Louis van Gaal must play more attacking football: Andy Cole

Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole has criticised Louis van Gaal for playing more of possession football and said that United are supposed to play more attacking football than they did last season, a season in which they scored just 62 goals, United’s second-lowest total in Premier League history.

Cole said: “It’s different to what the fans have been used to. When you watch Manchester United you expect them to play a certain way with a high-tempo and score loads of goals.”

“It’s been different this season. The way we set up is like international football, where they keep possession of the football and don’t really hurt teams.”

“In the Premier League, it’s not really played like that. You look at Chelsea – they started the season off as the best team by far and closed it out with Jose Mourinho being Jose Mourinho. They are the benchmark.”

“If you’re going by what he did with the national team then that’s the way they played. When you don’t have pace in the team you have to play a certain way, and we don’t have any pace in the team.”

Cole, who has won a Champions League medal with Manchester United and is the second highest scorer in Premier League’s history, feels that now there is not much fear when teams come to Old Trafford and said that Louis van Gaal needs to play more attacking football, like United played under Sir Alex Ferguson.

“It’s not Sir Alex Ferguson and galvanising football where you had to attack because he and the fans would let you know you’re not attacking.”

“The history of the football club is about style. It’s about attacking teams. If you go 1-0 up then you keep attacking teams and win by five. That’s what the manager wanted when I played. He wanted to punish teams when they came to Old Trafford.”

“I think a lot of teams came to Old Trafford this season believing they could win. The fear factor has gone. When United start winning more games and playing attacking football the fear factor will come back.”

“Will he change? I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see if his philosophy changes. The way they played this season, it’s not typical Man United.”

Louis van Gaal has been given £150m to invest and build up a squad which is able to compete both in England and in Europe. And though he has already signed a young star in the form of Memphis Depay, Louis van Gaal will definitely try to make at least one marquee signing this summer.