The Dutchman sent the Red Devils into action at Loftus Road in an unorthodox 3-3-2-2 formation, one that the struggling R’s were able to pick apart regularly in the first half.
Angel Di Maria started up front alongside Radamel Falcao, who missed a host of good chances, but United were unable to gain control.
Travelling United fans chanted "attack, attack, attack" and even "four-four-two, four-four-two" in demanding a system change - and eventually the Red Devils' boss relented.
The switch to a 4-4-2 diamond bore fruit, with Marouane Fellaini and James Wilson scoring in the final 30 minutes to secure three points, but Van Gaal felt it would have been risky to start with that set-up.
"I know in advance that when we play with four midfielders in a diamond that we create more chances, but then the balance of the team is also weak," said the manager.
"And you've seen it because we had created chances but so had QPR."We have to decide every week how we have to play. And that's the question.
"But also with the other system we played against Tottenham Hotspur, maybe you remember the first half we created maybe six or seven more chances than today, and we didn't score.
"So it's always the question, are you effective enough? "Against Southampton away we scored two out of three chances and we won the game.
"But it was not because we were the better team at that time. "Last week we were the better team, but in football it is not always the better team who wins.
"In the first half we played like QPR wanted. "We did the same thing as QPR, playing through the air, long balls, and QPR were better.
"In the second half we changed the shape and that helped also"
culled from talksport
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