Don't blame injuries, LvG; Plan for them.

🔴Van Gaal is a most polarising manager: and not just at Manchester United, but in all the teams he's been to.

Most of us here are 'diehard fans'. Meaning we never, ever want to criticise the team or the manager - even for a while.

We'd like to attribute losses to mistakes and bad luck - like poor refereeing and injuries - but it's a hard nut to swallow when it's not the case.

🔴 We are patient fans, we were taught that way. Those who had the honour of only knowing SAF in charge have lived in calm arrogance that... it will be well, come the end of the season, it will be alright in the next match and even on the 90th minute, it will be well.

We've endured injury crisis where there were no defenders even for CL matches, we've endured Wayne Rooney's years of tantrums, we've endured the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo - but we had faith that things would change - the club was bigger than the players.

The club endured.

🔴Enter Van Gaal and his process and philosophy; and never have we been so crushed.

Slowly by slowly, the arrogance was chipped away; we'd watch the game with twitchy asses and watch in bored humiliation as the team passed and passed and passed... then drew in the first half - sometimes it went to become a win, more often, it became a draw and worse losses.

So many draws, so many many losses.

Then the confidence was chipped away - and not just for the fans; it began to show in the face and sloop of the players.

🔴In the wake of all this, Louis van Gaal has asserted that injuries are to blame for the team's poor season.

So, let's examine that.

🔴 Injuries are the norm to every season - it is known! It's the one constant that has no defence.

So, to shore for this, manager get squads, like for like players who can effectively step up and take the mantle after injury, and also rely on calls from the Academy to meet any extra demands and to blood young players into the first team without too much pressure.

🔴 On his part, LvG decided to play god and fielded the smallest squad, ever. This small squad was supposed to play in 4 tournaments. Guys, four tournaments: Champions League included.

And look what that brought in - injuries and no like substitutions. #FirstMistake

🔴 So, when the injuries were so bad and first team players were not so on form, LVG called up the Academy - not reserves.

So, when Luke Shaw and Valencia suffered season-altering injuries he called in CBJ and Varela to fill the role.

When the forms of Damian and Marcos Rojo dipped even further, he called in Timothy Fosu-Mensah...

🔴 And when he had no central defenders because of Phil Jones' injury issues, he called in Daley Blind and made him a CD.

Great for him, Blind stepped up...

🔴 But Van Gaal's biggest issue was not just defensive, there were issues in the middle of the pitch - when he fell out with Schneiderlin and continued his benching of Ander Herrera, he made the mistake of fielding Fellaini on Defensive middfield, For a period of six games, Man United was shamed by this woeful display - and it was not the Big Fella's fault - he had to play there.

Up until the last international break when his country manager had to 'ask' that Fellaini play a more forward role, it was bad.

And look what happened when he listened... Fellaini went on to do much better in a more advanced role.

🔴 Let's not forget the forwards.

Do you remember when Van Gaal's only forward option was Wayne Rooney? Do you remember the near riot this caused - when, Rooney, older and less pacey was played over and over as #9? I think WR10 must totally appreciate that injury because it forced LVG to look for Marcus Rashford and to learn how to pair the front lines.

🔴So, yes, I agree injuries played a role - where does it not. But it balances out. Jamie Vardy is injured and his team scored.

Arsenal, Man City, Tottenham and everyone else has had bad injuries. But they were not caught offside.

They had options, reserves and did not need to dip into the academy unless necessary.

There is a reason for this - a first team player is a first team player. Injuries are anticipate.

This was great naivety and fatal mistake by Van Gaal - and he has no one to blame but himself.

🔴 In his search for 'perfection' and in saying perfection, read 'those he can coach into his possession-style football Van Gaal sold Nani and had to play Mata, a #10 in the wings.

He also pushed Martial to #7 role.

He sold Chicharito and was left with no attacking options until he got Rashford to come upfront.

He sold Fabio... let's not even talk about that.

It still hurts.

🔴 I know LvG has a process - maybe we'll see the end of it at some time (soon I hope); but he first promised 3 months, then six months for the process to work and the philosophy to catch on.

On Sunday, he said three years. Maybe it will work, maybe not... but let's not blame injuries.

Even machines break down.

So, if you have a car, you know you must do service or use other alternatives when it's being repaired. It's known.

🔴However, for van Gaal to insist his side are one of the best teams in the Premier League when they are injury-free, it's just delusional or something.

At this rate, then we'd say all the sides would be injury-free... and that is what SAF called the round-ness of football.

It hits everyone sooner than later.

🔴 I have taken some hits here for being 'anti-van Gaal', that is okay, I admit I have been totally dillusioned by my manager and the arrogance is gone, the belief wavers and the trust is totally broken.

🔴I don't see Van Gaal changing; he's very predictabale in how he treats his players and his preference of negative style of play - read possession football - at the cost of attacking and invention.

🔴That is why some 'free stylers' like Herrera and even Scheniderlin have suffered.

That is why we no longer here of Andreas Pereira... they are 'unteachable' according to one Dutchman.

That is why Nani is no more. That is why Chicharito, after that missed penalty and that 'look' is doing great things in Germany.

That is why we've lost. Ask Angel di Maria.

🔴 If you look at 10 things we expect in the game, it's become a game to outwit the boss; but he seems to just fall into the same issues, more often than not.

You can just predict when a player will be benched (some players, not all); worse, our opponents, who dedicate more hours in competition research predict this will alarming results - and guess what, they win.

🔴Man United's season has been one to forget, a lacklustre campaign... but we are Man United fans.

We hope things can change and we hope to get our team back.

🔴 I admit, I don't have a lot of trust or confidence in Louis van Gaal, but I hope to gods, he can prove me wrong. Please prove me wrong.

Until then, I find it impossible to agree with him that injuries are to blame for the bad season.

#Opin #LouisvanGaal