False Dawn for Manchester United

Was the pre-season a false dawn ??????

Winning all the five pre-season games meant that Manchester United have finally found a way to overcome there last season debacle. However, after seeing the way United played their first league match makes everyone wonder was the pre-season a false dawn????

It all looked rosy for United when the disastrous spell under David Moyes came to an end and it became even better when Louis Van Gaal was appointed as the manager of arguably the most watched footballing club in the world.

After seeing the way LVG dispatch their opponents in the recently concluded FIFA World Cup, where he lead his home nation Dutch to a respectable third place, the expectations of United fans reached sky high. But, reality struck again in the form of Swansea city in the opening day after Manu lost 2-1 to them at Old Trafford in the premier league.

Their disastrous run at Old Trafford continues, after losing seven matches at home (where they lost only five times in the previous three seasons) last season, they started the new season in a similar disappointing way.

This situation underlines the fact that this may not be a quick fix for United. Despite appointing one of the best managers in the world right now, fans have to be patient if they want to see United return to the helm, which they enjoyed for such a long time under their legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

There might be a bigger problem then what appears in the eye for United. The squad looked mediocre last season and many wondered was it Moyes failure to get the best of it, but seeing the team play in the opening match, it makes us wonder have the best days of these players are behind them???

This even more underlines the fact that how good Sir Alex's man management skills was, as he was able to transfer such an average team into an all conquering group.

No matter how many record breaking transfers Manchester United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward pulls off this summer, the problems at United does not look like a quick fix. Patience is the key for United supporters if they want to see their club at the top of the league again.

Van is the man behind Netherlands success in Brazil 2014

Van Gaal's tactical intelligence has taken Dutch one step closer to the promise land

By R Karthik

Salvador: World Cup has seen many star individuals like Pele, Maradona, Cruyff take the limelight in the past, but never has anyone accepted the phrase 'One man team' in a sport which consist of eleven players. If Dutch does manage to lift the famous old trophy on 13th July, then they will definitely be termed as a one man team and the man will be their coach Louis Van Gaal.

Starting from the incredible odd formation which he put in place against the defending world champions Spain in the opening group match to the last minute substitution of  taking the goal keeper who played for 120 minutes for a second choice keeper for the penalty shootout against Costa Rica in the quarter-finals, he has been the main reason behind Dutch success in this year's World Cup.

When Kevin Strootman, AS Roman midfielder who was the heart of Dutch midfield was ruled out of the World Cup, Van Gaal switched from their usual 4-3-3 to 5-3-2 formation, as he felt that he had no player of the calibre to replace the Dutch no.6. Hence, Holland faced the defending champions Spain in a rather unfamiliar formation of 5-3-2 with De Vrij, Vlaar and Martins Indi played at the back and Jamnaat and Blind played as wing backs. De Jong, Sneijder and Guzman occupied the middled and their captain Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben played up front.

The tactics worked incredibly well as Netherlands destroyed Spain 5-1. Hence Van Gaal decided to stay with the same formation in their next match against Australia. However, as Australia went 2-1 up in the second half, they switched to 3-4-3 by bringing on young Memphis Depay who scored the winner as dutch came from behind to beat Austarlia 3-2.

In the next match against Chile, Netherlands again started with the same 5-3-2 formation. As the match remained goalless, Van Gaal once again switched to a 3-4-3 formation. Yet again late goals from substitutes Leroy Fer and Depay helped them get a late 2-0 victory.

Then came Mexico in the round of 16, during which Van Gaal switched from Plan A to Plan B and finally to Plan C to help the Dutch win the match in the last few minutes.

Dutch started in their usual 5-3-2 against Mexico, but nothing got going for Netherlands in the first half. After Mexico took the lead early in the second half, Dutch switched to 3-4-3, by bring on Depay, but still nothing changed. Hence, Van Gaal who is not afraid to make big decisions took off their star front man and captain Van Persie and brought on Huntelaar in the second half cooling break during the 75th minute. Dirk Kuyt, who started as left wing back was moved to right back in the same match and then was asked to play up front with Huntelaar.

After that switch, Dutch ignored their total football style and started to hit long diagonal crosses from the left side with Kuyt and Huntelaar as targets. That change proved dividends, as Dutch won a corner through one of the long balls from which Sneijder equalised late on and substitute Huntelaar scored a 94th minute penalty to help the Dutch reach the quarter finals.

Against Costa Rica in the quarter finals, Holland surprisingly started in a 3-4-3 formation and stuck with it right till the second half of extra-time even though it did not work out. Van Gaal finally took off one of the centre back's Martins Indi and brought on Huntelaar as Dutch switched to a traditional 4-4-2 in the 105th minute.

Although that wasn't the master move, it was when he took off their keeper Jasper Cillessen in the 120th minute and replaced him with Newcastle United's Tim Krul for the shoot out. The move which raised eyebrows paid its reward as Krul cruelly saved two penalties from Cost Rican players to bring their dream World Cup run to an end. Thereby helping Dutch reach there second successive World Cup semifinals where they will play two time winners Argentina.

Dutch has reached finals three times in the past, but has never won the World Cup. With a tactical genius in Louis Van Gaal at their dressing room, Holland fans may finally believe this may be their year.

Ends

Tournament of shockers finally saw the big guns progress through to the next round

Big Guns Have Finally Made It Through

Brasil 2014: In a World Cup that has so far regarded as a tournament for the underdogs, the remaining heavy weights finally pulled themselves together to reach the last eight. Brasil 2014 has been identified by many as the World Cup of shockers, after many big teams were forced to packed their bags and leave home as soon as the group stages.

The likes of 1966 World Cup winner England, four-time World Cup winner Italy and another European heavy weight Portugal have gone home early. But, nothing gets bigger than the defending world champion Spain's elimination.

Spain had a dream few years, when they won the 2008 Euros, 2010 World Cup and 2012 Euros. However the team many branded as one of the pre-tournament favourites was knocked out within a week the the tournament had started. Holland trashed them 5-1 in their opening match and then an inspired Chile beat them convincingly in the next match to make them the first ever defending champions to lose both of their opening games.

Also another surprise package was the minnows Costa Rica, who was placed in the group of death along side the previous World Cup winners Italy, England and Uruguay shocked the entire world to top the group by beating both Uruguay and Italy before playing out a draw in a meaningless game against England. They have carried their good form into the knock out stage as they progressed to the last eight in penalties against the 2004 European champions Greece.

With the platform being perfectly laid on for the underdogs, the so called heavy weights finally manged to pull themselves together to reach the quarter finals of Brazil 2014. Having said that the minnows did not get themselves eliminated without a fight.

Five of the eight last-16 matches needed extra time to find the winners. Among the five, two required the dreaded penalty shoot-out. The hosts, five time World Cup winners Brasil themselves needed a shootout to see off the well organised Chile.

Holland needed a late equaliser from Sneijder and an even later heroic dive from Robben in the dying seconds of normal time to win a penalty, which was converted by Huntelaar to help the Dutch reach the last eight.

France, 1998 World Cup winner also required a late goal keeper error for Pogba to score and an own goal in injury time to help them get past a resilient Nigeria. Last of the least Brasil's fiercest rival Argentina needed an 118th minute goal from Angel Di Maria to beat Switzerland.

So finally we have the last eight, with each match consisting atleast one of the so called tournament heavyweights the neutral fans will have some thing to cheer about. Even though the big guns have made it through to the last eight, the so called lesser teams can take a lot of heart from the way the tournament as gone so far. Thereby the likes of Colombia and Costa Rica can face their opponents without much fear in the last eight which starts on Friday.