All in all, this was probably a bad move
After their 1-1 draw at Upton Park on Sunday, Sam Allardyce suggested that Manchester United played an awful lot of long balls during the game.
The stats backed up Big Sam’s claim, even though most people knew that he was really only saying it to have a bit of a dig at the people who fawn over foreign tacticians like the Dutchman while deriding Big Sam’s route one approach over the years.
Well it seems that Van Gaal has been well and truly ‘out-tacticed’ by Big Sam, not because of anything that happened at Upton Park, but because today he responded to the claims by producing a sheet full of facts for the media at his press conference before United’s clash with Burnley on Wednesday.
It brought to mind Rafael Benitez’s ‘facts’ press conference while in charge of Liverpool in 2009.
The internet was not impressed by Van Gaal’s performance, though such is the United manager’s arrogance confidence that it’s hard to imagine he’ll care.
Unusual press conf from Van Gaal. He came armed with a four-page pamphlet of stats to combat Sam Allardyce's 'long-ball United' comments
— Daniel Taylor (@DTathletic) February 10, 2015
At Carrington. LVG has jst pulled out a 4-page pamphlet filled with stats&diagrams which supposedly disproves Allardyce's "long-ball" theory
— Paul Hirst (@hirstclass) February 10, 2015
https://twitter.com/andi_thomas/status/565133185902977024
— James Maw (@JamesTMaw) February 10, 2015
https://twitter.com/RichieMcCormack/status/565133537909936129
https://twitter.com/tomEurosport/status/565133639160455168
Hang on, has Van Gaal just pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket? Christ, this takes me back. @rafabenitezweb
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) February 10, 2015
Fat Dutch waiter? https://t.co/ZUjXXi9NgZ
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) February 10, 2015
Louis Van Gaal seems to be slightly confused #feit
— Ed Aarons (@ed_aarons) February 10, 2015
Van Gaal handing out stats books to people who rightly point out United's long ball game is pretty cringeworthy and silly.
— Alex Shaw (@AlexShawTel) February 10, 2015
LVG's lost it. Wheel the next one in.
— Macca (@The_Paris_Angel) February 10, 2015
https://twitter.com/andi_thomas/status/565138890470993921
https://twitter.com/DTguardian/status/565133411392974848
Louis van Gaal produces stats sheet to refute Sam Allardyce's long-Ball charge. pic.twitter.com/KARdLCwMYw
— David Anderson (@MirrorAnderson) February 10, 2015
The manager says he's happy with results so far but wants #mufc to improve further.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 10, 2015
@tomEurosport pic.twitter.com/8xgfIqMvhV
— Alex Shaw (@AlexShawTel) February 10, 2015
#ThatAwkwardMoment when Louis van Gaal's PR woman realises she hates her job. #mufc #VanGaal pic.twitter.com/kgvNv1tXkw
— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 10, 2015
"So you did the pamphlet thing, eh? Good. Include anything about Rooney in midfield? No? Not sure it'll work then." pic.twitter.com/FyWnXTdKnS
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) February 10, 2015
Well, that was an interesting LVG press conf. #stats
— Mark Ogden (@MarkOgden_) February 10, 2015
To summarise, Van Gaal said Utd's figures were skewed by long sideways passes. West Ham, he said, were the team knocking it long to strikers
— Daniel Taylor (@DTathletic) February 10, 2015
Man United closing in on deal for official manager's dossier sponsor
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) February 10, 2015
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