Friday, 25 July 2014

Giggs likens Van Gaal to Ferguson

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Giggs likens Van Gaal to Ferguson

Giggs likens Van Gaal to Ferguson

Posted: 24 Jul 2014 06:56 PM PDT

The Dutchman - only officially unveiled to the media on July 17 following the Netherlands World Cup campaign in Brazil - opened his United tenure with a 7-0 rout of the Los Angeles Galaxy in the clubs first game of their Untied States tour on Wednesday. Assistant manager Giggs told reporters the 62-year-old - winner of 19 trophies at four different clubs including Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich - reminded him of legendary tactician Ferguson, who enjoyed 27 years at the helm in Manchester. They do both have an aura about them. That comes from the success theyve had. They demand the players respond and they demand respect, said Giggs. LouisCV speaks for itself. Hes managed at big clubs and he is coming in to the job off a successful World Cup so, already and recently, hes shown what he can do and I think the players have responded to that. He wants to attack, score goals, be aggressive and play attractive football. Hes willing to give young players a chance. It ticks the majority of the boxes in terms of what it takes to be a Manchester United manager. Giggs added: In the short space of time Ive worked with Louis, you can see why hes been a success. Hes infectious. He wants everything right from the first minute of training to the last. Everything were working from is the blueprint he sent over from when he was at the World Cup - every minute of every session is laid down. Everything he does is clear and everyone gets it straight away. Hes got a unique way of putting it over but its brilliant to see. To see it first-hand is great for my experience and the players. Its just clear. Its quite simple, but if you make a mistake hell tell you, and if you do something good hell tell you.

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Vidal: Im not going to Manchester

Posted: 24 Jul 2014 12:12 PM PDT

The Chile midfielder returned to Turin on Thursday following an extended break after representing his country at the World Cup in Brazil. Premier League trio United, Arsenal and Liverpool have all been linked with a move for the 27-year-old - one of Juves key players last term as they wrapped up a third consecutive Serie A title. Vidal netted 18 goals in 46 appearances across all competitions, but his campaign was ended by a knee injury that also limited his performances in the World Cup. That has not put offpotential suitors, but Vidal - while conceding he is yet to speak to new Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri - rejected any notion a move to Old Trafford could be on the cards. Im still on vacation, he is quoted as sayingby Gazzetta dello Sport. Can I say I will remain with Juve? I dont know. Ill talk to Allegri on Monday and then we will see. Im happy and calm here, I think Juve fans should be too. I havent spoken with Allegri or any of my team-mates yet, but Im not going to Manchester. Allegri was hired by Juve last week after Antonio Contes surprise resignation.

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Everything you need to know about... Ricardo Rodriguez

