Abhranil Roy
It has been a season of highs and lows, one where we beat Liverpool at Anfield one weekend but lose to Midtjylland in the other. Ultimately, it has boiled down to this: we need to win the remaining two games to ensure that we topple Manchester City in the race for the 4th Champions League spot, while a victory over Crystal Palace at Wembley would give us our 12th FA Cup. It’s almost like we have to play 3 finals in a row from now on, and here are 3 things Louis van Gaal needs to do to guarantee that we win:
1. Play with more desire
Manchester United have been guilty of overplaying and overpassing the ball on too many occasions, and as a result, we are going to end the season with our lowest goal tally ever in Premier League history. The lack of a lethal, 20 goal a season striker is blatantly obvious, and also the severe lack of pace if Martial doesn’t play. What the Dutchman needs to do is get Rashford fit as soon as possible and put him up top, with Martial and Lingard on the wings. This will ensure that we have pace and skill, and with either Rooney or Mata playing down the middle, we will also have the required composure and skill to hurt opposition defences.
2. Stop being so cautious
United have the second best defensive record in the league, but that has come at the cost of them being “boring” and playing risk-free football. I simply do not understand why the former Barcelona manager keeps employing a two man double pivot, especially against teams from the lower half of the table. The creativity and pressing will come only if more players are employed up front, and now, as the stakes are as high as ever, caution must be thrown to the winds to achieve our objectives.
3. Use subs wisely and players must show more will
Van Gaal has made some truly puzzling substitutions throughout his reign, and they have mostly failed to work. To salvage this season, the Dutchman must try to use his substitutions wisely, as having Depay, Januzaj and Herrera on the bench gives him a lot of options. The players must be aware of what the manager demands from them, but they must also acknowledge that the masses demand entertaining and effective football as well. A number of times this season, there has been a lack of will or desire from the team, and that laickadaisical attitude has cost us big time. Hopefully, we don’t see any of it in these 3 games anymore.
