It was simply one among many contradictions, that add as much as lots of confusion about , particularly as regards the place they go subsequent. In Saturday’s newest setback, the apparent focus was on how they struggled with Brentford’s bombardment. United’s personal backline couldn’t assist however simply take a look at excessive balls raining down on them. himself talked about “lengthy balls”.
And but whereas that strategy introduced the Portuguese together with his most fast downside – significantly with how United shortly went 2-0 down to 2 Igor Thiago targets – it wasn’t the principle downside.
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Amorim lamented how “it’s extra that we play this recreation like Brentford desires to play this recreation. We by no means cool down into lengthy possessions, lengthy management of the sport. We’re by no means there.”
Amorim really mentioned the phrase “management” seven instances, reflecting simply how a lot the thought was on his thoughts. It actually wasn’t on the pitch.
“We are able to do higher with the ball, we are able to have extra management,” he adopted. “We are able to management the ball. We are able to cool down the sport. We have to have extra character to manage the video games, relax the video games and to play higher.”
Caoimhin Kelleher denied Bruno Fernandes from the penalty spot (Motion Photographs by way of Reuters)
It’s exhausting to disagree with any of that, besides one final reference.
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“Now we have the flexibility and the capability to manage the sport, to relax the sport.”
Do they actually have that means? They arguably don’t have the gamers.
Amorim once more went with in midfield, and one situation shortly stood on the market, too. The Portuguese stored attempting to play game-opening passes. That’s high-quality if you happen to’re a number-10, which Fernandes is meant to be.
Right here, he’s no less than notionally supposed to be a controller, however doesn’t actually look to play any of the apparent passes required for that function.
Igor Thiago’s braced piled stress onto Man Utd early within the recreation (AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
One different contradiction inside United was that the only easy ball Fernandes did play got here on the worst doable second. It was for the penalty, together with his strategy all the more severe when it’s identified that Caoimhín Kelleher waits for the kicker to strike. Fernandes consequently seemed to cross it on the single second when he in all probability ought to have drilled it; when he ought to have been a bit “Hollywood”.
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You would admittedly blame the lengthy wait from the VAR’s shocking determination to not ship off Nathan Collins for the foul on Bryan Mbuemo, however an elite-level penalty taker is meant to be above that within the trendy recreation.
None of that is to overly blame, Fernandes, although.
Brentford supervisor Keith Andrews even spoke out how he particularly labored on his group’s strategy within the centre, getting Mikel Damsgaard to “dovetail” with Yehor Yarmoluk in order to reveal United’s weak point.
Andrews needs to be praised for doing an admirable tactical job on Amorim, selecting off – or possibly forcing out – the opposition’s weaknesses, earlier than then leaving the ball to their least damaging areas, however that runs alongside a wider level. A type of weaknesses is simply so apparent. Whereas it might be unfair on Andrews to place this right down to United being simple to arrange for, that second assertion can be true. United are simple to arrange for. So many issues stem from a midfield that simply doesn’t work.
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Fernandes actually has to play there as a result of there are so few choices. Kobbie Mainoo is one, and is healthier at exactly that form of possession, however that’s the place these contradictions inside United begin to rack up.
Even Mainoo isn’t precisely that form of midfielder. It stays staggering that United didn’t purchase in that space, significantly when you think about the sum of money they did spend elsewhere.
The management as a substitute proceeded with signing a striker and one other two number-10s, bringing the variety of the latter within the squad to 6. Fernandes is one among them.
It’s one among many selections that doesn’t actually make sense.
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A few of this admittedly comes from continuing with a squad overhaul that has been badly required, however that solely brings contradictions of its personal.
Lenny Yoro is likely one of the brighter components of the squad, and but there are Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw persevering within the beginning line-up forward of him right here.
Benjamin Sesko netted a comfort aim for the guests (AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
From that, it could possibly be equally requested why United stick with a formation that doesn’t match the present squad.
Besides, by then, you’re as soon as extra asking the large query, that’s now going to once more dominate a United information cycle earlier than the subsequent recreation, at residence to Sunderland.
Why have they persevered with Amorim?
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It has lengthy grow to be clear that he’s simply the flawed choice for this second within the membership’s historical past.
This isn’t to say that he can by no means be the precise choice, or that he’s a nasty coach. He’s prone to be sensible once more someplace else. He could effectively find yourself sensible at United, in the event that they someway bludgeon via all this doubt.
However, in a scenario the place he so badly wants breaks with a purpose to ease 12 years price of institutional stress, he actually doesn’t seem to offer himself one of the best probability of getting these breaks.
He makes so many selections that simply don’t appear apparent options to apparent issues. Why is it all the time the backline who’re the go-to for modifications when United are chasing?
Is Ruben Amorim on borrowed time after simply two wins from six league video games this season? (Maja Smiejkowska/PA Wire)
It’s been mentioned on these pages earlier than however, given the variety of points at Outdated Trafford, this felt like a second the place they really wanted somebody to simply take a look at what they’ve acquired and adapt round that. They don’t actually have the time or house for this excessive dogmatism. That feeling is all of the extra pronounced on condition that soccer appears to be evolving out of the Pep Guardiola-shaped ideology.
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United in the meantime aren’t actually evolving in any respect. Each step ahead is instantly compelled again. Each constructive is instantly adopted by a number of negatives, as was the case with Benjamin Sesko’s first aim for the membership. Even Altay Bayindir’s collection of high-quality saves in the end culminated in questions over whether or not the goalkeeper ought to have let Mathias Jensen’s admittedly thunderous shot via.
The whole lot retains going round, to the purpose that Amorim now has simply 34 factors in 33 video games. Factors-per-game goes to maintain getting repeated whereas they maintain dropping, and it retains on monitor at an totally pitiful 1.01.
And but this efficiency felt further alarming due to the dimensions of regression from final week. It’s a bit exhausting to level to the xG now.
That is the place there are not any contradictions. Amidst all of it, some of the hanging issues about Amorim is that he nonetheless speaks with a formidable readability, and charisma.
“I am simply attempting to win the subsequent recreation,” he mentioned. “To create once more the momentum.”
Actually, although, it simply shouldn’t be this tough. That’s all too clear.