What exactly was in Louis van Gaal's dossier?

10 February 2015 15:31

In a move that would have got Rafa Benitez laughed out the Premier League, Louis van Gaal produced a dossier of statistics to prove his Manchester United side don’t play a long-ball game.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce described Van Gaal’s team as “long-ball United” after they scraped a 1-1 draw at Upton Park on Sunday – an accusation which clearly touched a nerve with the United manager.

The Dutchman produced a four-page pamphlet at his pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s game with Burnley which he said proved Allardyce was wrong. It was like that Benitez ‘facts’ rant all over again.

Which all goes to prove that someone at Old Trafford is very good at drawing arrows.

Van Gaal said: “Because I expected this question, I have made an interpretation of the data for this game and then I have to say that it is not a good interpretation from Big Sam.”

Van Gaal insisted his team only started launching balls forward after 6ft 4in Marouane Fellaini came on in the 76th minute of the draw in east London.

Manchester United's Daley Blind celebrates scoring with Marouane Fellaini
Marouane Fellaini, here celebrating the equalising goal with Daley Blind, was the target of United’s long balls (Alastair Grant/AP)

“When you have 60 per cent ball possession do you think that you can do that with long balls?” Van Gaal added.

Van Gaal clearly thought the pamphlet was an excellent idea, but it seems not everyone at the club shared his enthusiasm.

Source: SNAPPA