da jogodeouro： Ever have one of those days where it just seems like absolutely nothing is going your way? Yes, we all have.
da esoccer bet： Ever have that day last for an entire football season? Louis van Gaal has.
The Dutchman had a poor time in his first year at the helm for Manchester United as the team scored just 62 total goals, their second-worst in the Premier League era. The Red Devils took blow after blow with the collapse of both Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao, but perhaps nothing hurt United more in the long run than the injury of defensive midfielder Michael Carrick.
Carrick’s absence forced captain Wayne Rooney to shift back from centre forward into the midfield, where he struggled greatly. Looking to avoid a repeat of that next season, van Gaal has his sights set on Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan to fill Carrick’s slot.
Gundogan made 33 appearances for Dortmund this season, notching three goals and five assists. Like Carrick, he is known for his passing and through balls. The 24-year-old averaged an 86.6 percent pass success rate this year. As a defensive midfielder, he loves to take shots from a distance and helped Jurgen Klopp’s side to the 2013 Champions League final.
Gundogan has international experience as well as Champions League. Though injury forced him to miss Germany’s victorious 2014 World Cup, he netted two goals in nine appearances in Germany’s 2011 campaign. Van Gaal has stressed that he wants to employ more creativity in midfield, and Gundogan could be just the player United need to anchor their formation.
As young as he is, Gundogan is a long-term solution to Manchester United’s struggles in midfield, as even in good health the 33-year-old Carrick is a ticking clock. Gundogan possesses the same composure, passing abilities and possession skills as Carrick, but with increased mobility.
Gundogan could enable Manchester United, and van Gaal, to finally wake up on the right side of the bed.
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