United like many of the big clubs had an underwhelming and inconsistent English Premier League campaign. At one point of the season, United were even top but couldn't hold on to that position for long. United missed out on the minimum target I presume for a club the size and stature of Manchester United, Champions League qualification. They finished the season level on points with Manchester City but for the second time in four years, United lost out to their neighbours on goal difference. This season, United improved defensively but just didn't score enough. United have almost always dominated on possession but in most games, they have not capitalised on superior possession with chances created or shots on goal. The emergence of Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford as well as the signing of Anthony Martial made some difference as the team showed greater verve, tempo and directness in its play when all three played. There were games where United produced football expected of United, swift attacking football with lots of chances created and goals scored but it didn't happen often enough.
In the Champions League, United had a disappointing campaign. United won all it's home matches except one and didn't win any of their away matches. They crashed out of the Champions League in the group stages itself which was an embarrassment but remained in European competition as they were demoted to the Europa League where United disappointingly exited to Liverpool in the Round of 16. It is never nice losing to Liverpool in any competition and it wasn't nice getting knocked out by them in the Europa League. In the League Cup, United survived longer than they did in 2014-15 season but were dumped out deservingly on penalties by Middlesbrough at home. The FA Cup as everyone knows was a saving grace for United's season.
Going into 2015-16, I am of the opinion that this was still a team in transition. It cannot be anything but that after another summer with lots of new signings and sales. United had failed to build on the squad built in 2014-15 and with this lack of stability it is unreasonable to expect a season where United would be challenging for the major honours. I understand that a team like Manchester United should always aim to challenge for every trophy available and rightly so but it doesn't mean it will be possible all the time like it is impossible to expect United to forever win trophies. A lean spell here and there should be expected because you can't win all the time. United just got to make sure the lean spell doesn't stretch into decades. Spending money to sign players doesn't equate to immediate success either. United would have done very well to have had a season where they challenged for the major honours deep into the season after signing 6 senior players and selling or loaning an equal amount of players or more.
Van Gaal was under increased pressure this season from the fans because they were not witnessing the kind of football they were used to or expected to witness. With the brand of football Van Gaal employed, he would have fans on his side as long as the team was winning, the moment the team so much as drop a point, they would all be against him and the moaning would get louder with a defeat. The fans were largely by his side in the previous season as it was his first season. They understood the transition and United had ended the season well to finish in the Champions League qualifying position. The end to 2014-15 was promising. In this season, they expected him to build on that and really challenge for the title but that didn't happen. The writing was already on the wall with summer transfer activities. It was going to be another brand new squad for United. In December, he faced his toughest time as an United manager after United were dumped out of the Champions League and didn't win a single game in the Premier League in that month. December was when the rumours started and grew louder of Van Gaal's sacking and potentially Mourinho's appointment. It didn't happen until the season was over.
Van Gaal to his credit did solidify United's defence. United ended this season with the best defensive record in the Premier League. People say that teams no longer fear coming to Old Trafford but in his two seasons in charge, Old Trafford has actually become a fortress for United. Based on home form alone, United finished at least top two in Van Gaal's two seasons at Old Trafford. For all the complaints people have of Van Gaal and his football, he has actually helped United finished higher than they did under David Moyes and won a trophy to go along with it. I agree United should not be aiming to finish fourth and fifth but it is still better finishing there than in seventh. There are fans who discredit him for the emergence of youngsters but the fact that he purposely kept the senior squad size small was to give youngsters the possibility to play in the first team. If he had kept the squad bigger, United would have more senior players to rely on when they faced injuries and these youngsters would have no space at all irregardless of whether his hand was forced to field them due to injuries or not. He had also the vision to sign Anthony Martial, someone not many had heard of and frankly many of us were sceptical of when he was signed especially at the fees we paid for him. I am firm believer that the fruits of Van Gaal's work would only be savoured after he has left. The youngsters were thrown into the deep end where they had to sink or swim and many did very well to swim. It would serve them very well in their development, maturity and mental strength.
What went against Van Gaal was that I felt he couldn't get to grips with English football especially when United travelled away. When teams get into United's faces, close them down early and go at United at 100 miles an hour, United struggle to cope with it. Another area United struggle to cope with is when teams played direct football. He had this issue in his first season and for a manager of his experience, he should have noted this aspect and worked on it for this season but he failed to rectify it. Van Gaal has an arrogance and stubborness about him and that worked against him. He felt that United could play the same way against anyone and at wherever they played which is fine but his failure to adapt to his opponents led to his downfall. Sir Alex had the same approach too but he was able to adapt to the opponents. If United had to battle, he made sure United won the battles on the pitch. To win the league, United cannot be pretty all the time and certainly can't play the same type of football all the time. They got to be ready to get down and dirty and that was something Van Gaal couldn't comprehend and cope with. In England, more so than in other parts of Europe, smaller teams would be looking to make up for their lack of quality available by trying to engage physically, play direct football and make it really tough for their more illustrious opponents to get into their rhythm.
In modern football, big teams constantly rotate their players and the requirement to do so is more in England than anywhere else in Europe because there are more matches played during a season with no winter break in between. If Van Gaal had his way, he would play the same eleven that did well previously week in, week out. I have noticed that if a line-up works in one game, he would keep employing the same line up unless there is a suspension, injury or drop of form. He didn't have the ability to rotate the players to keep everyone involved and fresh, rotating with a purpose and that is to play players with characteristics that can exploit your opponents' weakness. These are areas I feel he has been found wanting and led to his downfall. It didn't help too when he played players out of position. Last season, he played Wayne Rooney in centre midfield and with the form of Robin Van Persie and Falcao, many wondered why Rooney was playing there. This season, Rooney struggled as a forward and it was blessing in disguise that he got injured as it allowed Marcus Rashford to emerge. Since returning from injury, Rooney has vindicated Van Gaal's decision to play him in midfield last season. Sir Alex actually had the vision to play him in that position in his last season but there was a fall out between them on this matter. However, playing Juan Mata on the right wing, Jesse Lingard as a playmaker and Ashley Young as a forward is not quite a good idea. He did successfully convert Antonio Valencia into a right back from a right winger, Young did do well playing as a left back or wing back but not as successfully as Valencia and the versatile Daley Blind has done very well in centre back this season.
I feel Van Gaal deserve lots of credit for coping with the constant rumours surrounding his future since December 2015. Despite these rumours and constant pressure, with a young squad, he has managed to guide United to a cup triumph and a joint fourth placed finish (to look at it positively). However, I don't feel that he will tweak his ways and beliefs and that would result in more disappointment as it is not easy to play in England or the modern game holding on to old beliefs. Sir Alex tweaked his as the years went by to stay relevant and Van Gaal should have done the same. It has been a great career for Louis Van Gaal, it didn't quite work as planned in England in the short term but I believe his work will be noticed in the long term. I wish him a happy retirement and all the best in his future endavours.
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