MANCHESTER, England -- Football has a way of making us live for the day. It reserves that subtle technique of making our brains work against...
MANCHESTER, England -- Football has a way of making us live for the day. It reserves that subtle technique of making our brains work against the most basic of logics, but that's of course why we love everybit of it. We really do!
Timing is everything they say, Manchester United were just about to find out why. Chelsea had just laboured at home to Southampton who after 29 matches simply would not go away, Ronald Koeman and his team sharing the spoils after 90 mins to travel home with a much deserved point.
Neighbors Manchester city bettered Chelsea's draw at home falling to a defeat at the hands of relegation strugglers Burnley. With the matchday script perfectly tailored in their (Red devils) favour (at least for united & arsenal supporters) the attention was even more on the "rat race'' fixture as Spurs travelled to The Theatre of Dreams.
After a week of discontent, compounded by a "self inflicted" defeat at against Arsenal Old Traford was barely a place to dream, not at least for the FA Cup.
Louis Van Gaal's pre match comment didn't settle particularly well amongst supporters when he hinted the top four as replacement for silverware this season.
Then came the team list as united supporters not for the first time raked their heads on the system to be deployed by their manager.
The bolder ones though quick to suggest a 4-5-1 seeing Micheal Carrick Ander Herrera Fellaini, Ashley Young and Mata in the same starting xi. Other factions went for the 4-3-3.
4-3-3 it was as the team selection would produce its best performance of the LVG era, it was arguably the finest performance of the post Sir Alex Ferguson era as united dominated proceedings from the off putting 3 goals past Hugo Illoris.
Fellaini opened the scoring inside 10 mins setting the tone for a high octane first half that saw Carrick and Rooney double and tripple their lead within 15mins to the end of the half.
United learning from past mistakes kept possession throughout the second 45 mins in a bid to preserve their comfortbale lead, 3-0 it finished at full-time.
It took 18 months but boy had United fans yearned for such a performance, the stadium was literally bouncing. But behind the excitement and Rooney's headline goal celebration Louis Van Gaal asides taking the usual notes, would have been observing the factors that allowed for such high tempo passing, fluid attacking, and directness to his sides perfomance.
For supporters the sight of Juan Mata may have come as a suprise give the managers' preference to field Januzaj in the absence of Di Maria.
A valid selection it would become as it would allow Juan Mata play as an inverted winger on the right, moreso another chance to directly link up with boyhood teammate Ander, both of whom have spoke glowingly about their relationship on and off the pitch.
The intricate passing between Herrera, Mata and Carrick was itself a menu in the programme of unfolding events.
Herrera and Mata provide a natural combination, a pair that function almost in telepathy, fielding both spaniards would only do a team more good than otherwise.
The phrase philosophy has been seen to incite supporters rather than appease them, of which the credit we owe LVG. Like we saw on sunday given time the "philosophy" should come good though some issues must be addressed to move forward, one of which is the negligence of natural combinations as opposed to the issue of 'Balance'.
LVG's tactics this season has often undermined the ability of player to express the natural flow of talent, prioritising strict adherence to instructions and rigid insistence on playing a certain way. Herrera and Mata instinctively trust each other and as a result play for each other.
Their outing on spurs was another classy example as the combined seamlessly, running rings around Tottenham's Danny Rose for most parts of the game.They were once touted to be England's defensive pairing for the next generation Phil Jones and Chris Smalling.
Both may not be United class but in their paring you have a combination that allows for sincerity in communication, trust and moreso because they played as a pair while rising through the age ranks in England's u-20's team.
Against Spurs, but for a first minute rush of blood to the head by phil jones (and not for the first time) that saw him hit an over-weighted back-pass to David de gea, the duo performed superbly throughout 90 minutes. The truth remains that Jones and Smalling only had an outing at centre back as a result of Marcos Rojo's failure to pass a late fitness test. Not withstanding they made a claim as a pair as opposed other combinations most notably either of them alongside the suspended Johnny Evans.
Under David Moyes United supporters could barely stand the sight of a lumbering Marouane Fellaini alongside Micheal Carrick in a flat 4-4-2 system. The fact remains, Fellaini is not an accomplished passer of the ball neither is he mobile on it, but with a few tinkering Van Gaal has found methods to play to his strength using him as a box to box player something Moyes couldn't stand up to.
With Fellaini United have an extra man in midfield and attack, an auxiliary destroyer of opposition play as we saw him so effectively take out Cesc Fabregas from the game when the two sides met earlier in the season.
Also, over the season there has been the odd issue of the handicap nature of the entire United team as the entire make-up of the squad features a bunch high profiled players who all happen to have their left foot as their stronger foot. In an injury free world RVP, Rojo, Daley Blind, Luke Shaw need I mention Di Maria are all expected to make the starting XI. The bench would see Mata, Januzaj, Tyler blackett, that's 3 out of six or seven substitutes allowed in to be listed.
The most basic of logic suggests that with the above left sided players in the same side, their natural make up will suggest their preferred direction of play will be to the left (one-sided), a clear disadvantage to the side and a needless advantage to their markers in the opposing side.
For a manager who speaks highly of balance, his team selection against Tottenham though forced by injury and suspensions gave a clear indication of just how much 'balance' not just in the selection of attacking/defensive minded players bring to the team but the choice of players with non-similar sided feet.
All these assertions of course need a group of eleven players carrying out their individual tasks on the field whilst still operating as one unit. Against Tottenham on sunday Van Gaal's team played as a unit, hunting down opposition in packs for all of 90 mins. A feature that didn't go unnoticed in Blind Daley's post match observation.
"Everybody was working so hard together and fighting for each other, winning every ball that we could. And we played like a team. It was really enjoyable to play. I think maybe there should be a 'Team of the Match".
LVG has often made so much about what it takes to be the captain of his team on the pitch as Fellaini revealed post-match how Van Gaal's captain Rooney gave fellow teammates a 'very important speech' ahead of their win over Tottenham. Whatever the speech said, it must have added another feather to his managers much heralded philosophy.
"I have a feeling the players want to play this system also. That is also a big advantage" - Van Gaal said.Louis will know his team need to keep that level of motivation as they navigate their remaining 9 games of the season. A lot would depend on the consistency of the system and the choice of his selections starting with Liverpool on sunday.
The writer of this piece YubbyThePundit is a Manchester United Correspondent for Sportive23.net. Tweet at @YubbyThePundit
