![Louis van Gaal: Has not faced the same criticism as David Moyes]()
Louis van Gaal: Has not faced the same criticism as David Moyes
Mark Holmes explains why Manchester United are better under Louis van Gaal than David Moyes, and also blasts three unpunished lunge tackles.
United on right track under Van Gaal
It has been suggested in some quarters that Louis van Gaal is rather fortunate to be escaping the sort of criticism that David Moyes was having to deal with at this stage last season.
Manchester United have actually taken four points less from Van Gaal's first 10 Premier League games in charge than they did in Moyes' - and this from arguably a much easier start. Having spent £150million in the summer, there are some that feel Van Gaal should already be under serious pressure.
However, there is a world of difference between him and Moyes.
1) His record with clubs of similar stature has to be taken into consideration, despite cynics arguing it is irrelevant. Whereas there was always a feeling that the United job was too big for Moyes, that is undoubtedly not the case with Van Gaal.
2) The fact that the Dutchman did spend so heavily over the summer is a) proof that he can attract good players to the club and b) a justifiable excuse for the slow start as new players bed in.
3) Despite another defeat in the derby on Sunday, it is not hard to spot the improvement in United's performances in recent weeks. They may have only taken one point, but the Reds matched both Chelsea and City with 11 men on the pitch.
4) It is all part of the job, of course, but it cannot be ignored that Van Gaal has suffered terrible luck with injuries since taking the job, particularly in defence. The injury to Marcos Rojo, just as he was beginning to look the part, is the latest kick in the teeth.
5) Above all else, there is one reason why Van Gaal is not receiving the sort of criticism that Moyes got: the way that United are playing. They are attacking with purpose again, trying to score at every opportunity, and not relying on any one way of creating chances.
Yes, there are problems which Van Gaal needs to resolve, but United do at least look something like themselves again. It won't happen overnight, but once injuries clear up and Van Gaal is able to name a settled side, he will have them challenging for the Champions League again.
Lunging tackle back with a vengeance
You may be aware that a certain national newspaper has begun a 'Hands Off In The Box' campaign (backed, hilariously, by Martin Keown), aimed at drawing attention to what they describe as 'WWE-style behaviour' in penalty areas.
You may also be aware that the back pages of more than one of Monday's newspapers are plastered with pictures of Marouane Fellaini apparently spitting, that dastardly act that the occasional former pro will hilariously describe as worse than a leg-breaking challenge.
That, of course, is a nonsense - give me a bit of spit in the face over a broken leg any day of the week - and while defenders undoubtedly should be penalised for preventing strikers from reaching a ball by holding, it is ridiculous to suggest that every piece of grappling in the box should result in a penalty given the amount of blocking, pulling, pinching, backing in, toe stamping and so on that takes place at the same time. It will never, ever be removed from the game while it remains a physical contact sport.
What is equally ridiculous is that, while newspapers draw attention to these relatively tame infringements, little has been said or written about three extremely dangerous challenges made by Alex Song, Moussa Sissoko and Jan Vertonghen in the Premier League over the weekend.
All three played lunged in with their studs showing. Only through a combination of evasion and fortune did Mame Diouf, Joe Allen and Ashley Westwood avoid injuries as the victims of the challenges but, because they did escape unharmed, all three challenges will quickly be forgotten about, with the offenders' reputations unscathed.
While Christian Benteke sits out the next three games for reacting to Ryan Mason provocation with a soft hand in the face, Song, Sissoko and Vertonghen are free to help out their teams.
If a national newspaper wants to start a genuinely useful campaign, how about one which puts pressure on the Football Association to ensure players are punished heavily for these sorts of dangerous tackles, regardless of whether an injury is caused.
Ferdinand ban ridiculous
On the subject of disproportionate punishments, it really is laughable that QPR's Rio Ferdinand is currently serving a three-game suspension for using mildly-offensive language in response to a Twitter troll.
Footballers are supposed to be good role models...blah, blah, blah...but Ferdinand can certainly be forgiven for believing he has been picked on (again) given the way the FA handled the Malky Mackay/Iain Moody and David Elleray cases.
Yes, what Ferdinand wrote was seen by vastly more people than that written by Mackay and Moody in private texts but what he said was also significantly less offensive. And as Ferdinand's team-mate Joey Barton pointed out, perhaps the FA should publish a list of banned words on social media and the requisite punishments for using any of them.
As Barton also pointed out, a three-game ban puts Ferdinand's actions on a par with violent conduct. But as the Song, Sissoko and Vertonghen look set to go unpunished, perhaps we are getting an understanding of the FA's priorities.
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