LOUIS VAN GAAL admits even he has become "bored and angry" watching some of Manchester United's turgid performances this season.
 |
| Louis van Gaal's Manchester United have scored just 12 goals in 10 home league games this term |
Van Gaal has come under renewed criticism from fans and former players for United's lack of entertainment value, and vowed to improve their goal output.
United, who needed an added-time penalty to beat League One Sheffield United in the FA Cup at the weekend, have recorded their lowest goals tally for a quarter of the century at this stage of the season.
Ahead of their visit to Newcastle tonight he said: "There are matches that I have enjoyed very much - like against Chelsea recently - but there are also matches where I'm very bored or angry because we are not disorganising our opponents' defence.
"But that is football. It's not every match that every club is playing fantastically, with football that attracts the people.
"The fans are frustrated but so are the players. The fans also have to know that we can't always play fantastic football and that was the case in former days as well.
"At this moment we have a lack of creativity and you can see that but they [the players] have done it. So [that shows] they can do it. We have to lift that and we are very busy with that but at this moment we can improve. Every week I'm saying we have to improve in the third or fourth phase."
Many supporters had left Old Trafford by the time Rooney converted the spot kick on Saturday but Van Gaal claimed they left not through boredom but to beat the traffic.
"There are many reasons to leave a stadium early," he added. "Maybe they were thinking that we could not score and maybe because of the traffic.
"When I am looking at matches to analyse our opponents then I leave the stadium five minutes before. You never know the reason.
"You can be very negative but we are in the next round, won two matches out of a very bad period. And in a match you need two teams to play."
Former United star Paul Scholes has claimed some players need "digging out" but Van Gaal is refusing to change his policy of never leaving his seat in the technical area, believing it has no value, even though Sir Alex Ferguson used touchline psychology to good effect on many occasions.
"I'm not Sir Alex," he said. "Everybody is different and I don't believe in yelling from the sidelines. I believe in communication during the week, during the preparation and I believe in my players who have to perform.
"Players can't hear you anyway because of the crowd. A lot of managers are doing that but I doubt if they have real influence."
Van Gaal refused to discuss if his No2 Ryan Giggs was uncomfortable at the scathing criticism of the club's performances from his close pal Scholes, now a TV pundit. But he insists he and Giggs share the same belief that Untied should be more adventurous.
"That is what I want also so there is no difference there," he said. "If you want to know his feeling about what Scholes is saying you have to ask him. He doesn't discuss it with me.
"He has a lot of influence in our decisions because I communicate every decision with my staff so he can have a big influence. I work in a fantastic way with Ryan so that's the only thing I can say."
Bastian Schweinstegier is ruled out by an ankle injury tonight but Memphis Depay could return after impressing as a sub on Saturday.
Meanwhile Atletico Madrid have told United that £20m Spain Under-21 midfielder Saul Niguez is not for sale.
Post a Comment Blogger Facebook Disqus