Brendan Rodgers warned Louis van Gaal that the pressure of the Premier League would be like nothing he’d experienced before in his long and successful managerial career. As the final whistle sounded at an already half-empty Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon, the Dutchman will have had no illusions as to how tough the challenge is that he faces following United’s loss to a disciplined Swansea City.
With Jonny Evans, Michael Carrick, Robin van Persie, Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia all unavailable, van Gaal fielded a United team containing two first team debutants (Tyler Blackett and Jesse Lingard), Ashley Young at Left Wing Back and Lingard – a striker by trade – at Right Wing Back in the 3-5-2 format that proved so successful in pre-season. That it only lasted 45 minutes of Premier League football tells you all you need to know about its effectiveness during regular season.
United were disjointed in the first half, unable to break down a well organised Swansea side who held their shape and looked to hit on the counter. While the home team enjoyed much greater possession, the ball was used slowly, rarely making its way into dangerous positions or getting behind the Swansea defensive line. Fletcher and Ander Herrera were largely by-passed in central midfield as long balls were launched by Jones, Smalling and Blackett at the back towards Rooney and Hernandez up top.
For all United’s control of the ball, it was Swansea who looked most dangerous going forward, and so it proved on 28 minutes. Attacking down United’s right, Glyfi Sigurdsson laid the ball off to Ki Sung-Yeung, who found himself acres of space 20 yards out from goal. The South Korean, making his debut for Swansea, had time to control the ball and calmly place his shot low into the bottom right corner past the diving De Gea. Neither Fletcher nor Herrera – United’s two central midfielders – had tracked the South Korean’s run.
Van Gaal rang the changes at half time, bringing on Nani for the ineffective Hernandez and reverting to a 4-4-2 with Young at Left Back and Jones on the right. The switch had an immediate impact, with Herrera, Fletcher and Mata seeing much more of the ball, and Nani and Januzaj – a first half sub for the injured Lingard – immediately looking more threatening down the wings.
It took United just eight minutes from the re-start to find an equalizer. Januzaj – United’s new no. 11 following Giggs’ retirement – terrorised Neil Taylor down Swansea’s left, and it was his guile and industry that won the corner from which United scored. Jones flicked Mata’s in-swinger onto Rooney, who acrobatically converted from within the six yard box.
United were resurgent, dominating possession and moving the ball quickly through the centre and wings. Four minutes after Rooney’s goal, Ashley Williams made a last-gasp tackle to deny the new Captain a second. Then, on 66 minutes, Rooney hit the post with a vicious swinging free kick that had Swansea’s keeper Fabianski stranded.
Under Ferguson, United would have converted this game into all three points 99 times out of a 100. Those days, it seems, are gone. In the 78th minute, completely against the run of play, Jefferson Montero ran a quick free-kick down the left and crossed towards Routledge at the far post. His mis-hit shot fell perfectly to an un-marked, who slotted home past De Gea. Apart from a small corner of hysterical Welshmen, Old Trafford fell silent.
United offered little in the last fifteen minutes to suggest they were capable of another equalizer; indeed, Swansea looked the more dangerous and could have scored a third following neat interplay between Sigurdsson and substitute Gomis. If watching, the irony of United’s desperate long balls aimed towards Marouane Fellaini would surely not have escaped David Moyes.
Swansea – who United stalwart Paul Scholes has tipped for relegation – will be delighted with the start to their season. Garry Monk has moulded a disciplined and well-drilled team who looked dangerous on the counter-attack. If they can keep hold of Wilfried Bony, who scored 16 Premier League goals for the Swans last season, they look set for a prosperous year.
Although United dominated possession, and for much of the second half looked as though they would win the game, little mistakes cost them. Quite simply, there are gaping holes in their squad that must be addressed between now and the beginning of September: Despite his best efforts, Ashley Young is not a Left Back, and was out of position for the second goal; United need a defensive midfielder in the mould of Vidal who will track back and snuff out opposition runs from deep; If they’re to consistently play with three centre backs, they need additional cover (though all of Jones, Smalling and Blackett played well this afternoon). Van Gaal has work to do on the training pitch, but he needs a little help from his chairman.
There are, however, two crumbs of comfort for United fans. Van Gaal has been at pains to point out he is a slow starter: in his first season with Bayern Munich, the Bavarians were seventh after 15 games but went on to win the Bundesliga. More intriguingly, United have left shirt numbers 5, 7 and 9 vacant: surely there will be signings in the coming days.
