It’s so obvious when you think about it.
Whilst the world tries to decipher the hidden meanings behind Beyonce’s Lemonade, we reckon we’ve cracked the code behind the singer’s sixth studio album.
And before you ask, it’s not an empowering reaffirmation of her pride in being a woman of colour, nor a thinly veiled dig at her partner’s infidelity.
After literally minutes of investigation, we’ve discovered that the fizzy pop-based LP is in fact a concept album delving into the rocky relationship between Louis van Gaal and Ryan Giggs.
That’s right – the Manchester United coaching duo have a somewhat strained partnership due to the stubbornness of one and ambition of the other – and Beyonce has blown this sh*t wide open.
So we’ve combined a few select extracts with images of both Messrs Van Gaal and Giggs to spell out exactly what Ms Knowles-Carter is getting at…
Song: Formation
This is the pair during happier times, when Giggs was onboard with Van Gaal’s philosophy. The Dutchman is a stickler for the players keeping their shape and his assistant is open to the possibility that the new manager does, in fact, slay.
Song: Hold Up
It’s not long until the first cracks start to appear in the relationship. Giggs quickly grows disillusioned with Van Gaal’s ponderous style of play and of course harbours ambitions of his own. He doesn’t feel appreciated or listened to and that’s never healthy.
Song: Pray You Catch Me
Van Gaal may convey a steely exterior but underneath it all he’s a deeply sensitive man. He can sense that Giggs isn’t quite as loyal as he would have hoped and that hurts him greatly. His internal monologue is one of betrayal and bitter dismay.
Song: Sandcastles
Nightmare scenario for Giggsy as Van Gaal hints that his succession may be delayed. The Dutchman is fully aware of how his news will be received and tries to be as tactful as possible. Alas even referring to his number two as ‘babe’ doesn’t seem to do the trick.
Song: Don’t Hurt Yourself
Things boil over in possibly the lowest point in their managerial partnership, as Giggs aims a tirade of F and S-bombs at Van Gaal. The Welshman’s suggestion that the under-fire coach kiss his ‘fat ass’, followed by a threat to f**k up all his sh*t is crossing a line.
Song: Don’t Hurt Yourself
After allowing Giggs to let off some steam – albeit in quite a colourful manner – Van Gaal does his best to heal the wound. He explains to the younger man that for good or for bad, their fortunes are now inextricably linked and he would do well to remember that.
Song: Freedom
With the fans beginning to turn on him and alone in his turmoil as his right-hand man is emotionally unavailable, Van Gaal disappears into himself with a heartfelt lament about press criticism and being misunderstood. The walls are closing in and he knows it.
Song: Forward
The game is up. The beleaguered trainer-coach knows that his days are numbered regardless of how the season ends. With Jose Mourinho waiting the wings, Van Gaal offers an olive branch to Giggs – there’s no love lost professionally, but no lack of fondness on a personal level.
