Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has suggested that the club’s supporters must continue to back the players amid on-going criticism of his style.
Watch more brilliant snippets like this with fanatix’s FREE sports video news app
The Dutch tactician was speaking in his weekly press conference on Friday, as reported by Sky Sports, and attempted to deflect the frustration of fans towards him by insisting that they should boo him if they are unhappy.
United were held to three consecutive goalless draws prior to Tuesday night’s 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow in the Champions League, although they continued to struggle in attack.
Goals have been an issue for the side all season and that is reflected in the fact that they have scored just 15 goals in 11 league games, with only Liverpool and Crystal Palace scoring less out of the top 10 teams.
That has been put down to the Dutchman’s conservative and methodical approach to playing, which has drawn the ire of club legends such as Paul Scholes, as noted by the BBC.
However, he remains defiant in his message to the supporters and has shown no suggestions that he will alter his approach in the coming weeks.
United have fallen four points adrift of joint league leaders Manchester City and Arsenal as a result of their goal-scoring troubles, but Van Gaal is adamant that the supporters will play a crucial role in giving the players their confidence back.
The positioning of Wayne Rooney has also been a contentious point this season, as the England captain has struggled to have a significant influence as the lone striker.
While the 30-year-old seemingly drops back to become more involved in play, there is an argument to suggest that Anthony Martial should play up front and spearhead the attack and use his pace to the team’s advantage.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not Van Gaal considers his methods or he sticks by his convictions and tries to turn things around with the fans.
COMMENTS