Although they admit it will still prove difficult, the general feeling amongst Manchester United fans in the Football Transfer Tavern is that they are much more equipped to a plot an assault on the Premier League title this time round.
After the ill-fated reign of David Moyes, Louis van Gaal’s first season in England wasn’t without its difficult patches but ultimately, the Dutchman managed to steer the Red Devils back into the Champions League at the first attempt with United fans largely happy with the direction in which the club is heading.
United have of course already signed one of the most talented young players in Europe in Memphis Depay with the club still chasing after some of the biggest names in the game in Sergio Ramos and Bastian Schweinsteiger among others.
Catching Chelsea will be no easy feat but with van Gaal now a year more experienced in English football than he was previously, not to mention players finally buying into his preferred system, the general feeling is that United will get far closer to the Blues come next season.
There is still some rebuilding work to be done with Red Devils fans growing impatient in the club’s pursuit of a new top class centre back while another central midfielder is also in high demand.
With that business ultimately sorting itself out as the next month or so goes by, we’ve taken this moment to list five ways in which Manchester United can beat Chelsea to the Premier League title next season.
[ffc-gallery]
Click on the image below to reveal the 5 ways Manchester United can beat Chelsea to the title next term.
[/ffc-gallery]
LVG and new arrivals a season more experienced
While Louis van Gaal endeared himself to the Old Trafford faithful in 2014/15, some of his first new arrivals still have some way to go in order to convince Red Devils fans that they’re up to the job.
Angel Di Maria was the biggest disappointment after being brought in for a whopping £60 million while even succumbing to the substitutes bench behind Ashley Young nearer to the end of the season following a lack of impact from the Argentine superstar.
However, as we have seen from Mesut Ozil at Arsenal, things usually do get better in foreign imports’ second season in the Premier League and given his obvious talents, United fans would be foolish to think Di Maria can’t turn it around.
Of the other big name arrivals of last summer, Ander Herrera was the biggest success story and is only set to improve next term while United fans are likely to see far more of Marcos Rojo following injury troubles that plagued him last time round.
And as for Daley Blind, he was absolutely solid in the middle of the park and considering more recruits are set to be brought in under van Gaal, United will again have one of the strongest squads – a staple part of winning any title.
Rooney deployed as a CF all season long
When Manchester United surprised the world by swooping for Radamel Falcao last summer, Red Devils supporters went into hyper excited mode and wondered how van Gaal could deploy him, Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney in one formation.
Ultimately due to injury troubles, this fearsome looking threesome rarely took to the field at the same time but consequently, van Gaal was able to draw a noteworthy conclusion from his experiments – Wayne Rooney’s best position is as a central striker.
Rooney had been dropped into a deeper, number 10 kind of role on several occasions but towards the latter part of the 2014/15 campaign, not to mention some comments from England boss Roy Hodgson, Rooney found himself back as a centre forward and back amongst the goals.
With the Red Devils boss now agreeing with this mantra, expect Rooney to improve his goal haul next term.
It just remains to be seen where Memphis Depay will be deployed, not to mention any other attacking reinforcements that are brought into Old Trafford.
Strong home record at Old Trafford
Compared to the simply dismal form as displayed during David Moyes’ spell at the club, Louis van Gaal managed to significantly improve United’s performances at home.
Suffering just three league defeats at Old Trafford, United’s home record was only bettered by the three teams that finished above them in the final standings – Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal.
With the evidence that Old Trafford is starting to return to the fortress it once was, opposition teams will start to fear Louis van Gaal’s team again and ultimately, home form is the foundation on which a league title is delivered.
United fans will just hope that Old Trafford atmospheres are more vociferous next term with the club’s away support often setting the benchmark.
Still packing a punch in the transfer market
Manchester United still cannot be underestimated in the transfer market.
To bring in both Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao last summer despite a lack of European competition clearly shows that United remain a huge club worldwide and a club in which the world’s top players still want to flock to.
All of United’s purchases last summer were of the multi million pound variety and we have seen this summer that the Red Devils are chasing after household names such as Sergio Ramos and Bastian Schweinsteiger that are experienced in winning league titles season in, season out.
Seemingly operating under something imitating a Galactico policy, United fans are loving the calibre of players that are arriving at Old Trafford although they are growing impatient at the lack of concrete news concerning a new central defender being brought into the club.
The papers are also claiming that a deal for Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris is becoming more possible by the day and with United expected to pay up to £17 million for the French international, there is no doubting the force they still are in the transfer market.
They’ve signed a star in Memphis Depay
While most new arrivals into English football can be considered a gamble, for others, it simply looks an inspired piece of business.
We saw last summer with the likes of Alexis Sanchez that despite costing the Gunners £35 million, they knew exactly what they were getting from the Chilean and he delivered the goods week in, week out.
While United new boy Memphis Depay is far less experienced than Alexis and has only played in an inferior league thus far in his career, the 21-year-old has already impressed in his first ever World Cup and is seemingly destined for greatness.
Boasting a confident assuredness about his game, not to mention his personal demeanour, Depay seems to boast everything in his locker to succeed in England.
United have boasted some great wide men such as Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo down the years and fans and pundits alike have been raving about Memphis for some time.
We’re also sure that he’ll take like a duck to water in his first season with United and who knows, his exploits could end up in a league title triumph.
