Van Gaal: There's More To Come

Manchester United may have earned more points than Chelsea and Manchester City in the last 15 matches – but Louis van Gaal acknowledges the Reds can still “play much better.”

Speaking to MUTV ahead of Saturday’s match at Swansea City, the manager reiterated his recent point that he’s seeking the right balance in his team, and added that his players are also striving for the same objectives. When asked if there’s more to come from United, he replied: “Yes, of course, because we can play much better. I am looking for the [right] balance and I can see a team who are also looking for the balance.

“It [the balance] is never good enough – not for me, not for the players, not for the fans,” van Gaal added. “We have to improve and we are in the process [of improving]. In spite of that, we have won a lot of games. In 19 games, there has only been one loss and that’s not bad when you’re in the process, I believe.”

One factor very much in the manager’s favour as he continues to develop and improve his United team is the unity among the squad and the positive way in which his players work and play together.

“The spirit in the team is fantastic and they want to do everything for the team – that is also important,” the manager said on MUTV. “If a coach sees the spirit is not so good, then you have many questions as to why. But I have no questions in that direction.”

The next improvement van Gaal seems to have in mind is in the away wins column – with draws being the dominant result on the road so far in 2014/15. Beating Swansea would chalk up the fourth league win outside of Old Trafford this season, after Arsenal (November), Southampton (December) and QPR (January), and it’s a tally the boss believes could be better.

“We haven’t won so much away and that’s also a difference [between being third and first in the table], but when you draw, you are very close to the victory,” he noted.

“It’s not so far away that we can win away matches regularly also. That is our process.”