Under the guidance of former Manchester United manager David Moyes, United fans were left with that hangover feeling; Louis van Gaal was effectively our paracetamol, but, as we find ourselves at the halfway point of the season, do supporters believe the Dutchman’s 3-5-2 formation is the way forward?
Paul Scholes: “The 3-5-2 gives a team the security of having possession without offering them the opportunities from which they might score the goals that win the game.”
Much has been said about the way Van Gaal sets up as a tactical unit. Too defensive? No width? Yes, the formation goes against United’s tradition of attacking teams using wide players. Granted, United play with wing-backs, but the players performing these roles are being asked a huge task to both attack and defend.
It’s been the subject of debate between supporters, it does seem that the majority would prefer a switch back to a flat back 4. It’s blatantly obvious that 3 at the back is not working, especially when you take into account how poor the current defence is. It almost breeds nervousness.
Personally, I think the wake up call was against Southampton at Old Trafford; a game United lost 1-0. The formation offered nothing as an attacking threat, the fact United failed to register a single attempt on target tells its own story. United managed to keep possession of the ball, but it was pointless possession, it’s a statistic Van Gaal seems obsessed with. And ultimately, the most important statistic would be the result – which was a disappointment.
While Van Gaal maintains that he will stick with his formation, supporters are still waiting for signs of the horribly over used word ‘philosophy’ to kick in. Signs that the setup is not to the taste of the fans was evident at 2-0 win at Loftus Road, as they chanted ‘4-4-2’ and ‘ATTACK’. Van Gaal made the change, and the change sparked life into the reds scoring almost 2 minutes later, and United ended up winning the game.
Van Gaal is the man to take the club forward, his ‘It’s us against the world’ swagger, and the way he deals with the media is a breath of fresh air compared with the previous manager. But it’s been a strange season, a season where we have won games that we probably shouldn’t have and a season where our goalkeeper has easily been the most impressive player out on the field on a weekly basis.
There is an argument that Van Gaal doesn’t yet have the correct players to fit into the system he believes will one day flourish, but, at this current moment, Champions League qualification is vital for Manchester United. Qualifying would be a realistic step in the right direction and a foundation to build upon next season. If Van Gaal persists with this current tactical formation, he could jeopardise that early season target, given the players just don’t work as a back 3.
