Why Man Utd's 'moaning' legends MUST keep hammering Louis van Gaal

The frustration is palpable. But don't believe your lying eyes, Manchester United fans. This really is entertaining stuff... apparently.

Whatever your feelings about Louis van Gaal, you can't accuse the manager of being stubborn or immovable. Certainly not in the class of Arsene Wenger.

We know he changed up his rigid training methods earlier this season after being confronted by senior players. We've also seen the idea of Van Gaal's three-man central defence, thankfully, abandoned. As bad as the football has been, it could've been a lot worse if the manager had persisted with his 'five across the back' plans of early last season.

Can you imagine the backlash from ex-players if the possession game being passed off as entertainment came with a flat back five? Scholesy would be apoplectic!

Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Peter Schmeichel - even Andrei Kanchelskis - have all had their say on Van Gaal's football. Despite the claims of some high-and-mighty types in the press box, these guys don't just have the right to put forward an opposing view, but an obligation. These lads were part of the club's greatest winning era. The traditions they inherited weren't just adhered to, but enhanced. It's their responsibility as genuine legends of the club to protect its playing traditions to the best of their ability.

Those pushing back against the ex-players brigade claim some of the football under Sir Alex Ferguson could also be absolute dross. Which is true. But the difference was, United fans could see that the manager was still trying to play the Sir Matt way. He wanted his players to attack, to back themselves and show adventure. Even when he experimented with a back three, from Mal Donaghy to Laurent Blanc, there was still an emphasis on wing play and having two strikers working alongside eachother.

Kanchelskis made headlines this week after admitting his 'disgust' with Van Gaal's system. Of course he is. The Russian made his name under Fergie as a flying winger. He won a shedload of trophies playing in that system. Today, he wouldn't get a game in Van Gaal's team. The rage that exuded from Kanchelskis' words took some aback. But that's passion and it's the same reaction we're now seeing from fans following United home-and-away.

After stumbling to victory against CSKA Moscow, the remarks by Jesse Lingard, whose come right through the system at Carrington, were telling.

"I was trying to be as direct as I could and get the crowd on their feet," he said, speaking like a genuine Fergie graduate, before adding, "Obviously I had to be direct at the right time, so we had to be patient sometimes..."

You couldn't get a better summation of United today. In two short sentences, Jesse has crystalised the on-field transformation the club has suffered through these past 18 months.

The fans are with Van Gaal. But they're making their feelings known. Has there ever been another stage in the club's history where supporters have actually put together a song pleading for a United team to attack? We heard it from the away end at Selhurst Park on Sunday. And Van Gaal is aware of the growing tide against his possession game.

"Just to keep going and perform the same as the first half," Lingard replied when asked what the manager had said at halftime on Tuesday night, "be patient, ignore the fans and keep playing your own game."

Van Gaal has shown a willingness to adapt. He's "no dictator" as he happily claims. But whether that extends to a style of football that's served him so well throughout his career is a real stretch.

Things could get tense on Saturday against Tony Pulis' West Brom.

Pulis' teams are notoriously hard to beat and with their tails up, going to United to earn a stubborn, hard-worked point is well within reach.

United will have plenty of the ball. As Yohan Cabaye, the Crystal Palace midfielder, mocked after Sunday's stalemate, they will "pass and pass, then pass some more". But will that be enough to break down Pulis' back four? And if no early goal can be found, how will the home crowd take it, particularly the Stretford End, given the Palace reaction?

Those having a pop at Scholes and co., or the supporters chanting "attack, attack, attack", need to wind their neck in. This isn't about personalities. It's not an agenda against the manager. It's not, to some degree, even about United.

The criticism is about upholding the best traditions of end-to-end, attacking English football. One of the best exponents of which is (or was) Manchester United.

But these values are being eroded and what should be absolutely galling for any United fan is that there's a German sitting in his office at Anfield intent on building a team capable of "full throttle football".

That's the sort of phrase you'd expect from Fergie. But as Lingard put it so well this week, unless Van Gaal decides to rip up his 40-year-old playbook, fans are witnessing a seismic change in what was traditionally expected from a United team.

INJURY TIME

Chris Smalling wouldn't be a Manchester United player today without Louis van Gaal.

Both United and England owe the Dutchman for bringing out the best in the former Fulham and Maidstone United defender.

Under David Moyes, Smalling wasn't at a crossroads, he had one foot out the door. The centre-half was making bigger headlines on the front pages and in the scandal sections, than in the back pages of the press.

But Van Gaal's no-nonsense man-management has Smalling now playing the best football of his career - and by some distance. Today, you can say with real credibility that he will captain the club in the future.

Even the way he jokes about being called 'Mike' by Van Gaal has a charm about it. It's reminiscent of Sir Bobby Robson's famous exchange with his England captain, Bryan Robson.

Sir Bobby, during a team talk, turned to Robson and said: "Now, Bobby, this is what I want from you...," before he was interrupted by Robson.

"Gaffer," smiled the United midfielder, "I'm Bryan, you're Bobby..."

For those who follow our friends, Cheeky Sport, you'll have seen Smalling making a regular appearance. They're just about on first name terms. The guys are always able to catch Smalling after a game because he's the one senior player signing autographs. London-born and raised, sure. But the Chris Smalling of 2015 is just the player United can build a dressing room around.

PENALTY KICKS

So did Callum Gribbin's family do the right thing?

It broke this week that the talented 16 year-old had turned down £11,000-a-week to go pro with Manchester City.

In the past, such a decision, even accounting for the chance to become an instant millionaire, would be understandable. But City's development programme have made great strides in recent years. The club's £200m City Football Academy is unequaled. They're aggressively recruiting players throughout the age groups - much to the chagrin of United. And City have no problem turning over coaching staff if a better prospect becomes available.

United identities Robin van Persie, Phil Neville and Darren Fletcher all have their sons enrolled in City's academy. Indeed, such has been the shift, that United fighting off City's attempts for Gribbin is seen as a real coup.

But has he made the right decision? Gribbin could be anything. He can play centrally, but is generally regarded as a winger. However, if Louis van Gaal sticks around, what chance does he have of making it under the Dutchman.

We've seen Adnan Januzaj palmed off to Borussia Dortmund this season because he couldn't play the No10 role to the manager's satisfaction. The best wide player we've seen come through at United since Ryan Giggs, yet he's pushed into an unfamiliar position and then jettisoned when it doesn't work out? Is this what awaits Gribbin?