Pirate Galaxy » says Manchester United had no choice but

San Jose Sharks coach Peter DeBoer is concerned that focus exhibited by his team might not always be where it should. The matchup against their next opponent should grab their attention in more ways than one.Looking to avoid their first three-game skid of the season, the Sharks meet red-hot Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final time in the regular season on Saturday night.San Jose (6-5-0) held its opponents to a total of three goals while winning three straight in a five-day span but stumbled this week with a 3-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday before returning home and falling to the Calgary Flames by the same score on Thursday.DeBoer said the teams sustained effort for an entire contest is lacking.The desperation level of the teams were playing is very high, and ours is high for stages of the game, but not for 60 minutes, and you know, this is a league where if you dont play desperate for 60 minutes, youre really limiting your opportunities to win, and thats where were at right now, he said after the loss to Calgary. We lost because of the lack of a 60-minute commitment by everybody.If the Sharks need a boost to reaffirm that commitment, then playing with urgency and beating the Penguins would provide it. San Jose lost in six games to Pittsburgh in last seasons Stanley Cup Final -- with the clincher coming at SAP Center. In their first rematch this season, San Jose squandered a two-goal lead heading into the third period and lost 3-2 on Oct. 20 at the newly re-named PPG Paints Arena.Joe Pavelski, who leads San Jose with 12 points (four goals, eight assists), said the Sharks may be making things harder for themselves.I think our work ethic can go up a little bit, he said. There (are) moments where its good. Im not calling anyone out by any means, but its just on a nightly basis, its everybody, its a simple game that we play.... From our foundations of hard work and forechecking and certain things, we can get creative, and at times, when that hard work goes away, it makes it a little tougher, but I think we can do a little better job at times.Including postseason play, Pavelski has failed to score a goal in seven straight games against Pittsburgh while recording four assists.As for the Penguins, theyve barely skipped a beat after winning the Stanley Cup -- and that was without having Crosby available for the first six games as he recovered from a concussion.While its difficult to find much fault, if any, with the Penguins play this season, their recent efforts in the second period have been poor. Through the first four games of the season, theyve outscored the opposition 4-2 in the second. But through the last seven contests, starting with last months win over the Sharks, Pittsburgh (7-2-2) has been outscored 12-2 in the middle frame.Despite those recent struggles, Pittsburgh is 5-1-1 in its last seven, and could wrap up this four-game road trip with six or seven out of a possible eight points.Crosby has shown no ill effects from being concussed. In five games since returning to the ice, hes registered at least one point per contest, totaling six goals and two assists. Crosby had his second multi-goal game of the season in Pittsburghs 3-2 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.Crosby is an offensive force, but Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said the Penguins captain is not a one-dimensional player.We marvel at him sometimes with how good he is, with what he does each and every night, Sullivan told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Hes a threat most every shift. He plays at both ends of the rink. We use him in a lot of situations, both offensively and defensively. Hes playing inspiring hockey right now.Crosby, who didnt score a goal in last seasons finals, will almost certainly be trying to add to his points total at the expense of Sharks goaltender Martin Jones, whos thriving at home. Jones is 5-5-0 with a 2.34 goals-against average and .909 save percentage overall, but 4-1-0 with a 1.40 GAA and .940 save percentage at SAP Center.Jones may also have his hands full trying to keep defenseman Kris Letang off the scoresheet. After sitting out five games with an upper body injury, Letang returned Wednesday with a goal and assist in a win over the Anaheim Ducks and drew helpers on both of Crosbys goals against the Kings.Letang had a team-high five points (goal, four assists) against San Jose in last seasons playoffs.James Harden Rockets Jersey . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Houston Rockets Jerseys . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. http://www.therocketsofficial.com/Authentic-Gerald-Green-Rockets-Jersey/ . Takahashi, who had a 10-point lead after the short program, received 268.31 points after the free skate to finish 15 points ahead of second-place Nobunari Oda. Clyde Drexler Rockets Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Gerald Green Jersey .Y. -- Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo had little trouble picking up his first shutout of the season against a Buffalo Sabres team thats having trouble scoring goals.Louis van Gaal has been sacked as Manchester United manager. But where did it all go wrong for the Dutchman?From transfers to tactics, we examine the key issues that led to his tenure as Manchester United boss being cut short… Van Gaal sacked by United Louis van Gaal has been sacked as manager of Man Utd Transfers Angel di Maria lasted barely a year under Louis van Gaal United ploughed staggering sums into recruitment after Van Gaals appointment, with more than a dozen major signings arriving at a combined cost of over £250m.Such huge investment demanded a reassessment of expectations at Old Trafford after a woeful 2013/14 under David Moyes, but Van Gaal was unable to fit the expensively-assembled parts together.Indeed, of the 13 players acquired under Van Gaal, only Luke Shaw (when fit) and Anthony Martial became guaranteed starters, with the likes of Ander Herrera, Morgan Schneiderlin, Marcos Rojo and Memphis Depay all in and out of the team despite their hefty fees. Did Man Utd progress under LVG? How much of an improvement did Louis van Gaal make at Man Utd after taking over from David Moyes? Van Gaals failure to get the best out of record signing Angel Di Maria was particularly