Louis van Gaal: A 10 point plan to a Manchester United recovery, including learning English and building the team around Angel Di Maria

ANALYSIS: Following defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup, which has ended any hopes of a trophy in his first year at Old Trafford, Ian Herbert looks at what the Dutchman needs to do to improve things

Louis van Gaal (GETTY IMAGES)

1. Improve his English

Louis van Gaal’s eccentric pronunciation and belief he can translate his Dutch thoughts into English word for word make his delivery sound ridiculous. It isn’t helping United’s image.

2. Get communications advice

His hectoring tone when difficult questions are asked can send entire press conferences into irrelevant monologues.

3. Recover the free spirit

His philosophy that the team plays cerebrally rather than intuitively has robbed United of pieces of simple, unscripted, perhaps positionally undisciplined brilliance.

4. Liberate the Giggs spirit

There is no sense that he is at the core of the key decision-making. He is more valuable than Van Gaal seems to know.

Louis van Gaal with Ryan Giggs (Getty)

5. Stretch defences

There is frequently no pace or height at the top of the team to stretch defences. That’s making space tight for United’s midfielders because the opposition don’t back off.

6. Play Adnan Januzaj

Despite the suspicion he needs to be firmly managed, it is inconceivable the talents he showed last season aren’t worth drawing on regularly.

Januzaj (Getty Images)

7. Buy defenders

It’s not Van Gaal’s fault that he arrived too late to buy any last summer and that Mats Hummels was unwilling to join. But plans for reinforcements this summer need to have been laid.

8. Settle on a system

Van Gaal has used four, with three-man and four-man defences. However good your players, they can’t settle when the system is continually changing.

9. Talk about your players

The occasional compliment would help. Some of Ashley Young’s best displays have elicited no publicity.

Van Gaal gives out directions to Ashley Young (Getty Images)

10. Build around Di Maria

The Argentine has become an ordinary player. If United can stretch sides, the space he flourished in at Real will be opened up to him again.