Man Utd Thread:

[AZOffaly]

Saw this from ESPN on facebook. "Is Shinji Kagawa the next person out the exit door at Manchester United? Manager Louis van Gaal has said the midfielder "did not wish to fulfil my wishes, my philosophy" in pre-season."

van Gaal seems to suffer no fools. He'll be fine.

Kagawa obviously doesn't buy into the philosophy so far. He's a good player, criminally underused at United I think. Is Mata that much better than him?

[DennistheMenace]

Big fan of Di Maria, really hope we can get him and reinforce further as it's obviously needs. Was at the Swansea game couldnt believe how lethargically we looked, passing woeful. Good to see Mata show some form.

[Shrewdness]

Van Gaal did say during the summer that it normally takes him about 3 months to get any team he has managed, to play to his style.. When he took over at Bayern Munich, they only won 5 of their first 13 games. Yet, by the end of the season, they had won the Bundesliga and lost the Champions League Final. That won't happen this season, but he has made his mark wherever he has gone, and there is no reason to believe, as of now, that his time at Old Trafford will be any different.

[rodney trotter]

I remember reading that alright. Di Maria to be in Manchester this evening for Medical

[deiseach]

Van Gaal did say during the summer that it normally takes him about 3 months to get any team he has managed, to play to his style.. When he took over at Bayern Munich, they only won 5 of their first 13 games. Yet, by the end of the season, they had won the Bundesliga and lost the Champions League Final. That won't happen this season, but he has made his mark wherever he has gone, and there is no reason to believe, as of now, that his time at Old Trafford will be any different.

There are plenty of reasons why it might be different this time around. One is taking over a team that finished 2nd the previous season, two points off the top, versus taking over a team that finished 7th.

[Shrewdness]

I take your point Deiseach. He definitely has his hands full in the coming season. He'll need to make sure that he halts the current decline. New players take time to settle, and with so many mediocre players already at the club, there could be choppy waters ahead this season..He'll certainly need to see MK Dons off tomorrow night.

[deiseach]

Milton Keynes Dons will be a formidable challenge - there's no question about that.

[rodney trotter]

Van Gaal said himself top4 is a priority this season and whatever after that, and with the players that are joining, that realistically should happen.

No European football this year, that should make a difference as the season moves on.

[Captain Obvious]

Van Gaal did say during the summer that it normally takes him about 3 months to get any team he has managed, to play to his style.. When he took over at Bayern Munich, they only won 5 of their first 13 games. Yet, by the end of the season, they had won the Bundesliga and lost the Champions League Final. That won't happen this season, but he has made his mark wherever he has gone, and there is no reason to believe, as of now, that his time at Old Trafford will be any different.

There are plenty of reasons why it might be different this time around. One is taking over a team that finished 2nd the previous season, two points off the top, versus taking over a team that finished 7th.

I think Van Gaal also said taking over from Moyes was a more difficult job. Why a suitable replacement wasn't brought in straight away after Ferguson remains a mystery.

[deiseach]

No European football this year, that should make a difference as the season moves on.

How big a difference?

[Milltown Row2]

No European football this year, that should make a difference as the season moves on.

How big a difference?

Might come second

[rodney trotter]

No European football this year, that should make a difference as the season moves on.

How big a difference?

You might know from last season.

[deiseach]

No European football this year, that should make a difference as the season moves on.

How big a difference?

You might know from last season.

Hmm. If that's what you're going on then I'd suggest checking out how Liverpool did in 2012 when we had no European football.

[rodney trotter]

No European football this year, that should make a difference as the season moves on.

How big a difference?

You might know from last season.

Hmm. If that's what you're going on then I'd suggest checking out how Liverpool did in 2012 when we had no European football.

You were a one man army then with Suarez, no Sturridge , Coutinho, or Sterling. I suggest you check how many Sturridge scored last season...

[deiseach]

No European football this year, that should make a difference as the season moves on.

How big a difference?

You might know from last season.

Hmm. If that's what you're going on then I'd suggest checking out how Liverpool did in 2012 when we had no European football.

You were a one man army then with Suarez, no Sturridge , Coutinho, or Sterling. I suggest you check how many Sturridge scored last season...

Obviously the quality of player makes a difference to your position, but you were the one suggesting European football makes a difference to a team's place in a particular season. So I ask again: how big a difference?