damning. United made a £15.4m loss on the Argentinian when he joined Paris Saint-Germain just a year after his £59.7m arrival from Real Madrid, and he is not the only departed star who is now shining away from Old Trafford.Uniteds struggles in attack have been compounded by Javier Hernandezs remarkable success at Bayer Leverkusen, where he has scored 26 goals in 40 appearances, while the departures of Darren Fletcher, Jonny Evans, Patrice Evra, Rafael, Danny Welbeck, James Wilson and Nani have also led to a lack of depth in key areas.Use of Rooney Wayne Rooney had his worst scoring season with Man Utd in 2015/16 Wayne Rooney scored in his final Premier League game under Louis van Gaal, but the Manchester United captains worst-ever goal return for the club in 2015/16 was a significant factor in the teams struggles.Despite Rooney scoring just two league goals before the turn of the year, Van Gaal continued to pick his leader as a striker and used big-money summer signing Anthony Martial out wide.They wanted a guy who scored goals, said Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry. They wanted a guy to run in behind fast. [Martial] came in and did that. Suddenly now he finds himself out there, almost not touching the ball.If I had a player like that, he would be my No 9 and the rest are around him.With Rooney so obviously struggling, Henry was not alone in that opinion. Van Gaals reign in quotes We look back at Louis van Gaals time with Man Utd in his own quotes Injuries to Rooney and Martial eventually led to 18-year-old Marcus Rashford seizing his first-team chance.While his promotion from the youth team again pushed Martial wide when he returned to fitness, the academy graduate gave United the cutting edge they had lacked, scoring eight goals in 18 appearances. Still keen to accommodate Rooney in his starting XI, Van Gaal moved the 30-year-old into midfield, where he has shone.United went on to take 10 points from 15 available with Rooney in that position, as well as winning the FA Cup. Van Gaal may regret not altering Rooneys role earlier.Team selection Ashley Young was used in a variety of positions by Van Gaal Van Gaals persistence with Rooney was one of many contentious decisions when it came to team selection. His line-ups were maddeningly inconsistent and it was often difficult to see the logic behind Van Gaals choices.The Dutchman appeared to be unsure of his strongest team right up until the end. Juan Mata and Martial were routinely played out of position, while others, such as Herrera and Schneiderlin, were left on the bench or frozen out entirely. Man Utds 33 players Man Utd used 33 different players in the Premier League in 2015/16 - only Liverpool (34) used more. In their vital Champions League clash with Wolfsburg, rookie teenager Cameron Borthwick-Jackson was thrown on at left-back ahead of Ashley Young, one of Van Gaals best players last season. And with his inexperienced side chasing goals that night, his answer was to introduce Nick Powell - who had not featured at all since August last year.Young himself was used as a left-back, left winger, right-back, right winger and striker in 2015/16.Van Gaals treatment of Adnan Januzaj was another oddity. Despite starting four consecutive games for United in August, the 20-year-old was allowed to leave the club on a season-long loan to Borussia Dortmund just before the closure of the transfer window. Following his early return in January, was limited to just a handful of brief substitute appearances.Style of play Manchester Unnited recorded their lowest Premier League goal haul at Old Trafford in 2015/16 Uniteds turgid playing style under Van Gaal was a major issue for supporters, who made their frustration clear with frequent chants of attack, attack, attack at Old Trafford.ddddddddddddThe Dutchmans devotion to control means they have averaged the most possession in the Premier League, but United have set a new club record for the fewest goals scored in a Premier League season after netting just 49 times in 2015/16. Only Watford, Aston Villa and West Brom created fewer chances. Man Utds lack of goals Manchester United scored just 49 times in the Premier League this season - their lowest ever total in the competition. The home form has been particularly poor, with United scoring fewer Premier League goals than ever before. Their goalless draw against City in October was the first time since 2003/04 that they hadnt had a shot on target in the first half of a Premier League game and, at West Ham in May - in a game they realistically had to win to finish in the top four - United managed just two shots on target in 90 minutes.The unimaginative, static performances are tough to take for supporters who became used to the verve and attacking adventure that defined Sir Alex Fergusons tenure.Having spent over a quarter of a billion pounds on new players, the least they could have expected from Van Gaal was entertainment. Manchester United fans give their views on Louis van Gaals claims that their expectations are too high Talk of transitionVan Gaal did not help the situation with some of his comments in press conferences and interviews, particularly when he referred to Uniteds glory days being behind them. They say a club like Manchester United has to win. Thats the past, he said in December.After the final game of the Premier League season confirmed their fifth-place finish, Van Gaal had a message for the United fans who had booed him: They are expecting a lot but I think these expectations are much too high, and we are a team in transition. Danny Higginbotham says Manchester United had no choice but to sack Louis van Gaal After the shock of Fergusons retirement led to Uniteds worst Premier League season, Van Gaal stated when he arrived that it would be a slow rebuilding process. But, two years on, after winning just two more points than Moyes and Ryan Giggs did in 2012/13, the patience of supporters was wearing thin.After so much expenditure in the transfer market, United should have been performing better - and their manager should have been aiming higher. Look back at Van Gaals best quotes and most bizarre moments Sky Sports Audio Listen to the latest Man Utd news, reaction and big-name opinion, with Sky Sports AudioAlso See:Jose will be rock and rollVan Gaals reign in quotesRedknapp: Right time for changeRooney: Weve underperformed ' ' '