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Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink favours direct football

  Guus Hiddink, manager of Chelsea
Image: Guus Hiddink has questioned the obsession with possession football

Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink says he favours direct football over the possession-based game Manchester United's Louis van Gaal values so highly.

The Dutchmen go head-to-head live on Sky Sports 1 on Super Sunday at Stamford Bridge, with Hiddink looking to maintain his unbeaten run in his second spell as Blues' interim coach.

United are still chasing a top-four spot and are better placed after last week's 3-0 win over Stoke. However, Van Gaal's style and approach has repeatedly come under scrutiny this season and Hiddink can see why.

Manager Louis van Gaal of Manchester United speaks during a press conference
Image: Louis van Gaal has been criticised by some Manchester United fans for the team's style of play

"You must not overrate the percentage of possession," Hiddink said. "Say we had 65, 67 and 70 per cent possession, but there were opponents who said 'we don't care how much possession you have, we have the score on our side'.

"It's what you do with possession. Most teams want to have the ball, but what do you do with the ball?

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"Do you secure your way of playing? Or do you go as soon as possible into the attack? The latter option I prefer. I think the first thought must be vertical. Diagonal or vertical."

United have toiled in front of goal this season with supporters urging their players to attack, but Hiddink, who succeeded Jose Mourinho in December, says Chelsea did until recently too.

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"[Supporters] like to see - also what we like to see - more goals," Hiddink added. "They like to see also more play in the box. But we had the same problem weeks ago.

"There are not many exceptions. We like to see very attractive teams, when you are passionate about football."

Hiddink says merely keeping the ball is not enough in England, where the speed of the game has survived the influx and influence of foreign coaches.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 28:  Referee Mark Clattenburg puts his red card away after sending off Branislav Ivanovic of Chelsea during the Barclays Premier
Image: Guus Hiddink says Chelsea versus Manchester United is still a big match

"When possession is there, to just play possession in your back four with a goalie and you play wide without having any intention to go vertical, this is a country which doesn't allow that," Hiddink added.

"It's nice. It also showed the influence of a manager is there, but the culture of English football is there. If managers want to break that down, the public and everyone doesn't accept that.

"Of course, the manager determines and does a lot and shows the way. But in the end players probably decide what to do. The managers are important, but if we like, in England, the pace of the games and the fight, box to box, that's a style which is for England.

Chelsea's Oscar celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game
Image: Chelsea are unbeaten under Guus Hiddink this season

"That's why this league is very important. There's no moment you have to wake up your neighbour while he is sleeping. Influence of coaches is limited to that extent."

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