A man with a plan for all occasions

You could describe Louis van Gaal as a fortunate manager or a tactical genius.

Or you could take the Arjen Robben route.

“Maybe Louis has a golden willy,” he laughed when asked by Dutch television to talk about the impacts of Van Gaal’s substitutes, who both scored in the 2-0 win over Chile that ensured Holland finished World Cup Group B with maximum points.

The point Robben was trying to make in his own, unconventional way, is that everything Van Gaal has touched has turned to gold so far.

Holland were expected to struggle in a fearsomely difficult group that also included reigning world champions Spain and a physical and highly-motivated Australian team.

Instead, they have emerged as perhaps the most impressive team in the tournament so far, scoring 10 goals and breezing into the last 16.

They have also played in three distinctly different styles that suggest just why Van Gaal’s career has been so successful.

“Of course he’s a good coach, that’s why he’s manager of the Dutch team and why he goes to Manchester United,” said Leroy Fer, the first of Van Gaal’s substitutes to score against Chile.

There can be no doubt that those in the corridors of power at Old Trafford will have been looking on with utter joy, so impressive has Van Gaal been.

Equally, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy may be bitterly jealous; he wanted Van Gaal at White Hart Lane and the Dutchman was keen until David Moyes left his post at United.

Talk of Old Trafford can wait for the moment, certainly as far as Van Gaal is concerned.

“I think Manchester United has nothing to do with this and, if you look at my CV, I win a lot of matches,” was the 62-year-old’s withering response after an English journalist tried to draw him on the subject after the game in Sao Paulo.

That fact is indisputable, and what has been most impressive here is how his side have won those opening games against quality sides.

Against Spain, Van Gaal started with his favoured 5-3-2 formation (one that morphs into 3-5-2 when in possession) but the key was his decision to almost bypass Wesley Sneijder, his most creative midfielder.

Instead he asked his defenders to aim long balls over the top, aiming to exploit the perceived weakness of Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos in the Spanish defence.

The plan worked to perfection as Holland trounced Spain 5-1, with their two most memorable goals – Robin van Persie’s diving header and Arjen Robben’s second – coming from those long balls from deep.

In the second game, Australia were more than holding their own. But when Bruno Martins Indi, a centre-back, was injured, Van Gaal sent on Memphis Depay, a striker.

He switched to 4-3-3 and that changed the game as Depay provided the assist for Van Persie’s equaliser before scoring the winner himself in a 3-2 victory.

Then came Chile, who had swept Spain aside.

Again, Van Gaal varied his tactics, content to sit very deep and hit Chile on the break. Having completed just 60 passes in the first-half Van Gaal threw on Fer and Depay as the game started to become more open in the last 20 minutes. The reward was immediate, with Fer scoring with his first touch before Depay made the game safe.

In short, it has been a tactical masterclass – but now come Mexico. The suspicion is that Van Gaal already has a plan.

“We believe in the coach,” explained Dirk Kuyt. “I think he is a quality coach and every time he tells us how to play, it works.

“You can say what you want about is, but a team who scores 10 goals with an average of 3.3 goals per game is not really a defensive team.”

That’s for sure. Everything Van Gaal and Holland are enjoying a golden tournament – particularly if you talk to Arjen Robben.