If Man Utd don’t have much to spend in January, that is to a significant extent because Ruben Amorim took a team four points off fourth to 15th in the table, tanking PL prize money, and then lost against a terrible Tottenham team to miss out on CL, & still spent £200m last summer
Ruben Amorim’s supporters argue that it is not the system that's at fault, it’s individual players not doing their jobs or simply making mistakes. But the system clearly doesn’t help them. Forcing centre-backs like Harry Maguire to play a high-line exposes his lack of pace. Not his fault, it's Amorim's. Luke Shaw is not a left-sided centre-back. Bruno Fernandes is not a central midfielder. Most players don’t look comfortable with 3-4-2-1.
The defence looks exposed, not enough pace, too many gaps and no cover of any substance. Amorim’s stubbornly sticking to his system when 4-2-3-1 would work. The best managers adapt, work to their players' strengths. United’s defence would look more secure as a back-four of Mazraoui, De Ligt, Yoro, Shaw, shielded by two from Mainoo/Ugarte/Casemiro, Bruno restored to his preferred 10, flanked by Mbeumo and Cunha serving Sesko. But Amorim is too stubborn to change.
Amorim also has to take culpability for vulnerability at set-pieces and failure to know how to respond and regroup when the opposition turn the ball over. Where is the coaching? They’ve upgraded everything at Carrington except, it seems, the coaching. Amorim was outwitted by Keith Andrews, who was managing only his 8th game. Andrews just saw the centre-backs’ vulnerability and unleashed pace. Amorim’s tactics are clearly at fault.
Amorim says his players needed “more personality to control games”. But his system inhibits them. His questioning and demeanour can hardly inspire them. He's clearly a good man and at Sporting showed he was a decent coach. But this stubbornness may cost him his job.
That said, it's all very well this increasing clamour for change but who? Who could United bring in? Most elite head coaches are all embedded at teams with better squads at better-run clubs. United are still United, still huge, still big payers, and should still attract a decent coach. But who? #MUFC
@OhCheesesChrist Yes, I agree. They didn’t test it properly which led to loads of these issues. I think the failure of testing a bigger issue than comms failure (though getting both right would be nice)
Airports should allow people to take a little test. If you get get through security, use the e-gates, know the bag sizes and sit down on the plane within 30 seconds of getting to your seat, you get to go in a special queue away from the fuckwits.
@josephmdurso Allow one drink at a time, limit to specific stands and don’t sell from min 10 - 40 solves a lot of problems.
Would welcome steps to change policing culture which consistently criminalises football fans
🚨EXCLUSIVE
🔴Nottingham Forest have BANNED Sky's Gary Neville from Sunday's game
⚪️Club can decide who is allowed on their property
🔴Move comes after recent criticism
📺Neville has chosen not to attend with Sky's full backing
😠Sky say: 'unprecedented & unwelcome'
✒️https://t.co/LmXIdmWw0k
#NFFC