After a slow start to life at the Manchester United helm, manager Louis Van Gaal has promised a total overhaul. What better way to start a renaissance, then, by splashing the cash on Britain’s record signing?
Angel di Maria arrives at Old Trafford for the princely sum of £59.7m and is Van Gaal’s fourth big money signing of the summer, following Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw and Marcos Rojo to the club. In a somewhat frank admission, the former Real Madrid maestro conceded he was reluctant to leave the Bernabéu but nevertheless expressed excitement at joining one of the world’s most famous clubs:
“Unfortunately, I have to go but I want to make clear that this was never my desire. After winning La Décima [Real’s 10th Champions League title] I went to the World Cup with the hope of receiving a gesture from the board, which never arrived. Many things and many lies were told. Someone may not like me. There were a lot of clubs interested in me, but United is the only club that I would have left Real Madrid for. Van Gaal is a fantastic coach and I am impressed by the vision and determination everyone has to get this club back to the top – where it belongs.”
THE HISTORY
Di María started out at his home side Rosario Central, racking up six goals in 35 appearances, before moving to Benfica in 2007 for £7m. Towards the end of his three-year spell, he became a YouTube sensation due to his lightning pace, silky skills and eclectic finishing and it was no surprise when Real Madrid came knocking, prompting a £29 million move to Spain in 2010.
The Argentine’s time in La Liga was largely successful. In addition to winning the Champions League last season, he made 191 appearances, scoring 36 goals and providing 87 assists.
Low points included a sending off in the 2011 Copa del Rey final against Barcelona and another red for a horror tackle on Levante’s Juanfran the following season – but Di Maria played his way back into boss Jose Mourinho’s good books, nailing down a spot in the starting XI and helping them win the 2011/12 league title.
Last season he scored the opening goal in Madrid’s victorious Copa del Rey Final against Barcelona and was La Liga’s top assist-maker with 17. Di Maria also showed his big-match temperament when it mattered most, playing an integral part in Gareth Bale’s crucial header in their Champions League final triumph against Atlético Madrid.
A prominent part of the Argentina side that made this year’s World Cup Final, Di María has 52 caps in total, with 10 goals accrued. He also represented his nation at the 2010 World Cup and the 2011 Copa América.
THE PROSPECTS
The consensus of opinion seems to be that the introduction of Di María could signal a sea change in Van Gaal’s tactical approach. With the current system failing miserably, a shift to 4-3-3 appears the most likely option in order to get the best out of his talents. After the Argentine was presented to the press earlier in the week, though, his manager admitted it was a little too early to say whether he’ll switch from the current 3-4-1-2 formation as a result of Di Maria’s arrival:
“I have bought Di Maria because he can play inside and wide. It’s very handy is that for a coach. So maybe you remember when I was trainer-coach of Bayern Munich, I bought Robben. He could also play on the wings and inside so then I always have the opportunity to change [tactics] – but that is a process. You cannot click your fingers and switch to another system. You are working and have to train with it. It’s a matter of time because the process needs time and we shall see if, with Di Maria, we have to change the system or not. He played in Real Madrid not only as a wide wing player but also in midfield. That is also a reason why we are convinced that he shall succeed.”
Certainly, a 4-3-3 may well pose problems for Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney. Either could be given the opposite wing role as part of a front three spearheaded by Robin Van Persie, though England’s new captain may be asked to sit deeper in the midfield, as he often did towards the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign, and provide the threat behind Van Persie.
Another option would be to play Di María in a more central role, which he became accustomed to playing alongside Luka Modric and Xabi Alonso last campaign. Naturally this would restrict his ability to take defenders on, though, and would test his mettle in the tackle and in terms of defensive positioning. Many commentators believe the signing is more a statement of intent than a meticulously laid plan – as evidenced above, Van Gaal seems unsure as to where the Argentine will play right now.
With so much uncertainty surrounding Di Maria’s likely role in the United XI, then, in addition to the club’s poor form, Fantasy managers have been understandably wary. Priced at 9.5 – ie, dearer than Mata – the Argentine is only the fourth most transferred in midfielder in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game this week despite having a trio of head-to-heads against the promoted clubs on his agenda.
Statistically, he compares favourably to a number of midfield Fantasy rivals in all but goals. His strike rate was 0.12 per appearance in 2013/14, whereas Hazard (0.4), Sterling (0.27) and Fabregas (0.22) scored more frequently. When you consider that Mata, at 9.0, has scored seven times in his last eight league appearances, there’s an argument that the Spaniard, if he can retain a key role in the overhaul, could be the better choice.
In terms of creation, however, Di Maria was unrivalled. With an assist every two appearances, he was streaks above the competition (Fabregas with 0.36 assists per match, Hazard with 0.2 and Sterling with 0.15). When it came to key passes, Di María (2.15 per match) was second to Hazard (2.43), with both players nearly doubling the efforts of Sterling (1.39) and Fabregas (1.25). Overall, then, if he repeats a similar level of performance this year, the dearth of goals would be mitigated by a high assist and bonus point haul, but his production would not be noticeably better than any of his other price-range rivals.
In yesterday’s press conference, Van Gaal confirmed his record signing is “ready to play” against Burnley later today, handing Fantasy managers an early chance to scout his impact on United’s ailing season. With three home fixtures in the subsequent four (QPR, lei, WHM, EVE) Di Maria clearly has the schedule to spark his side’s ascent up the table and potentially re-ignite our Fantasy faith in their attacking assets.
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