da fezbet： Manchester United boss Louis Van Gaal had set his sights on Europa League glory this week.
da dobrowin： Relative European success may have taken the pressure off his and his underperforming squad he must have thought, thinking that even they should be beating Midtjylland of Denmark.
But no, it wasn’t to be and as United fans protested about ticket prices and screamed we’re f****** s*** from the Danish terraces, the pressure increased once more on Van Gaal and his flops.
Three wins in four had initially taken the pressure of the Dutchman’s shoulders- it was a temporary spell of rest bite in a constantly choppy season that has been riddled with controversy and disappointment.
But just as the team looked like it was taking a turn for the better, they were completely outfought in Denmark. The defeat had nothing to do with class on the ball or high-name players- they were outbattled.
With all due respect to United’s opponents, Midtjylland of the Danish Superliga are hardly European giants. These games are always potential banana skins but a squad of Manchester United’s quality should have won this comfortably.
But on the pitch there was nothing- absolutely nothing to suggest this rot is ever going to end.
Van Gaal cut a sombre figure on the sideline, his head constantly in his hands as he struggled to understand why his players aren’t performing for him.
An air of hopelessness hangs over the club- it’s just not the same anymore. United of old used to strike fear into the heart of opponents- people used to dread going to Old Trafford fearing an inevitable drubbing.
But now you get sideways football and a severe lack of attacking talent.
To outline the Europa League as the main target for the season shows just how far the club have fallen.
And with that title looking a million miles away, it looks like it could another season of disappointment and failure- and something needs to change.
It never seemed like Louis Van Gaal had 100% of the board’s backing and I doubt he will now. They never came out in full support of their manager, even when the turbulent spell began way before Christmas and this result could be the nail in the coffin for the Dutchman.
It seemed almost ominous that as the United fans sung and chanted about the ticket prices being over £70 for the tie, they crumbled to another lacklustre defeat- it’s the story of their season.
Disappointment after disappointment is what Manchester United are repeatedly being known for and it needs to change, quickly.
It’s astonishing to think the club’s main priority is a second-string European cup when in Fergie’s era, it was winning trebles.
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