We spoke to Alex Shaw of ESPN recently after Manchester United secured Champions League football for next season following the draw against Arsenal at the weekend.
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We asked fans on Twitter and came up with a few questions of our own to discuss Louis van Gaal’s first season in charge, the return of Champions League football and transfers for the summer that will undoubtedly help Manchester United to improve.
Alex is the General Editor for ESPNFC.com and you can follow him on Twitter at @AlexShawESPN
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Q. Champions League football is finally secured. What was the key moment for you?
"A. Radamel Falcao pushing defender and goalkeeper together and Marouane Fellaini nodding home to beat Crystal Palace 2-1. Falcao has been a hugely disappointing signing for United but his little intervention has played a huge role in securing fourth.If United had lost or drawn that one, I think they would have missed out on the top four. It was an absolutely critical result."
Q. Louis van Gaal has had a rollercoaster season. How do you think he’s done?
"A. Average. He has met minimum expectation. He has done so following a (required and overdue) huge amount of transfer activity but it has not been as good as he would have wanted. The football earlier in the season was atrocious – Sunderland away just utterly appalling – the team selections have been odd and the tactics difficult to understand. The subs are silly too, with Blackett on for Rojo vs. Arsenal a case in point. Why not bring on Di Maria and shift a competent person to left-back (Blind/Young) instead?He has a lot of charm and clout and the players like him. His CV screams respect – when things turned sour for David Moyes, he had nothing to fall back on – and he has the stature to be a success at United.But if this was a school report, it’s C- at best. Yes, they were in a dark, dark place under Moyes and it’ll take a while to get things going and fourth was the main aim. That’s a measure of how far things went wrong following the laughably misguided appointment of Moyes. Regardless, the way Van Gaal has gone about salvaging the mess has been patchy.The collection of winning runs were achieved following dour football whereby United limped to victories against the likes of Palace at home, Newcastle away and so on. Sure, they found some style late in the day as wins over Spurs, Liverpool and City showed but there’s plenty of work to do.Wayne Rooney cannot play in midfield. Don’t ever, ever let anyone tell you otherwise."
Q. What would you like to see van Gaal change next season, whether it be tactically or elsewhere?
"A. Stop being too clever for your own good and play players in their right positions. Don’t use Robin van Persie as a defensive midfielder. Don’t use Antonio Valencia."
Q. Marouane Fellaini’s goal sealed Champions League football for us. It’s a sentence nobody would have expected to hear in August, what do you see his role at the club being next season?
"A. A lot of Van Gaal’s work has been out of necessity. Yes, he spent a lot but he didn’t address every area of the side he wanted to in the summer. It needed two summer windows to finally get the ghost of Moyes to pass and the squad to move on.Fellaini has been impressive this season but you’d have to assume he will be marginalised if Van Gaal lands the players he wants."
Q. Should United finish fourth they’ll face a qualifier to get into the group stages of the Champions League next season. What do they need to do to make sure they’re properly equipped for whatever they may face?
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"A. Don’t faff about and leave transfers late. Look at the mess of the early fixtures this season – abhorrent football and atrocious results. Had (injuries permitting, yawn…) all the signings been ready for Swansea at home, United would have finished second."
Q. Memphis Depay signed for €27.5M last week to kick-off the summer spending spree. What do you expect him to bring to the side next season?
"A. Free kick goals. Remember them?"
Q. On top of that, deals for Nathaniel Clyne and German duo Ilkay Gundogan and Mats Hummels are reportedly close. Can you tell us anymore on those potential transfers and how you think they’ll help Manchester United?
"A. There’s a limit to what I can say as any juicy news will be reported on ESPN FC first. But as mentioned previously, this window is the second of two summers Van Gaal felt he needed to shape the squad.Clyne (although unlikely at the minute) helps United simply by being a natural right back playing as a right back."
Q. Are there any more deals you expect the club to make during the window or have heard whispers about?
"A. Again, I refer you to point above. It promises to be a very entertaining window but a few favourites are going to leave."
Q. There has been talk about David De Gea signing a short extension with the club with the premise that Falcao’s loan be extended. What are your thoughts on that possible situation?
"A. United are well in with Jorge Mendes and there’s always going to be deals struck to benefit agent, player and club. Remember Bebe? I don’t think the Falcao/De Gea situation is entwined. There will be plenty of teams ready to take a punt on Falcao and he’s not going to go hungry, is he?Regardless, Falcao’s off."
Q. With Real Madrid crashing out of the Champions League and now likely to end the season trophy-less, what do you make of Manchester United’s chances of signing Gareth Bale? There are so many conflicting reports at the moment, what do you make of it all?
"A. Ed Woodward’s reputation suffered massively with the barely believable approach to transfers post Ferguson (Moyes’ first summer)You sense his moving-and-shaking last summer was a bit of an ego trip; ‘proof’ he can handle himself in the world of football having been parachuted in from commercial and business interests.He will want a statement signing. He likes to project such an image of himself and the club – the “United can afford a Galactico a year” quote an example of this.So that said, if a big name comes available, he’ll probably go all-in. I’m just not convinced such a name will be available."
Q. Juan Mata and Chris Smalling have spoken about Top 4 being the minimum for the club this season, what do you think the minimum achievement should be next season?
"A. Taking the title race to the last two games, winning a cup, reaching Champions League QFs. In other words, an average season under Ferguson…"
Q. Finally, name the strongest XI Manchester United should ideally start with next season.
"A. One without Valencia as a right back."
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We’d like to thank Alex once again for agreeing to this interview and taking time out to answer some questions for us.