Louis van Gaal admitted that this Manchester United side will have to make significant improvements if they are to challenge at the top of the table despite a morale-boosting 2-1 victory at Arsenal which lifted them into the top four.
The Manchester United manager hailed his make-shift team, which included a back three of Tyler Blackett, Paddy McNair and Chris Smalling, but said that the opening 25 minutes, in which United looked as though they would be swept aside by Arsenal, was an indication of how much ground they had to make up.
United secured the victory secured through a Kieran Gibbs own goal and a Wayne Rooney strike, but van Gaal said: ‘I was not pleased with the way we had played in the first half so I don’t think it’s my best victory with United. Of course, it’s an away game against a top team and we have won.
“But I have to say the first 25 minutes we gave the ball so easily away, it’s not possible for a top team. Arsenal created a lot of chances but fortunately we have a very good goalkeeper in David De Gea and after the first 25 minutes you saw we were coming back in the game.
“That’s what I said at half time: when we keep the ball, when we show confidence then we shall create many, many chances. And we created at last three big chances.
And twice the pass was easy to give to Di Maria and Rooney and the passes, which were not difficult, were not right. And we have to improve that.”
United keeper David De Gea was man of the match, keeping United in the game at times but even he was urged to improve by van Gaal. “His quality is on the goal-line but he has to improve also in their aspects of the game. When I say that you think that I’m crazy but I’m not crazy, believe me.
“And if Arsenal had score in the first 20 minutes, it would have been another game and then maybe I would have had to respond to all the questions because I had chosen three defenders – but now I can laugh.
“I was convinced before the match I had made the right decision – but making the decision before the match is a quality decision, I can say that now. But I can’t do anything else as I don’t have so many players.
I think the players have done fantastically and Blackett, McNair and Shaw – how old are they? And they play against a top team like Arsenal, who are always changing position. But I was not pleased.”
Courtesy http://www.the-star.co.ke