Sunday 13 December 2015 14:12, UK
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal said his side were to made to pay for two defensive lapses in their 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday night.
Bournemouth scored in each half via two set plays, with Junior Stanislas breaking the deadlock straight from a corner after just two minutes.
And Cherries striker Josh King, who used to play for United, then gave Eddie Howe's team all three points after the visitors were once again caught out from a corner nine minutes after half-time, much to Van Gaal's frustration.
"Again, two set pieces like against Wolfsburg," he said. "That's not normal for us because we gave a lot of attention to all the organisation but they had a few variations and they did it very well, I have to say, but still it can't be, I believe."
The Dutchman praised Bournemouth's pressing game that made it hard for United to get back into the contest after King's second-half strike.
"I thought in the first half we played well, we created chances, scored a goal and I had the feeling that we could win in the second half," he said. "And then again a set play and then you are behind in the score and it is very difficult to have a revival, I think.
"The players did everything, but I have to also say Bournemouth are pressing on the ball in a fantastic way and that's why it makes it more difficult to get the equaliser or to create chances. But still we had the chances also in the second half."
The United boss also highlighted David de Gea's misjudgement in somehow allowing Stanislas' early corner to float straight in over his head.
"In half-time I speak about how we have to do it in the second half," said Van Gaal. "I do not speak about the past, I don't think that's of any benefit for me or the players.
"It is a rare error, but I think David knows that better than me. You never can tell that because you have to speak to all the players because we have an organisation and all the players have to do their job. But of course you see that there is a gap and you have to sniff that and we didn't sniff that."
In the end, Van Gaal claimed that whichever team scored the second goal after half-time would go on to claim all three points.
"I think the attitude of the players, I like the attitude," he said. "But the attitude is not only important, you have to perform in a certain way and I have to say, I was pleased with what I have seen in the first half. And in the second half it was a match that who scores the second goal shall win."
However, Van Gaal was adamant that his players still believed in him, despite this latest defeat.
"It is always like that, so it is not new," he said. "But it is a matter of belief, if you believe in this manager or not, because that is the most important thing.
"Last year all the fans have shown their belief and that is the most important thing, but for me the most important thing is the commitment of the players and how they perform what we have agreed, and that I can only tell they want to do that. I'm having always that confidence when the players want to perform in this way, then I have confidence always."
