After the sun came the rain. What seemed to be a fresh start for Manchester United under Louis van Gaal quickly turned sour as the Red Devils managed just a single point in two games in the Premier League, while they were then thrashed 4-0 in the League Cup by MK Dons. Embarrassed after all the fanfare that came along with him as he took control at the Carrington training ground, Van Gaal is in desperate need of that “spark”. Luckily for him, the arrival of Angel di Maria will prove to be exactly what the former Netherlands boss needs.
Any fans that had the idea that Manchester United are ready to challenge for the league title must have had their hopes drowned as the 20-time league champions fell victims to Swansea on the opening day of the Premier League term. A draw in their second game against Sunderland – 14th last term in the league – only confirmed the fact that the team have to improve and continue to adapt to Van Gaal’s ways, whether he uses a 3-5-2 or a 4-3-3 formation.
“In the second half we played much better but we could have created more. We missed too many passes – it was either too slow or too hasty, and then you lose the ball and the tempo is gone from the game. That, in my opinion, was the reason [for not winning]”, commented the former Bayern Munich coach after the Sunderland game.
With Di Maria, Van Gaal receives exactly what he needs. A proven player for club and country, Di Maria has the ability to quickly gain possession and makes the fastest transition into attack. His £59.7m transfer fee is hefty, but there is no doubt that this is a player that thrives under pressure and excels when encountering adversity.
When faced with the possibility of exiting the Santiago Bernabeu a year ago as Gareth Bale landed in Spain, the Argentina international took it upon himself to impress Carlo Ancelotti and ensure his stay in the Spanish capital. Long known for his mesmerising runs on the flanks, he reinvented himself as a midfielder as part of Ancelotti’s 4-3-3 formation, forming the liaison that his coach needed between defence and attack. It was not a coincidence that he was the man with most assists in La Liga last term, with 17 goal-producing passes.
Ultimately, he was the origin of Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey and Champions League triumphs; feeding Bale the pass that led to the winner against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey and embarking on a slaloming run that resulted in the Welshman heading home the second against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final.
And that is precisely what Van Gaal is getting – a match winner. The Argentine seems as if he has legs for days, never gets tired, and is always willing to track back and aid the defence. In Ander Herrera, Manchester United have a midfield general, while Juan Mata adds an extra dimension to their play. However, Di Maria has something neither possesses. He is a man that can turn things around by a flick of his boots.
His experience last term will allow Van Gaal to deploy him in a number of positions; as the left midfielder in a 4-3-3 set-up or on either flank of a 3-5-2 scheme, with the ability to be granted a free roaming role in the middle of the park. His arrival appears on the face of it to be the perfect tonic for a team looking a million miles away from the never-ending success of the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Of course, Di Maria will have to adapt to the English game, a type of football completely different that he experienced in his previous days in Portugal and Spain, while his slight frame (he is nicknamed the Noodle) means he will be a target for physical play. But there is every indication that Rosario’s own is more than able to take the bull by the horns and prove that he is ready for a new life and a new challenge under the tutelage of Van Gaal.
His arrival at Old Trafford does not make Manchester United Premier League contenders. The league still looks to be a direct fight between champions Manchester City and Chelsea, but his presence on their books is a first step in the right direction, as they look to become a force once again. Van Gaal has compared him to Arjen Robben, who he managed at Bayern Munich. The Dutchman will now hope Di Maria can produce similar match-winning displays.
