The hollow football remains and Louis van Gaal still appears to be out of ideas and inspiration. His Manchester United side are in tonight's FA Cup fourth round draw, but the sense is of Van Gaal being a dismal defeat away from the same scrutiny he suffered during the festive period.
Next is tomorrow evening’s visit to Newcastle United, then Sunday’s trip to Merseyside to face Liverpool. Both sides are struggling, so to go down to Steve McClaren’s men or United’s fiercest rivals will not play well with Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman, or supporters.
Against Sheffield United of League One, the Dutchman's team were lacklustre and fortunate to win. Only a late Wayne Rooney penalty dragged United through the tea-time game in which Memphis Depay drew ironic cheers for actually taking aim at George Long's goal. As Depay was a 60th-minute substitute and his shot went wide, this is an apt illustration of the home crowd's deep frustration.
Afterwards, the United great Paul Scholes, who knows about entertaining the Theatre of Dreams, spoke of players and Van Gaal seeming bored. Ennui is indeed the prevailing emotion emanating from this United outfit. The Van Gaal factor becalms his players and the fans who pay a sizeable amount to watch them.
There were only 20 minutes remaining when a man in a red shirt finally managed to shoot at the target. There was little surprise, though, that Matteo Darmian’s effort proved tame and was simple for Long to collect.
Puzzling modus operandi
The Italian offers a prime example of Van Gaal’s puzzling modus operandi. On joining from Torino, Darmain operated smoothly from his right full-back berth, looking a classy addition to the squad. But since then he has been played at left-back and centre-back, dropped, criticised publicly and become another Van Gaal signing to whom the 64-year-old offers mixed messages.
Darmian, who cost £13 million in the summer, was clear in his understanding of fans’ frustration at the grey product they are watching. This was the 10th consecutive home match in which United failed to score in the first half.
“Of course, we want to score earlier in games as well,” Darmian said. “But sometimes it is difficult for us because Sheffield, like a lot of teams when they come here, have all their team behind the ball and it is not easy to find space. Sometimes we tried to pass the ball in behind to create the space.
“The fans were fantastic because we didn’t score [before the penalty] and they still supported. We want to do our best for the fans but know it is not easy.”
Rooney was the game-winner for a second Saturday in a row, after his back-heeled finish in the victory over Swansea City here. “He was very calm to take a penalty in the 92nd minute,” Darmian said. “But he’s a top player and he didn’t feel the pressure. It would have been better if we had scored earlier but we won the game and are in the next round.
“This sort of game can always happen with a team from League One, but we fight and in the end we got the penalty, we scored it, we won and we are happy with the result. Wins always help to increase our confidence. Now we have two days to prepare for Newcastle. We have to recover and then focus on that game.”
Darmian does not seem too sure how Van Gaal views his progress. “Yes, I think he is happy and when I train I try to improve day by day. And when the manager gives me a chance I try to do my best and to help the team.”
However, Italy’s right-back knows his preferred position. “On the right side. But playing on the left is not a problem when the coach wants me to play there. I always try to do my best wherever I play. To return after a hamstring injury [in early December] is not easy. Sometimes it affects you mentally. But now I feel good. I want to play like I did at the beginning of the season and that is what I’m trying to do.”
But how much longer can the Van Gaal way continue? The XI he fielded had Anthony Martial out of position again on the left. The 20-year-old possesses two qualities United sorely miss at the head of attack: serious pace and flair. So why not select him at centre-forward, and the ever-slowing Rooney behind? Afterwards Van Gaal spoke of needing more wing-play.
Countless questions
Juan Mata is a fine footballer but no Stanley Matthews or even Ashley Young of the wide areas. Yet the Spaniard is continually deployed there. Why? Countless more questions such as these could be put to Van Gaal.
Perhaps the most pertinent one is this: what happens regarding the Dutchman's position if he fails to scrape wins in the next two games? – (Guardian Service)
