'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Manchester United fans were on cloud ‘7’ when they signed Di Maria last summer. Here was the man who was the engine of Madrid’s decima winning team which is a lot to say in a midfield containing Xabi Alonso and Luka Modric.
In the Champions League final when all around him were tiring, he was the one who was making lung-busting runs down the flank and it was one such run which culminated in Gareth Bale's crucial second goal.
He was deservedly awarded man of the match and his signing showed that United still had a pulling force in spite of their Champions League absence. Some tried to downplay his signing by saying that he could become the next Veron, but he is someone who could change the game in a matter of seconds and unlock the tightest of defences.
It did not start badly for him, though and on his Old Trafford debut against QPR, Di Maria scored from a free kick and made an assist too in a rout of QPR. United fans were excited and the Premier League was excited too as he took to Premier League like a duck to water.
Finally, here was someone worthy of No.7 shirt vacated by Ronaldo and too much of a burden was placed on Valencia, who did not deserve it in the first place. We had a genuine No.7 to make us dream again like Ronaldo made us.
He followed that form for a couple of months by delivering 3 goals and 6 assists which not bad for a player in his first season, the highlight being his lob against Leicester. So, where did it go wrong for him, well we'll see below?
Positional Change
When Di Maria arrived, he was tipped to take his place at the tip of midfield in Van Gaal's 3-5-2 Formation and he and it was in that position that he delivered his best. Though the Argentine is conventionally a winger, his best position as revealed last season at Real is at the left of a three-man midfield from where he could make his cracking runs from deep.
So, when Van Gaal decided caution over aggression in aftermath of 5-3 defeat to Leicester City and reverted to a 4-4-2 from a 3-5-2, it deprived Di Maria of his best position. He could play on the wings, but not as effective as when playing as a left-sided midfielder.
Subsequently his form dropped and it forced Van Gaal to alter his position in a bid to bring out his best. He even played him as a Robben-esque false striker, but Di Maria is no Robben as Van Gaal found out.
He plays at his best when running towards defenders, not away from them nor he had strength to do it. He is not effective when haggling down touchline as a winger and he likes to come inside which Van Gaal's tactics did not allow . Simply pit, he was a victim of LVG's constant tinkering’s.
The signing of Depay should allow him to return to his favoured position and no doubt he would shine as he is now shining for Argentina in the free roaming role given to him by Martino and he would warrant a similar role in Van Gaal's United.
First -Season Blues
For any new signing bought from outside of Premier League and without prior experience of having played in England, it is normal that a settling in period of 6 months to a full season is required for them to fully adapt to the rigours of Premier League with the exception of a few.
Di Maria falls into the former category though he showed enough promise in his first month at United. His assists were misplaced shots and his goals were misplaced assists as United fans would attest.
Luck would eventually run out and he was unable to hold his own in the League due to its increasing physical demands. There are reports that he would be put on a special strength and conditioning regime once he returns from his national duty similar to what De Gea was put into due to his slight frame.
If reports are true indeed, it would only bode well for him and the team and as Di Maria himself said, he generally struggles in his first season at a new club, be it at Benfica or Real Madrid.
He will show his true potential once he adapts to the culture and the league in his second season and can be a beacon of light for United fans who still hope to see his best in a United shirt.
Off-field problems
It is said that a footballer should concentrate only on the ball and those who are chasing it and asking for it once you enter the field, but it is hard to do that when your loved ones are suffering.
So, when reports of a break-in at his house were reported, Di Maria and his young family were scared to live in this city and he became more unsettled .After all, he was slowly finding his groove at the beginning of the new year and this made him even more unsettled and he has not recovered his form ever since.
Since the incident, his family lives in a hotel at Manchester. Also Van Gaal ordered all of his players to converse in English only and so Di Maria was forced to learn English and as Rojo would say, he is pretty bad at English.
This did not enable him to freely mingle with rest of squad even though many of United players are Spanish natives ,it did not help his settling in and it is believed he has a frosty relationship with Van Gaal.
If Van Gaal can sort out these issues with him then we have a real polished gem on our hands especially with Champions League football returning, he could follow in steps of his compatriot, Juan Sebastian Veron, who despite failing to light up the Premier League, played particularly well in Champions League
