Louis van Gaal keeps his promise - Four months, the coveted fourth spot and counting

Van Gaal’s first inaugural presser – Promises made and promises kept

If his inaugural press conference is anything to go by Louis van Gaal is a man of his word. On United's US tour, he had said it could take up to three months for his ideas and philosophy to start to take effect. But he also warned United fans it could also take up to FOUR months before United are playing consistently under him and much of it has come true if we hold to the above timeline set by the man himself.It was never going to be easy after the disaster that was last season for Manchester United as a team and as a family. Backroom staff decimated, squad morale low, top players not performing and the long serving Vidic quitting as Captain and making a permanent switch to Inter Milan even before the season ended. Talk about disillusionment and Manchester United had reached the height of it all.

The critics and the United-Haters in particular were very happy; the story of the fallen giant was running overtime on the grapevine; the Red Devils were going to become the next Liverpool they said. Football comes in circles they said, time for Liverpool to rise again and their blood rivals to fall. Liverpool had done really well last season mind you, barring the Gerrard slip or the Suarez bite.

This season, Van Gaal hasn’t been blessed; the argument might be that he was given the money but he went for big names instead of shoring up United’s defences, he went for a big name crock, he also let go of Kagawa and to top that he started off with a 3-5-2 which United have never played in their life and struggled to adjust with.

The two results that critics are banking on are the one against Leicester and then the Capital One cup debacle against MK Dons. The 5-3 against Leicester was a freak incident which was forced when an inexplicable decision from Mark Clattenburg gave Leicester a penalty and United crumbled, but people forget the scintillating stuff that was played to get to 3-1 in that game. MK Dons was a disaster yes; but Van Gaal was trying out his options and this season cup games are not a priority. As mentioned in his opening press conference, priorities are getting that all important Champions League berth. Three senior players on duty that day have already left the club (Welbeck, Chicharito and Kagawa).

Do not read too much into the MK Dons game – It was Van Gaal’s case study and he learnt well

But he had said three months for the ideas to take effect and a fourth to see some consistency in the game. So sitting in 4th spot on the table now, Van Gaal’s United (Yes! It’s no more Ferguson’s) has shown that feel of consistently hammering away at the points as the games go by. Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal was dealt with some Dutch tactical masterclass, counter attacking football at its best, the stuff that would make Sir Alex proud. Hull City being inferior opposition was dealt with breathtaking football.

Four month story and in the fourth spot – Rooney and Van Persie vs Hull City

Wayne Rooney is back in scintillating form alongside Di Maria, Michael Carrick and his clockwork passing is being trusted again and Van Persie for all his 13-touch criticism and languid attitude, just scored a screamer against Hull City. Falcao’s case is not as bad, it’s not the knee but a calf injury that he picked up on International duty and Van Gaal did shrewd business with a loan deal not paying 40 odd millions for a permanent transfer knowing his injury problems. But what Falcao promises are goals and let him play 5 matches from the start and the goals will come!

Van Gaal’s sincerity is unmistakable in the way he has approached the United job and the promises he has made to the fans are coming to fruition. I’m sure there will be dips and they will come unstuck in some matches, the injury list needs solving and Falcao needs to hit the net on metronomic regularity, but look at it this way; United now find themselves in the top four despite so many people saying they have wasted a load of money and are poor.

As Michael Carrick points out ‘The stars have started to align once more and LVG is restoring that air of invincibility around Old Trafford again’. The critics and the haters will always be out in force, but they must know that Manchester United have hit the comeback trail and they are determined not to register two decades worth of wait for a Premier League title again.