Two Dutch
managers graced the Premier League during the summer with differing expectations
and a hugely different hype about their new challenge. Van Gaal came into the
Premier League as manager of Manchester United with expectations he would bring
United straight back into the Champions League and maybe even have a go at
winning the title especially with the money he was afforded. Koeman on the
other hand came into Southampton to replace a much loved Mauricio Pochettino, inheriting
a team that lost almost all of its key players such as Lallana and Shaw.
Remarkably after 22 games in the Premier League Ronald Koeman’s Southampton sit
one place above United in 3rd place.
The two
Dutch men are now both embroiled in a fight for the top4 and it’s not the first
time the two have crossed paths. Both men worked alongside each other at
Barcelona from 1998 to 2000 and were reunited in 2004 at Ajax where Van Gaal
was given a directors job over Koeman who was the manager. It was here the two famously
fell out over the decision by the club to leave Ibrahimovic leave for Juventus a
rift that the two are yet to patch up.
The two have
already met twice this season, United winning the first meeting 2-1 at St Mary’s
in a somewhat fortunate win while just over a week ago Koeman and his Saints
side returned the favour seeing off Van Gaal’s side thanks to a late Tadic goal
rounding off a great performance by Southampton and consolidating their
position ahead of the Manchester side.
The win for
Southampton was another big result in a recent run that has seen them pick up
16 points from a possible 18, Manchester United however have picked up just 9
points from their last six games and Van Gaal is beginning to come under
scrutiny from fans and the media for their poor performances.
Both men are
meticulous planners and pride themselves on a good defence, Southampton have
the best defensive record in the Premier League this season having conceded
just 16 goals compared to United who have conceded 21. Southampton are also one
goal better off than Van Gaal’s men and sit two points clear in the table.
It is
nothing short of amazing that a team tipped for relegation at the beginning of
the campaign sit in 3rd place after losing so many key players in
the summer and are above a Manchester United side who spent well over £100
million during the summer.
One of the
main factors that has seen Southampton perform so well this season is their
summer acquisitions, Dusan Tadic who they brought in for just £10 million has 3
goals and 8 assists for the season, those stats are better than the £59 million
man Di Maria who has scored 3 but has 2 less assists than the Serbian. Other
inspired signings such as Pelle who has 8 Premier League goals and Fraser
Forster who has 10 clean sheets have been performing above most of United’s
signings like Herrera and Rojo who are yet to make any real impact at Old
Trafford.
Having come
into the job with every expectation from the media that he would easily better
what David Moyes did at United, Van Gaal finds himself 3 points better off than
where United were last season, maybe not the change he would have liked
considering the amount of money spent during the summer. Some questions have
been asked as to whether Moyes would’ve been able to do better should he have
been giving all the money Van Gaal had at his disposal this summer.
Koeman
replaced Pochettino with no real media expectation that he could get the team
playing any better than we saw last season but somehow after all the change
Southampton are 11 points better off than this time last season. A huge achievement
for Ronald Koeman and his side.
The two men
may heave already met each other twice this season but this is by no means the
end of their rivalry, as we go into the run-in Southampton have proven they are
ready to fight all the way to the end to get into the top4 and United will have
to match them stride for stride if Van Gaal wants to reach his minimum
expectation of bringing Champions League football back to Old Trafford.photo credit: Robert Hertel via photopin cc
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