Watch a typical Manchester City game from his season or last and then look at a random 90 minutes from Manchester United from a similar period.
Then you realise that, however close these great rivals are in terms of points in this current title race, that even the most ardent Manchester United fan would admit that they are like chalk and cheese.
Manchester City are still vulnerable to inexplicable collapses at any stage. But the way the play football is almost from a different planet to Manchester United.
City move the ball beautifully, with purpose, pace and assurance. They have a natural inventiveness about them and they get the ball from back to front in a few passes – usually on the ground. This unsettles opponents and pulls them all over the park – and, most imponrtantly, out of position.
Manchester United, by contrast, play more with the tempo of a cricket team these days.
It’s not that they can’t compete in terms of playing staff. Louis van Gaal has invested wisely over the last 18 months and the squad looks as strong as it has in a long while.
But they just aren’t clicking. And, as time goes on, it becomes ever more apparent that this is to do with the style that they are being asked to play, rather than the quality of the players themselves.
Perhaps Louis van Gaal’s brand of possession football is unsuited to The Premier League. Perhaps it’s obsolete in modern football as a whole.
But, more likely, he just needs to tweak it a little – adapt his style to the pace of The Premier League and the manner in which Manchester United like to play.
For most of the last 5 years Manchester United have had a markedly poorer squad than Manchester City.
That is no longer the case. But Manchester City are most certainly playing more exciting football.
And the responsibility for this has to lie squarely with the Manchester United manager.
United have the players. Now Louis needs to get them playing with more speed, fluency and adventure. They need to take more risks, show better movement and stop playing the ball sideways. It’s all far too cautious and doesn’t put fear into any opponent.
If Louis can’t see the problem and affect the necessary changes perhaps it’s time to hand over the reins to Ryan Giggs at the end of this season – or perhaps even earlier.
Manchester United fans: can you see the style of the team improving much under LvG?
