beIN SPORTS By Graham Ruthven (@grahamruthven) When Louis Van Gaal took to the stage at last season’s end of season awards ceremony he spoke - perhaps after a few tipples - about why he considered Manchester United such a special club. He talked about the history, the expectation and above all, the fans. The sentiment of those fans towards Van Gaal isn’t so glowing, though. Man Utd is a club in turmoil. Their struggle isn’t one illustrated by results or the league table, though - their contention is more existential than that. Not even when David Moyes led the club to an eighth place finish, just 12 months after United lifted the title, was Old Trafford such a tumultuous place.  Technically, United are enjoying a successful Premier League season with Van Gaal at the helm. Just one point separates them from top-spot and pace-setters Manchester City, going six games since their last defeat. The Red Devils stand their best chance of lifting the title for the first time since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson. 

   And yet, all is not well. United fans face something of an internal dilemma - do they value style over substance? Their club has become synonymous with fast-flowing, dynamic - and most importantly entertaining - football over the past two decades or so, but what they are watching now is something very different. Frankly, Man Utd have become boring under Van Gaal. The verve that once made them English soccer’s most captivating club has gone, the wing-play that once made them so exhilarating has been eliminated and now they depend on their defence immeasurably more than they do on attack. Old Trafford is still dubbed the Theatre of Dreams, but only because those watching now struggles to fight sleep. But should United fans really care if their team is still winning matches and tallying points on the board? Sure, as a global attraction their appeal might somewhat diminish, but does style of play really matter to the club's hardcore support? Seemingly so. The ‘Manchester United way’ is a term that has been thrown around a lot at Old Trafford this season, recalling the cavalier style of the club’s greatest ever teams of yesteryear. United don't necessarily long for the days of Ferguson, but for the identity he have the club. Winning, it would appear, isn’t enough. The manner of such success matters too. Van Gaal should care little for whether his team are sufficiently entertaining - after all, he’s the coach of a Premier League side, not the Harlem Globetrotters - but the stodgy, overly-rigid style of play he professes does prompt questions bout his hiring in the first place.  Jose Mourinho was supposedly overlooked as Ferguson’s successor on the basis of his stodgy playing style and confrontational public persona. Now United have Van Gaal, who is essentially of the same mould but without the proven Premier League record. Have Man Utd now cast aside their principles in the search for success? And if so, surely they must now regret not moving for Mourinho when they had the chance. Van Gaal has succeeded in a lot of ways. United’s defence was a piping hot mess when he took over, undermining anything that came in the final third. The Premier League’s stingiest defence can now be found at Old Trafford, with Chris Smalling in particular benefitting from the Dutchman’s coaching. United are a solid team, and that will serve them well as they chase the Premier League title. But whilst glory might return to a club that sings about it before kick-off at every home match, their identity might not. A United fanzine carried the headline "It's not what you do it's the way that you do it” last month, urging Van Gaal not to completely dismiss the character of the club he now finds himself at. He must change, not United - they say. That’s where the Dutchman might disagree.