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Louis van Gaal says Manchester United challenge is hardest of career
Louis van Gaal says Manchester United challenge is hardest of career
(35 minutes later)
Louis van Gaal has admitted Manchester United’s current plight is the hardest moment of a glittering managerial career as he prepares the team to host West Ham United on Saturday.
Louis van Gaal has admitted Manchester United’s plight is the hardest moment of a glittering managerial career. United have only five points from five Premier League games and have won only once, with their last outing the 5-3 defeat at Leicester City where they conceded four unanswered second half goals in 21 minutes.
The Dutchman’s side have only five points from their opening five games and have won only once, with United’s last outing the 5-3 loss at Leicester City where they allowed four unanswered second half goals in 21 minutes.
Van Gaal has nine players injured and a further one unavailable in Tyler Blackett who is suspended. He has a crisis at centre-back because Chris Smalling is injured along with Phil Jones and Jonny Evans. And as Blackett is also unavailable as a left-sided player in the position, Van Gaal confirmed he will have to turn to the under-21 squad for replacements for the home game against West Ham on Saturday.
Van Gaal has nine players injured and a further one unavailable in Tyler Blackett who is suspended. The manager has a crisis at centre-half as he stated Chris Smalling is injured alongside Phil Jones and Jonny Evans. And as Blackett is also unavailable as a left-sided player in the position, Van Gaal confirmed he will have to turn to the Under-21 squad to draft in replacements.
“As a manager you know in advance it’s a big challenge and the club is in a transition but you don’t know in advance the difficult moments,” he said.
Asked if all of this made it the hardest job he has had Van Gaal said: “At this moment maybe but you have to see in a year and not in one week that we have nine injuries and a red card. As a manager you already know in advance that it’s a big challenge and this club is in a transition and don’t know in advance what the difficult moments we have to see because when we started we won everything and in a very difficult circumstances. Now we are in very difficult circumstances again and we can win.”
Van Gaal shrugged off any idea there was panic at the club, saying that United just have to accept their situation. Of the injuries he said: “I have to admit I’m never in this situation before so that’s strange.
Van Gaal bullishly shrugged of any idea there was panic at the club. “No. It is [about accepting it] happening, and it’s not a regular occurrence when you see our figures in the Premier League, except this match then we are defending well, average is less than one and we scored a lot of goals.”
“For me it’s difficult to understand because we are evaluating what we can do in a different way but you have to train on a certain level. We have a lot of injuries, nine injuries now, and Blackett suspended. So that means that 10 are off so I have to go to the youth team to pick players.
Of the injuries he said: “I have to admit that I’m never in this situation before so that’s strange and that is also what I have said in former press conferences. For me it’s difficult to understand because we are evaluating what we can do in a different way but you have to train on a certain level because otherwise you can’t play a game.
“The younger players can pick their chances now and that’s also the policy of this club. I have read that differently in the media but it’s like that. They are always ready. They have hunger to play. Manchester United’s youth education has a certain level that can provide that.”
“I’ve already said I will adapt to a certain level but I cannot train lower because then you can’t perform in the right way. We have a lot of injuries, nine injuries now, and Blackett suspended. So that means that 10 are off so I have to go to the youth team to pick players and I have also said that in former press conferences. The younger players can pick their chances now and that’s also the policy of this club. I have read that differently in the media but it’s like that.”
Van Gaal remains confident United can finish third. “When you are 3-1 ahead after 60 minutes you have to win. Then we are two points off second in the table. Because of the loss we are sitting here and you are talking like that and questioning me like that. But if we had won this game it was a different story. We [can] overcome and the season lasts more than one day.”
“They are always ready. They have hunger to play. Manchester United youth education has a certain level that can provide that.”
Of the injuries to Evans and Smalling he added: “Evans is a very difficult thing. His bone is bruised a lot and we have to wait and see and evaluate, but I don’t take risks.”
Van Gaal remains confident that United can still finish third. “Yes. When you are 3-1 ahead after 60 minutes you have to win. Then we are two points off second in the table. Because of the loss we are sitting here and you are talking like that and questioning me like that. But if we had won this game it was a different story. We [can] overcome and the season lasts more than one competition day.”
Of the injuries to Evans and Smalling the 63-year-old added: “Evans is a very difficult thing. His bone is bruised a lot and we have to wait and see and evaluate. Smalling, yesterday, in a training session, he [left] because he had stiff legs so we’ll wait and see what that’s meaning but I don’t take risks. You have to be fit and I always trust younger players.”
