It is impossible not to admire what Sir Alex Ferguson did at Manchester United. He won it all – from EPL to Champions League, from Carling Cup to FA Cup. He made sure that United were one of the hot shots of Europe. But since his retirement, there has been only one way for Red Devils – downhill.
First it was David Moyes who was all over the place during his short stint as manager and now it's Louis van Gaal. LVG's first job was to help United back to Champions League football, which he achieved last season but largely to the rivals dropping points. Apart from 4-5 brilliant games, United were mediocre last season and only somehow managed to finish fourth. Not to forget, they were eliminated from Cup competition very early.
After spending around 350 million pounds on this United squad, fans hoped some free flowing football and challenging for trophies in every front. But five months down the season United have been eliminated from Capital One Cup and Champions League. It won’t be wrong to admit that United are one of the most boring teams in Europe. LVG's philosophy of pass, pass, pass is just not working and the boos have already started resonating at Old Trafford.
United did not hire Van Gaal to invest £350 million for Europa League football, but to show teeth at major competitions like the Champions League.
This is just not the way the club has worked in past. Ferguson spent money very wisely and most of the time the players he got worked for the team, but LVG has brought N number of players and the way he has managed them is completely shocking. Angel di Maria came and left in one year after a fallout with LVG.
The likes of Javier Hernandez, Robin van Persie left the club because LVG was not willing to give up on his philosophy. As a result, United went in the season with just one proven striker – Wayne Rooney, who is past his prime. Anthony Martial is still very young and can't be seen as a 20-goal striker yet.
Van Gaal faced his toughest test as Manchester United manager on Tuesday night in a must-win game against Wolfsburg, and he failed. Not only that, he embarrassed the club and the fans. United crashed out of CL from a group that was not tricky at all. The reaction straight after the loss was very clear – fans have started losing faith in van Gaal, his process and his philosophy. It was not surprising that #LVGOut started trending worldwide on Twitter.
Just after the match former United player Rio Ferdinand said: "it's an embarrassment. U don't want to leave your house."
Moving from one Man Utd star to the other – Paul Scholes: "When you're relying on a 20-year-old to score all the goals, it's just not right, Martial will be great but not right now."
Although United are fourth in EPL at the moment and just three points away from the top, the way the players are performing on the field, thanks to 'a philosophy', it will be a huge surprise to see the 20-times champions finish in top four, let alone challenging for the title.
With all the advertising and sponsors money, surely United are the the most valuable club in the world but the Man Utd board should realise that they are a football club and not a business. The windfall will stop if they stop performing on the field and results stop going their way.
The board has time on hand and it’s known that Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiolla is most likely to be available in the summer. United should, thus, try everything to get him on board. If not Pep, then Carlo Ancelotti is available and he has already said that he will be interested in working for United.
Desperate times need desperate measure and it's time United act, else they will end up being a Liverpool.
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