Posted: 24 Jul 2014 09:00 AM PDT

The 60-second story Born in Switzerland to a Spanish father and a Chilean mother, Ricardo Rodriguez has always been Swiss at heart. He is proud to feature in a national side that is finally getting the plaudits it deserves after years of being dismissed as dull and tedious. "This is the best Switzerland of all time," Rodriguez suggests, "we've got a good blend of young and old and our motivation is high." Many of the current side play their club football in Germany, and Rodriguez is no exception. He is a regular at left-back for 2008/09 champions VfL Wolfsburg, who, despite experiencing mid-table mediocrity in the intervening years, came within a whisker of qualifying for the Champions League last term. Rodriguez started his career at local club FC Zurich, showing a glimpse of what was to come with two goals and five assists over the course of the season and a half he featured for the first team. This was enough to convince Die Wölfe to snap up Rodriguez for £7.5 million – a large amount of money to pay for a relatively unproven 19-year-old. Rodriguez took time to bed in, but eventually found his forte as a defensively accomplished, yet buccaneering full-back; the type of player big clubs cry out for in the epoch of counter-attacking football. After a strong World Cup, where he has stood out among many excellent performers in his position, it is only a matter of time before Rodriguez is given the chance to prove himself at the summit of continental football. Why you need to know him Rodriguez is a key part of a 'multi-kulti' Switzerland side doing their best to eradicate the typical perception of them being a dour outfit. While the country itself struggles with the cultural implications of immigration, the national team has thrived in recent years, regularly qualifying for major tournaments and being ranked in the top 10 in the world. The core of the current team is mostly composed of second-generation immigrants, and has played together since the 'Wild Boys' side that won the 2009 Under-17 World Cup. The Swiss emerged victorious in Nigeria thanks largely to the likes of Rodriguez, Granit Xhaka and Haris Seferovic, and have added further quality since in the form of bulky winger Xherdan Shaqiri, who is also qualified to play for Albania and Kosovo. The diverse Swiss qualified for Brazil largely due to a miserly defence; despite the presence of Arsenal misfits Philipp Senderos and Johan Djourou, the Nati conceded just six goals in 10 games. The ever-present Rodriguez was a major reason behind this, providing defensive solidity on the left to complement Stephan Lichtsteiner's meandering on the opposite flank. However, Rodriguez has also shown that he can operate higher up the pitch, scoring five times and providing nine assists for Wolfsburg during the 2013/14 season. His most effective performance in the World Cup came in the Swiss' opening game. Deployed almost as a wing-back in the second-half, Rodriguez was decisive, setting up both goals against Ecuador. That display, coupled with the job he did on Angel di Maria in the knockout rounds, should have placed Rodriguez firmly in the judging panel's thoughts when it came to deciding upon a team of the tournament. Strengths Rodriguez is a genuine threat going forward, as his influence last season for both club and country testifies. His positioning, high up the pitch, poses questions to the opposition winger, pinning them back and providing a base to launch attacks in tandem with his colleague on the left hand side. At club level, this colleague is the Croatian Ivan Perisic, and the two combined to devastating effect last season, giving Wolfsburg an extra edge that so nearly brought Champions League football to the club for only the second time. Like Leighton Baines, Rodriguez is particularly strong at delivering crosses, which the likes of Ivica Olic and Bas Dost have proved able to capitalise upon. At almost 6ft tall, Rodriguez has the build of a centre-back, allowing him to boss his opponents both on the ground and in the air. He is strong in the tackle and reads the game well, as is shown by his World Cup average of 5 tackles and 2.5 interceptions per game. True to his Latin roots, Rodriguez can strike a mean dead-ball, scoring free-kicks against Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgart last season. Weaknesses Like any young defender lacking experience, Rodriguez sometimes needs guidance in regards to his positioning and defensive discipline, especially when playing against superior opposition. In the World Cup group game against France, Rodriguez and Lichtsteiner pushed too high up the pitch, leaving Switzerland exposed to numerous French counter-attacks. The Swiss conceded five in that game, but it could have been far more, with Mathieu Valbuena in particular being allowed too much room down Rodriguez's flank. Whether his positioning was down to Ottmar Hitzfeld's tactical instructions is open to debate, but Rodriguez kept pushing, and despite two late consolations, the French were allowed to look threatening throughout. The lack of a leadership figure in the Swiss side that night was all too obvious. Perhaps, in future years, Rodriguez can provide this influence, but, for now, he needs to maintain his concentration and discover a happy medium between attacking and defending. They said... "Maybe after the World Cup in June [he can leave] but it will not be easy as many clubs are interested in him," responded Rodriguez's agent Gianluca Di Domenico to the persistent transfer rumours that hovered around the full-back during his annus mirabilis. Even more managers will be sniffing around now after the 21 year-old's impressive performances in Brazil. Did you know? Rodriguez has two brothers currently playing professional football back home in Switzerland. Francisco Jose Rodriguez plys his trade for Ricardo's old club, FC Zurich, while Robert Rodriguez turns out for St. Gallen. What happens next? Top quality left-backs have proved hard to come by in recent years, with Barcelona's Jordi Alba and Bayern Munich's David Alaba perhaps the only true current 'world-class' occupants of the position. Rodriguez certainly has the potential to perform at a similar level. He has a calmer temperament than Alba, and is blessed with greater physical attributes, while his prowess from dead-ball situations is arguably equal to that of the impressive Alaba. At the moment, Rodriguez is an exciting talent buoyed by a remarkable season of football. He needs another few of those under his belt, at a top European club, if he is to place himself among the upper echelons of footballing full-backs. Inter Milan and Manchester United have apparently registered their interest and with both clubs recovering from disappointing seasons, the San Siro or Old Trafford sound like ideal destinations for the worldly Rodriguez. Other clubs to be credited with an interest include Arsenal and Liverpool.

