Louis van Gaal’s reign as Manchester United manager came under its most brutal, unforgiving scrutiny as his defence dissolved, his summer signings disappointed or departed, and his last hope of silverware this season disappeared. To think that Old Trafford used to intimidate visitors.
The inquest will be long and painful. This will be the first time in 26 years that United have gone two seasons running without a trophy. Only qualifying for the Champions League can rescue United’s season now.
Recent recruits, the men supposed to give substance and sparkle to the Van Gaal era, endured off nights: Angel di Maria was sent off, Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera were taken off, Radamel Falcao never got off the bench, Marcos Rojo never looked convincing while Daley Blind never looked threatening.
One shudders to think where United’s season would be without David de Gea and Wayne Rooney. Chris Smalling laboured, Antonio Valencia was a defensive liability while most of Marouane Fellaini’s second touches seemed to be fouls. Van Gaal is a highly respected manager, boasting one of the best CVs in the game, but he has not got the defence organised or midfield and attack joined up enough.
Nacho Monreal celebrates putting Arsenal 1-0 up against Manchester United (AFP)
He also needs to address his team’s indiscipline when placed under pressure. Di Maria received a yellow card for simulation and immediately another from the outstanding Michael Oliver for touching the referee. Adnan Januzaj was booked for diving. Rooney had to restrain Ashley Young at the final whistle from getting close to Oliver. The referee did err, failing to dispatch Hector Bellerin, who had been kicking Young, but it was a rare blemish on an otherwise accomplished refereeing display.
United are back to Square One. Arsenal are back at Wembley. In the FA Cup semi-final on either April 18 or 19, Arsene Wenger’s side will meet either Bradford City, their 2012 League Cup nemesis managed by their former northern scout Phil Parkinson, or Reading, who squandered a 4-0 lead to them in the same competition, same year. Arsenal’s grip on the Cup has just tightened further.
In deservedly recording their first win at Old Trafford in nine years, Arsenal relied on their superior defending, with the left-back Monreal and the anchoring Francis Coquelin excelling, allied to their greater precision and intelligence in their attacking surges. Santi Cazorla was all darting breaks from alongside Coquelin, constantly embarrassing Blind and Herrera.
Wayne Rooney heads past Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to make it 1-1 (AFP)
Adding to the glee of the 9,000 Arsenal fans, and sending frustration flooding across the Stretford End, was the sight of Danny Welbeck scoring the winner after Monreal and Rooney traded first-half goals.
Van Gaal refused to admit any regrets for selling Welbeck to Arsenal for £16m. His argument at the time was that Welbeck was “more a substitute than a line-up player”, that he was below the “standard” set by Rooney and Robin van Persie, having managed only 29 goals from 142 games, and that he wanted to buy Falcao, a once prolific striker who carries a “buyer beware” tag until he proves he has recovered from a bad knee injury.
Van Gaal also observed last year that “we had (James) Wilson, and when you keep Welbeck, then you don’t give any chance to youngsters and that is our philosophy”. Yet Welbeck was Manchester born, an admired Academy graduate, low maintenance and loved the club. It hurt to leave.
For all the nod to Wilson’s future, Van Gaal’s decision trampled on United’s century-long practice of nurturing talent. Van Gaal claimed last night that Falcao had done more, pointing to his four goals and three assists, but his audience rippled with disbelief and doubt.
Danny Welbeck knocks into an empty net to make it 2-1 (ACTION IMAGES)
Arsenal’s manager pulled a master-stroke by starting Welbeck ahead of Olivier Giroud, knowing the player would be fired up on his return. Arsenal refused to be daunted. Their 9,000 fans gave them endless backing, giving Old Trafford such atmosphere. Wenger’s men were defending deep, letting United build from the back, and happy to allow Smalling to have possession. There were echoes of Arsenal’s tactics across town at the Etihad on Jan 18, flooding midfield, Coquelin working over-time to protect the defence, and Cazorla, scheming and tracking back on Blind.
Cazorla was deeper here, alongside Coquelin, with Alexis Sanchez dribbling down the left, Mesut Ozil central and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain speeding down the right. The movement of Arsenal’s small, creative types was too slick for Blind and Herrera.
Arsenal’s nimble threat on the counter, and Valencia’s erratic positioning, brought the visitors rich reward after 25 minutes. Ozil picked out Oxlade-Chamberlain, who embarked on a magnificent slalom from right to left, beating Shaw, Smalling and Valencia.
Angel di Maria leaves the pitch after being sent off at Old Trafford (GETTY IMAGES)
With United drawn across, space opened up on the left for Arsenal. Oxlade-Chamberlain calmly slid the ball to the unmarked, untroubled Monreal, who took a touch and then curled the ball around the exposed De Gea. As Wenger did a little jig, as if negotiating a maypole, the huge, voluble away contingent chanted “one-nil to the Arsenal”.
Up in the BBC studio, Roy Keane was delivering a withering verdict on the work of Blind and Valencia, barking that “the lack of character and commitment shown is just woeful. The lads have just downed tools there”. He must have gone into meltdown at Valencia’s later aberration. Valencia’s travails provided another reason of why they are being so heavily linked with Southampton’s England right-back, Nathaniel Clyne.
At least, Valencia’s more assertive qualities were seen four minutes later, the Ecuadorian venturing down the right, pausing and letting Di Maria take over. The form of the £59.7m Argentine has been so pored over. His body language since his house was burgled has been so scrutinised, but he impressed until his later offences.
Di Maria targeted the run of Rooney, flighting the ball perfectly to clear Laurent Koscielny. Rooney finished with a thunderous header that gave Wojciech Szczesny no chance.
Arsenal responded again, sensing the enduring vulnerability in the hosts’ defence. Welbeck ran into the box, felt Rojo’s left hand gently on his shoulder, and fell to earth, appealing loudly for a penalty as the Stretford End signaled its disapproval. Oliver waved play on. The England striker then rose above Smalling, heading goalwards but denied by De Gea, who also clutched a Cazorla free-kick.
United hunted a second, a quickfire move ending with Di Maria shooting straight at Szczesny, who then held a Fellaini drive. Van Gaal was clearly unhappy with the way his team were defending, and removed Shaw at the break, moving Rojo to left-back and inserting Phil Jones at centre-half. Van Gaal attempted to rectify United’s lack of control in midfield by sending on Michael Carrick for Herrera.
Arsenal made a change when Oxlade-Chamberlain pulled a hamstring, bringing Aaron Ramsey on. Just after the hour, United’s defence opened up again. Jones chested the ball to Valencia, who underhit his back-pass. Welbeck anticipated well, seizing the ball, rounding De Gea and stroking the ball home. There was no mercy to his former club with his celebrations either.
Di Maria then exited. De Gea kept the score down with astonishing saves from Cazorla and Sanchez and soon it was all over bar the crowing, with Arsenal fans taunting their hosts, especially over Welbeck.
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