New system seems to be working well for Louis van Gaal and Manchester United

New coach making his presence felt at United.

New Manchester United coach Louis van Gaal. AFP
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New Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was characteristically blunt ahead of his side’s friendly against Real Madrid.

He had been blunt when describing United’s commercial obligations, blunt when talking about the traffic in Los Angeles, and openly apologetic for being late to a news conference for the first time in his life. He was blunt when explaining the progress of his squad.

Not one for bland public platitudes, Van Gaal is box office. The Dutchman is asserting his authority at his new club and has already won the respect of his players.

The biggest change he has made so far is switching United to a 3-5-2 system that has never been associated with a club where a 4-4-2 was long imprinted in the psyche, with two wingers played out wide.

Football and United have evolved, but with five across the middle, there is scope for width and attacking domination under Van Gaal.

The system also shifts quickly to a 5-3-2 when United defend. Against European champions Real Madrid on Saturday, once-ridiculed winger Ashley Young not only looked a revitalised figure as he scored twice and pushed Darren Fletcher for man-of-the-match award, but he fits the new system well, one with an emphasis on attacking.

“I can’t see my philosophy working with four defenders,” Van Gaal said. “It will be five. Maybe there will be a time when I have to play with four. We will see. Now all the sessions are arranged for the five-defenders system.”

Even before he took charge at United, when Van Gaal was in Brazil coaching the Dutch national team at the World Cup, his three assistant coaches were implementing the new system.

United’s players were told about the 3-5-2 design. Once Van Gaal joined them for the tour, he started playing 11 against 11 in training.

Rivals have been more circumspect in their impressions of the formation.

“It is not easy to implement a new system,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “It is important that the player is convinced, but it is difficult to say how long it will take.”

United fans will cut their team some slack after last season’s seventh-place finish, which resulted in the side missing a European place for the first time since English clubs were readmitted into Europe in 1990.

The new system also lends itself to United’s current personnel, which includes a surfeit of creative midfielders and a deficit of defenders. United are still looking at bringing defenders in during the transfer window.

Although they have to be on message with their manager, players appear to have genuinely warmed to the system.

Wayne Rooney, who looked a happy and productive figure on tour and is a candidate for the captaincy, along with Robin van Persie, Johnny Evans and Darren Fletcher, said: “It has been great.

“The manager has come in and we are playing a new system and learning that and trying to get better.

“Over the next few weeks, we will get better. It has been tough, but the results will come, I hope.”

The results already have. United hammered Los Angeles Galaxy 7-0, defeated Roma 3-2 and beat Inter Milan on penalties. Then came their most impressive win, a 3-1 victory over a strong Real Madrid side only a couple of days behind United in their pre-season preparation.

United play Liverpool, who beat them home and away in the Premier League last season, in tonight’s final of the International Champions Cup competition in Miami. It is only a pre-season tour, but so far so good for United.

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