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If not Vidal then who? Six alternatives for Manchester United to consider

Posted: 24 Jul 2014 03:00 AM PDT

Depending on who you talk to, Arturo Vidal's arrival at Manchester United would galvanise the club into becoming instant favourites for the Premier League title, unstoppable through the middle regardless of their opposition or as strong a team as they have ever been. In fairness the Chilean certainly looks the part; for both Juventus and Chile he is a one-man conveyer belt of goals, chances, tackles, turnovers and surging runs that are genuinely box-to-box in their nature. He made 96 tackles last season in Serie A, took 56 shots, scored 11 goals and was named man of the match on five occasions. At a time when players like Aaron Ramsey and Jordan Henderson are emerging as key players, Vidal looks a perfect fit. Yet while many continue to hail him as the perfect man to complete Louis van Gaal's squad, it feels as though they have jumped the gun slightly. Regardless of what the gossip columns may be saying in Italy, Vidal to United is not a done deal: far from it, according to the English journalists who remain adamant that no move has been made yet. So just in case the 27-year-old pitbull doesn't hot-foot it to Manchester, here are six alternatives who could grace the United shirt instead... Kevin Strootman Strootman's injury before the World Cup forced Van Gaal to switch to a 3-5-2 in Brazil, such was the Roma midfielder's importance to the 4-3-3 system that had served the Dutch so well during qualifying. Though not blessed with pace, like Vidal he can be regarded as a complete midfielder, offering plenty of comparable defensive coverage with tackles and ball recoveries, if not the lung-busting acceleration of the Chilean. With 55 tackles in 25 Serie A appearances, along with 5 goals and 6 assists in his first season in Italy, he certainly hasn't lacked end product. However, he is yet to return to full fitness and will be able to count on Champions League football for the time being with Roma, so a move before January seems unlikely. If Van Gaal feels he can wait until then, he could be an even more suitable capture given his existing understanding of the new manager's ideas and methods. Morgan Schneiderlin Southampton's defensive midfielder may not be a like-for-like substitute for Juve's box-to-box general, but during his two seasons of Premier League football, Schneiderlin has certainly shown flashes of being capable of far more than intercepting and neat distribution. He is a less active player– more of a passer than a runner– but few players compare to Vidal's mixture of athleticism, attacking prowess and defensive power. With Ander Herrera providing combativeness and creativity higher up the field, Schneiderlin wouldn't need to be the sole dynamic presence in midfield anyway. Saints won't let another one of their young stars leave without a fight– or an offer too big to turn down– especially now Ronald Koeman is in charge at St Mary's. The former Feyenoord boss enjoys an adversarial relationship with Van Gaal that would hardly stir any genuine interest. William Carvalho After a promising campaign last season with Sporting, Carvalho made his World Cup debut this summer for Portugal against the USA as a substitute, and impressed with his composure on the ball. Like Schneiderlin, the defensive midfielder would be a less dynamic option than Vidal, but as shown by his occasional forays forward from deep last season, he can be a more mobile threat when not on defensive duty. SEE ALSOEverything you need to know about... William Carvalho Lars Bender Though regularly linked with a move to the Premier League, Bender is reportedly content with life at Bayer Leverkusen. Yet if the Vidal deal did fall through, he would be an intriguing option. The Arsenal-linked German is more mobile than he is often given credit for, and while he may be a far more defensively focused player than Vidal –he made 87 tackles last season in the Bundeliga but created only 1 goal, scoring 4 –he is far from limited. Leverkusen was Vidal's club prior to Juventus, and a move away helped him to flourish in a more rounded role. Perhaps a similar opportunity could unleash Bender's true potential. Leon Goretzka Staying in the Bundesliga, Schalke's 19-year-old midfielder Goretzka could be a left-field, yet well-suited option for Van Gaal. The young German is also capable of playing wide on the right but looked surprisingly mature when called upon to play in central midfield last season. Although still young and largely inexperienced, he did not seem fazed getting involved all over the pitch against Werder Bremen and Hertha Berlin (see below). His age might worry United fans who crave Vidal's more refined abilities, but Van Gaal has never been afraid to trust youngsters with big responsibilities. SEE ALSOEverything you need to know about... Leon Goretzka Roberto Firmino Hoffenheim's No.10 may not seem like an obvious candidate to replace Vidal as a transfer target, but the midfielder-cum-striker is an exceptionally hard-working player who made 82 tackles in just 33 Bundesliga appearances last season. Even if the Brazilianisn't already a true box-to-box midfielder, at just 22 he could still become one. Van Gaal's ability to redeploy players in roles that suit their abilities saw him turn wingers into full-backs and defenders at Ajax, and although buying big on a young star to play them out of position may be a step further, Firmino could be a player who could thrive if played deeper. SEE ALSOFive Bundesliga youngsters fit for Premier League stardom

