Van Gaal hopes Manchester United's season could set alight against West Brom [GETTY]
Van Gaal yearns for a repeat of his debut season in charge of Bayern Munich in 2009-10 when a stunning 4-1 Champions League group stage win at Juventus ended a stuttering start and set the German giants on course for a League and Cup double and an appearance in the Champions League final.
Much to Van Gaal's disappointment, United are not in Europe this season so he can't rely on that competition to provide the performance he is looking for. But the Dutchman says it could only take one complete 90-minute display to give his new-look team the platform they need for lift-off.
So far United have played well only for the first hour of their games - the latest they have scored a goal in any game so far was the 63rd-minute strike by Radamel Falcao in their win over Everton just before the international break, a stark contrast to their habit of late strikes under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Van Gaal said: "At Bayern in my first season our revival started when we played a fantastic champions League game against Juventus and won 4-1. It gave us that psychological benefit and we never looked back. We can do that here. It can come in any game.
"We have been fantastic in the first hour of our last four matches against Everton, West Ham, Leicester and QPR but a game lasts 90 minutes and we must learn to kill games off.
"You can do that not with one, or three or eight players you have to do that with all 11 singing from the same songsheet otherwise you lose balls unnecessarily and then we are going back instead of forward. That's what we have to do but that takes time.
"I am looking for a better balance in the team, not only spectacular attacking football but also when you lose the ball you must have a shape as a team and then you can defend more easily.
"I don't think it is a question that the players are not fit enough. Even though I have lowered the intensity of my sessions, we are fit enough because the players are fighting to the last minute and they are willing to do everything. We are evaluating the reasons why, we must improve and learn from our mistakes."
United's absence from European competition means they will make a rare appearance in a Monday TV game tonight but despite suggestions that a less congested fixture list could help them return to the top four this season, Van Gaal admits he would much rather be in the Champions League.
He added: "Maybe in my first year it [being out of Europe] gives me have more chances to train with my players but it is always better to play in the Champions League because you can compare yourselves as a team with the better players and the higher level. It's good for the players, especially the younger ones.
"When you are in the Champions League, it's going well and you beat opponents, you are coming in a flow and then it's not so bad to play all the matches."
Wayne Rooney will be missing, serving the second game of his three-game ban, but Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Ashley Young and Michael Carrick are all fit and back in the squad while Ander Herrera could return wearing a specially-made corset to protect a cracked rib.
Much to Van Gaal's disappointment, United are not in Europe this season so he can't rely on that competition to provide the performance he is looking for. But the Dutchman says it could only take one complete 90-minute display to give his new-look team the platform they need for lift-off.
So far United have played well only for the first hour of their games - the latest they have scored a goal in any game so far was the 63rd-minute strike by Radamel Falcao in their win over Everton just before the international break, a stark contrast to their habit of late strikes under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Van Gaal said: "At Bayern in my first season our revival started when we played a fantastic champions League game against Juventus and won 4-1. It gave us that psychological benefit and we never looked back. We can do that here. It can come in any game.
"We have been fantastic in the first hour of our last four matches against Everton, West Ham, Leicester and QPR but a game lasts 90 minutes and we must learn to kill games off.
"You can do that not with one, or three or eight players you have to do that with all 11 singing from the same songsheet otherwise you lose balls unnecessarily and then we are going back instead of forward. That's what we have to do but that takes time.
"I am looking for a better balance in the team, not only spectacular attacking football but also when you lose the ball you must have a shape as a team and then you can defend more easily.
"I don't think it is a question that the players are not fit enough. Even though I have lowered the intensity of my sessions, we are fit enough because the players are fighting to the last minute and they are willing to do everything. We are evaluating the reasons why, we must improve and learn from our mistakes."
United's absence from European competition means they will make a rare appearance in a Monday TV game tonight but despite suggestions that a less congested fixture list could help them return to the top four this season, Van Gaal admits he would much rather be in the Champions League.
He added: "Maybe in my first year it [being out of Europe] gives me have more chances to train with my players but it is always better to play in the Champions League because you can compare yourselves as a team with the better players and the higher level. It's good for the players, especially the younger ones.
"When you are in the Champions League, it's going well and you beat opponents, you are coming in a flow and then it's not so bad to play all the matches."
Wayne Rooney will be missing, serving the second game of his three-game ban, but Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Ashley Young and Michael Carrick are all fit and back in the squad while Ander Herrera could return wearing a specially-made corset to protect a cracked rib.
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