26 Apr 2015 05:30:54
Turn the clock back almost two years, David Moyes had just joined, Ed Woodward was new in his job and our transfer policy was an absolute shambles that summer. Indecisiveness, bad luck, transition, whatever it was, it was the first domino that fell and the whole season collapsed after that.
Fast forward to today, the club seem to have gotten their act back together. We are destined for Champions League football with a real chance of finishing 2nd. The recruitment policy seems properly planned and deficiencies have been identified. Gundogan, Depay, Hummels, Clyne seem to be the prime targets and if rumors and the editor's comments are anything to go by, the groundwork is already being put in place for the players to arrive nice and early.
There seems to be a clear strategy this summer and fingers crossed we get our targets. Last summer was unique in a way since we weren't in the Champions League, but the club weren't afraid to spend. Getting the likes of Di Maria was no mean feat. Falcao was a smart signing too on loan, because had he worked out it we would have been on another level. Rojo, Blind have done well.
I've been critical of Van Gaal's tactics before, but one thing I do admire about him is that he has been ruthless, let 14 players go in the summer and pressed the reset button well and truly. In the second half of the season, he has chosen players based on form and not reputation, which has been good to see. I would be even happier if he let's RVP go in the summer.
Overall, there seems a real intent at the club to put it back to the top of English and European football and its a good time to be a United fan.
26 Apr 2015 09:08:22
REDFAITH
I agree, what has happened in this last year is what should have happened when SAF retired. Lvg wasn't my first choice however he is a leader with the ability to set up a strategy plus work towards making it happen. Strategy was key word in your post and vital to rebuilding the club, I don't believe we had one when SAF retired, I also believe they just thought more of the same when appointing his successor.
Sadly we wasted a year , a year which also gave the Scousers belief they deserved to be a Champions League team so the impact of the dreadful transition was wider than just the poor season we had.
We seem to be identifying our weaknesses and if addressed fully in summer I expect we will mount a title challenge next season
26 Apr 2015 09:12:28
would agree with your post. My main wish for this summer is whatever business we do that we do it early in the window. We all have a good idea of which players we want so let's get them early so that they can go on tour meaning that come the start of next season we have a fully integrated squad ready to go.
The moyes window was a disaster and even though last year ultimately went well it was still less than ideal that LVG couldn't start until after the world cup. let's avoid the last minute scramble and the annual saga that we always seem to have every year.
26 Apr 2015 09:46:44
I have to agree. The biggest change for me is we are now more organised. From the offices to the pitch, everyone now seems to know what is expected of them and they are getting on with it. Don't get too excited, its still early days, but for the first time in 2 years, we have a clear path and direction and most of this is down to LvG.
26 Apr 2015 11:02:20
I think a lot of people are underestimating the negative effect of regime change for older players. They will have made any incoming managers job hell, look at what happened to AVB.
Like all of you I have noticed a positive change in the past 5 games or so, but let's not get carried away. The first 3/4's of the season were an absolute shambles. I think its amazing how the media are saying "first half of the season" and now that's the script. It was much later than half way into the season that we played Spurs and battered them, far too generous.
I hope the confidence continues, but we have one player missing (Carrick) and the whole team goes back to creating how many chances against Chelsea? (those others injured were replaced by better performances)
Today will tell us a lot, let's wait until we start throwing too much praise LVG's way.
26 Apr 2015 11:37:05
You're right about older players and regime change , but it was made much worse by giving the job to someone who wasn't strong enough and ruthless enough to deal with the situation.
26 Apr 2015 11:46:32
Behave Beast. LVG is the optimum of football intelligence. A hero in red.
26 Apr 2015 12:05:11
Bilko - Moyes was the wrong appointment for the problems in hindsight, but I honestly thought he was a shrewd move initially. I didn't expect him to be the rabbit in headlights that he was, he had a reputation for being a disciplined manager who harboured an ability to unite a team and be solid at the back (our weak area). It made sense to me, but he was clearly out of his depth, I can't help but think the proposal put to him missed out all of the problems, couple that with Woody's first season it was a recipe for disaster and I very much doubt LVG would have faired any better. It took him 6-7 months to sort things out without the handicap of Europe, Old Guard, Following a Legend, and had the benefits of lower expectations, massive transfer budget, more experienced Woody, weaker prem opposition (aside from Chelsea) and players with a point to prove rather than resting on their laurels.
I bet SAF told Moyes all the players were looking forward to working with him and everything was rosey etc, but in reality the players would have been saying stuff with their fingers crossed behind their backs, looking forward to having the run of the place and it was a club in a mess.
Anyway, I'm just saying I don't think we should be over egging what LVG has done so far, a month ago even the most positive of fans were starting to get tetchy! let's see how we perform until the end of the season and assess then, because things change by the minute.
Apparently the form of Shaw has been a key thing to our recent turnaround in form according to the Soccer Saturday Panel - these guys don't have a Scooby Doo what they are talking about!
26 Apr 2015 12:19:09
beast
never mind shaw the turning point was rvp getting injured
26 Apr 2015 12:35:03
Jmb bla bla bla. Same record over and over again. Can you please comment on what has happened during the season. Have we started really well and thrown things away? Or has the manager gone in, got his act together, and got this team playing really well with a vast improvement being seen in all areas.
Instead of the usual sarcastic comments re lvg, can you not just comment about what is happening at present.
Are you david Moyes in disguise?
26 Apr 2015 13:13:20
Nomid I have said for months on end mate that I will give LVG credit when credit is due and I have but when I (or anyone for that matter) challenge him on here over his past mistakes and his fortunate circumstances we are constantly shot down. So now I am on the LVG bandwagon and I am trying my best to be like all the rest of you lads. Long live the great Dutchman!