Louis van Gaal got off to the perfect start as Manchester United manager – setting the benchmark for the season with a 7-0 win over LA Galaxy.
After all the column inches and soundbites from press conferences and training sessions, the Dutchman was finally able to give a 90-minute demonstration of his United.
Danny Welbeck scored the first goal of the Van Gaal era, followed by braces for Wayne Rooney, Reece James and Ashley Young.
Clearly qualifications must be added: this was only a pre-season friendly and LA Galaxy – the bustling Robbie Keane aside – hardly offered any resistance with eyes firmly still on their ongoing Major League Soccer campaign.
More accurate measurements of Van Gaal’s United will be made in the coming matches against European heavyweights AS Roma, Internazionale and Real Madrid.
However, there are certain conclusions – almost all positive – which can be drawn from this first match of the new regime, where the performance was as admirable as the scoreline.
Van Gaal himself was delighted and said: “It is fantastic how they have performed today.
“When you see us train, you can expect something but not 7-0. It was a surprise, but they were beautiful goals and beautiful attacks.”
United played 3-5-2 throughout the game, Van Gaal imposing the strategy which took the Netherlands to third at this summer’s World Cup on his new charges.
He is a manager who demands his players adapt to his philosophy, and here they did, despite having only played two 11 v 11 training matches in the new, unfamiliar formation.
On the matter of those training games, Van Gaal said: “It is not very much, but the boys are willing to pick up the information.
“Last week, 10 players who played tonight were not even at our training complex.
“When I see my team playing a new system, it is better to win 7-0 than to lose because the players will then doubt the system. But now I don’t have that problem.”
United danced to a Spanish rhythm, with matadors-in-chief Juan Mata and new signing Ander Herrera at the heart of everything they did best as the Red Devils took the bull by the horns.
Mata did the same job as Wesley Sneijder had for the Dutch in Brazil, linking the midfield and strikers – his understanding with Welbeck was particularly impressive.
United pressed their opponents relentlessly, Mata winning the ball high up the pitch and setting up Welbeck to open the scoring from 25 yards.
And in a refreshing change from last season, United dominated the midfield and were not only comfortable but also a constant threat when in possession.
Herrera was the best exponent of that, always eager to be involved and assisting both of Young’s goals with a couple of perfectly-measured through balls.
Another feature of the Dutch World Cup campaign – lethal counter-attacks – showed itself in United’s third goal, as Mata broke from his own half and found Welbeck, whose cross was finished by Rooney.
As much as counter-attacking is part of United’s tradition, the 3-5-2 formation most certainly is not – but given its success in this game, it will be interesting to see if Van Gaal continues to use it.
The three centre-backs (Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Jonny Evans in the first half, Michael Keane, Darren Fletcher and Tyler Blackett in the second) were never really tested, but appeared suited to the system.
They were flanked by wing-backs, with Antonio Valencia and then the youngster James particularly impressive going forward.
James was an ever-present for the under-21s last season and his two fine finishes here may give him the confidence to keep Luke Shaw looking over his shoulder on the left.
These are, of course, very early days for Van Gaal at United, but already the Dutchman and his assistants appear to have had a positive influence and lifted the cloud over Old Trafford.
The squad, if bereft of the quality of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Scholes, is full of very good players, most of whom disappointed last season with their application and fight as much as their skills.
Given a system and a style of play they can invest their energies and imaginations into, United’s players have more than enough talent to build on this calibre of performance.
But United’s display was a far cry from the ponderous pre-season displays from a year ago.
And credit must go to the players who came in for the second half for not letting standards drop.
Manchester City’s 4-1 win also across the pond in Kansas last night was a stark reminder that Van Gaal will have his work cut out to wrestle the Premier League trophy back from the blue side of the city.
To that end, there will be further signings this summer – and they will be needed to bolster the defence and midfield – but the first indications of how the current squad members are responding to Van Gaal could hardly be better.
The Dutchman was called in to heal the rifts created by David Moyes’ tenure – but the doctor’s orders appear to be rehabilitation rather than major surgery, at least for now.
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