirate of Rooney, Mata and Van Persie should be able to pose sufficient questions to a Sunderland defence provided they get the right service from the midfield duo and the wing-backs.

Manchester United don’t need a big squad (without the added glamour of Champions League this season – and hopefully only this season) and therefore, new signings shouldn’t be in the dozens – we have already signed three first team players in Shaw, Herrera and Rojo. A midfielder and Di Maria would suffice.

What’s in store for Javier Hernandez (L) and Danny Welbeck?

Angel Di Maria to replace Danny Welbeck?

Talking about Di Maria (in hushed tones) is a titillating prospect for United fans all over. The fact that Real Madrid are willing to discard the Argentine’s services despite his unquestionable talents and breath-taking performances on the biggest of stages is still hard to digest for the sceptics amongst us. I believe it is a direct consequence of Angel Di Maria’s hopefully impending acquisition that Danny Welbeck has been hawked by Manchester United to probable suitors.

For all his undoubted potential and flashes of brilliance, Welbeck has struggled to hold a regular spot and score the bucket load of goals a Manchester United striker is expected to. In his defence, he has done a ‘job’ for United – whether on the wings or the occasional solitary appearance in the final third. Welbeck’s chief attributes comprise of pace, power and work rate; attributes, which would be oversupplied if Di Maria lands up at Carrington.

Welbeck’s move however (if the rumours are to be believed) does beg the question on the identity of the third (and possibly fourth) striker as Hernandez has made his dissatisfaction publicly known to one and all.

Will Van Gaal promote youngsters?

The thinking in the United camp could be to promote one or both of James Wilson and Will Keane to the first team – a move that has a Van Gaal stamp all over it.

If it does happen, somewhere, Thomas Muller and Patrick Kluivert (German and Dutch strikers who were thrown into the deep end by Van Gaal when they had barely started to grow facial hair at Bayern Munich and Ajax) might be nodding appreciatively.

Will Adnan Januzaj be United’s false 9?

Also, there is a possibility of young Adnan Januzaj being groomed for a false 9 role – which as per United coaches is the young tyro’s future position. It would make sense as otherwise; Januzaj would find it difficult to compete for the wing-back roles on either of the two flanks on account of his defensive shortcomings.

So, United are a work in progress. There is not much doom and gloom even now; rather there is a lot of hope from this season. The fixture list has been kind to them for the first couple of months as Van Gaal and his philosophies take root at Carrington. Expect him to really use that orange wand with some effect come October.

And hopefully Di Maria would be dancing to LVG’s tunes by then!