🔗 Share this article

Acknowledging required adjustments

The manager's favored wing-back setup doesn't represent the fundamental issue of United's ongoing challenges. The Manchester giants are recovering from decades of mismanagement and the present roster is still developing, showing promise in certain positions while obvious flaws continue elsewhere.

Nevertheless, structural vulnerabilities exist within this particular setup, most notably numerical disadvantages in the middle and width problems that demand solutions. Other coaches have successfully managed analogous problems – Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge and the Crystal Palace manager with the Eagles show that on-field intelligence proves more important than initial formations.

The manager recently commented: "The tactical setup isn't at fault, our performances are," akin to addressing consequences instead of root issues. Competitors have regularly exposed the same weaknesses in United's setup for almost twelve months, not resulting from squad confusion but because the system itself contains inherent flaws.

Therefore, there won't be a magical fix where everything falls into place, much like expensive signings won't automatically solve the fundamental problems. The London club's recent match functions as an ideal illustration – despite losing their manager and key players during the summer transfer window, they modified their tactical setup intentionally to expose Amorim's unchanged tactics.

When Erik ten Hag joined Manchester United, it was soon clear that Dutch league achievements wouldn't translate to English football; his refusal to modify was fundamental in his eventual departure. Now Amorim – who seems to possess every required attribute for management's greatest challenge apart from adaptability – is following the same pattern and wasting a golden opportunity. After many years United maintains proprietors dedicated to achieving success rather than commercial interests.

Changing center-back responsibilities

Outside centre-backs play crucial roles in United's formation: they carry possession forward, make important tackles, cover wide areas, change direction, initiate attacks and join offensive phases. Any observer may ask whether employing a duo of such multi-functional defenders in a three-man defense seems reasonable when a four-man defense could alleviate midfield issues.

Presently, these centre-backs remain constrained by rival forwards who, via basic movement, prevent them from supporting central areas as the tactics demand. This situation enables opponents with extra players to circumvent the middle third, causing pressing concerns that demand solutions.

Available options include instructing centre-backs to join midfield despite risks – though this risks space behind them – or withdrawing the attacker to improve build-up play, sacrificing attacking threat but benefiting from his progression. The most sensible change involves changing the high-press system from the current aggressive setup to a more balanced 4-4-2 that offers improved protection and avoids the necessity for centre-backs to push forward.

Restoring Mainoo's role

The manager's chosen approach of impatient attacking requires United to empty central areas and rely on long balls, counting on individual brilliance rather than structured attacking patterns. Despite xG numbers suggest improvement, visual evidence show that current chance creation stem largely from penalty awards and low-probability efforts rather than organized offensive play.

Top-level teams manage proceedings through pace control. The team's incapacity to do this isn't completely attributable on the coaching decisions; rumors claim he requested midfield reinforcement during the offseason but met disagreement from club executives. Beyond fault allocation, the current situation cannot continue.

The manager's first-choice pairing of the Brazilian and Portuguese, with Manuel Ugarte providing cover, has minimized appearances for Kobbie Mainoo. While legitimate concerns exist about his physical development and attacking contribution, excluding such talent creates doubts about the system's effectiveness.

The current midfield options personify rapid transitions, whereas Mainoo offers tempo control. With his former club, Amorim's team could launch early attacks due to quality superiority against domestic competition, aware they might regain control if the attack broke down. However in the Premier League, the overall quality means poor retention faces quick consequences, while physical dominance alone cannot guarantee success.

The youngster's ball mastery shines through, and while partnering him with the Portuguese captain raises protection issues, these issues become secondary in a controlling side. Given United's defensive record showing they concede more high-quality chances than every other team, utilizing the academy product seems worth attempting as other solutions have shown limitations. Although questions persist about his specific function in the current setup, match experience represents the best development path and could hardly worsen the current situation.

Optimizing wide player usage

Down the right flank, the partnership of the Ivorian and Cameroonian could prove effective given their shared attributes of creativity, intelligence and determination. When combined with the right-sided centre-back, they might create a productive relationship that enhances attacking options. At present though, static movement makes them easy to defend for prepared opponents.

United's coach should install systematic movement drills that create uncertainty through frequent role switching. Ball distribution should vary considerably – not always to feet but frequently ahead of runners to enhance offensive flow. This approach allows central penetration, eliminating markers and generating opportunities for shots or crosses.

In left-wing areas, the young defender regularly gets the ball in dangerous positions despite lacking the necessary ability to exploit successfully. Adjusting his positioning somewhat further back would leverage his tackling and driving runs to {supply more creative players|service better attackers|provide for