4) That press conference after the West Ham game
After a draw against West Ham last in 2015, Louis van Gaal was ironically accused of using long ball tactics by then Hammers manager Sam Allardyce. Considering that the battering ram that is Marouane Fellaini was being played as striker the statement could have some justification.
Whether the comments were true or not is up to interpretation, but they did serve to rile up Van Gaal. Having had his massive ego hurt after his “philosophy” was debunked by Sam Allardyce as long ball tactics, he went on a rant reminiscent of Rafa Benitez’s “facts” press conference.
Van Gaal turned up at the press conference with a mission in mind. He had the club’s press officer sheepishly giving out sheets of paper to the journalists at the conference countering Sam Allardyce’s jibe at his tactics.
The sheets of paper proved that the long balls played by his team were mostly switches of play and sideways passing, which was a bit of a mystery as Fellaini was playing as a striker and the balls should have been played to him due to his aerial ability.