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Ljajic insists hes not looking to leave Roma

Posted: 24 Jul 2014 02:36 AM PDT

The Serbia forwardhas been linked with a move away from the Eternal City outfitahead of the new season, with the likes of Milan, Liverpool and Manchester United reportedly keen to sign him. Ljajic's future has been called into question following the arrival ofJuan Iturbe from Verona last week, but the 22-year-old is not seeking another change of club just a year after his arrival from Fiorentina. He is quotedas saying in Corriere dello Sport: "It's normal that you speak of the market, the market is alive, but I have come to Rome a year ago to stay and I would (like to)stay. "I spoke with the company and speak with the manager again(sporting director WalterSabatini)on my return to Italy.I like Roma, I signed a contract for four years and I would like to complete my cycle here. "If there is so much competition (it) is good for the team.My goal is to find a place, but then the coach makes the choices." Roma coach Rudi Garcia stated this week that he has no intention of allowing Ljajic to leave Stadio Olimpico. Garcia's side beat Liverpool 1-0 in Bostonon Wednesday, with Marco Borriello scoring the only goal of the game right at the death at Fenway Park.

Man United to play 3-4-3, says boss Van Gaal

Posted: 24 Jul 2014 12:05 AM PDT

United kicked off their pre-season tour of the United States with a 7-0 rout of the Los Angeles Galaxy at the Rose Bowl Stadium on Wednesday. Wayne Rooney, debutant Reece James and substitute Ashley Young netted two goals apiece, while Danny Welbeck was also on target. However,United's formation arguably attracted the most attention as Van Gaal opted to utilise three central defenders - Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling - as he didduring the Netherlands' recentWorld Cup campaign. New recruit Luke Shaw and Ecuador international Antonio Valencia operated as wing-backs in a sign of things to come at Old Trafford, according to Van Gaal. "We introduced a new system that we have only played two times on the training pitch 11 v 11," the Dutchman told reporters post-game. "But the boys are willing to pick up the information. It is fantastic how they have performed. "Last week, 10 players who played tonight were not even in our training complex. "When you want to change a system, you must start at once. We don't have time to prepare for other things. "The other system they can play is 4-3-3 and they have played it for many years. "I can change back if the system doesn't work. With the quality of the players we have, I can play 4-3-3 with three strikers on the bench, but I want to play with two strikers." Van Gaal believes United's performance against the Galaxywillhelp instil confidence in his players as they attempt to become more familiar with the new system. "It was not just the goals, but the beautiful attacks," said the 62-year-old. "I never go back, I always want to see the future. "When I see my team playing a new system, it is better to win 7-0 than to lose because the players will then doubt the system. "But now I don't have that problem." However, Van Gaal also acknowledgedhisside lacked balance with the likes of Juan Mata and Shinji Kagawa possessing similar characteristics. "We have four No. 10s, so the selection is not balanced in my eyes," he said. "I have decided to play this system because of the quality of the players. "But if we lose, I can change back to another system."

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