Louis van Gaal has few excuses left in his second year at Manchester United

Manchester United go into the season in much the same state as they did the last. They have filled their boots in the transfer window, and yet still come up short. The difference is that because of the disappointments of last season, and the David Moyes debacle, the fans are now less willing to buy into the idea that all will be successfully resolved. Despite the transfers and the enjoyable belligerence of their manager, the consensus is that United would do well to get into the top three, maintain a title challenge for a while, and make an honourable showing in Europe. Above all, Louis van Gaal’s side must entertain, and hint there is finally something for the soul on the horizon.

To achieve this, Van Gaal has at least started the essential work, even if there’s evidently more to be done. The squad was nowhere near good enough, and so quality additions have been made, and Sergio Romero. Matteo Darmian could offer a dependable option in attack and defence from right-back. Morgan Schneiderlin is proven Premier League quality with the potential to step up further alongside more talented colleagues. Memphis Depay is an exciting young talent with skills beyond YouTube, and Bastian Schweinsteiger is world class, when fit. Of course, as with all transfers, there’s the possibility that everything could crash and burn within seconds, but as calculated risks go, all are worth taking.

The reason to spend so much money is because the squad was straight garbage when Van Gaal took over, and was only marginally improved in his first summer. Alex Ferguson left a knackered squad that wasn’t refreshed by Moyes, and Van Gaal’s summer blowout was just that. Angel Di Maria was a complete waste of time and money, and Radamel Falcao still looks like a busted flush at Chelsea. Daley Blind is merely a Dutch John O’Shea, Luke Shaw was unfit, and Ander Herrera took time to grow into his role - and even he can’t be outraged if he loses his place to summer signings. He was good, not great, and United are palpably far from greatness. All this meant United needed another round of significant investment.

And yet more is needed. Pedro will arrive from Barcelona to add pace, ideally in place of Juan Mata, who is lovely but in the wrong team, or at the very least, the wrong position. But a deputy or replacement for the waning Wayne Rooney is essential. Pedro isn’t it, given he’s too short to get on some fair rides. In central defence only Chris Smalling ended the season looking trustworthy; Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones have a last chance; Jonny Evans apparently has already had his. And this desperately lacking squad is despite the sustained sale of guff from the squad.

More mediocrity has been dispatched (though in Jones’ and Ashley Young’s new contract, some has been retained). Robin van Persie and Luis Nani - a has been and a never was - are now in Turkey, and Javier Hernandez should join them out the exit, along with Evans. Falcao, deservedly, was not kept on his prohibitively high wages. United recouped a reasonable amount for Di Maria, but the possible sale of David de Gea, on the cheap, is still entirely possible. At which point, the arrival of Jasper Cillessen, a goalkeeper who is known neither for excellence nor calamity, would have to be rushed through. If a defender doesn’t arrive to accompany a ‘keeper, United’s defence will not have improved sufficiently. It might not have improved a tall, such are De Gea’s talents.

It is not just the new signings that need to perform, but some of the existing squad members must return to the level they have previously shown. Michael Carrick will need to have his best season in four years to keep featuring regularly, and Herrera will need to be dominant rather than impressive. Mata must improve his goal return and incisive play near the box. Ashley Young will need to play better to keep out Depay than he did Di Maria, you would imagine. But the biggest responsibility rests with Rooney. After half a decade of decline, a failed cynical declaration that he was a number 10, proof that he is not a midfielder, and a terrible first touch, he’s further away than ever from the borderline genius he used to be. This is a chance to either score 20 goals a season making the most of a resurgent United, or use what’s left of his talent to drag a still-mediocre side to something like success. Or, very possibly, neither.

There are more reasons to worry. After telling the world United will play 4-3-3, much of the pre-season has been played with a 4-2-3-1. There’s every chance the team to face Spurs will play together for the first time in a closed-doors friendly this week, and the lack of transfer activity of late means Blind will be a weak link in the middle of defence. The formation isn’t the greatest problem facing Van Gaal - that’s the tedious dross he served up for much of the season. After getting the shakes at Leicester, he increasingly withdrew from trusting his players, and the side got ever more rigid. The defence ended up relatively solid, given the personnel, but the attack was slow and predictable. Van Gaal must increase the speed and the freedom up front for two reasons: one, simply, to win, and two, essential for the supporters, to win in style. They have enough of the players to attempt that now, there are few excuses and not much patience left.