The fundamental issues at Manchester United run far deeper than Ruben Amorim’s preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. The club is still grappling with the aftermath of years of mismanagement, resulting in a squad that is a patchwork of quality and glaring deficiencies. However, the manager’s rigid adherence to a flawed tactical blueprint is actively preventing any progress and accelerating the team’s decline.
The core weakness of Amorim’s system is its chronic under-staffing in midfield and wide areas. While he insists the problem is “results, not the system,” this ignores the reality that opponents have been ruthlessly exploiting the same tactical gaps for nearly a year. The recent defeat to Brentford was a case study in this; they adjusted their formation specifically to overwhelm a predictable and vulnerable United side.
There will be no miraculous turnaround unless the manager abandons his dogma. His philosophy demands a chaotic, direct style that bypasses midfield, relying on individual brilliance over cohesive team structure. While the statistics might suggest a potent attack, the reality is a reliance on penalties and speculative efforts, with the team rarely sustaining pressure or crafting clear opportunities.
Key Areas Demanding Immediate Change:
1. A Defensive System Creating Its Own Problems: The reliance on outside centre-backs to surge into midfield is being neutralized by simple opposition tactics. Attackers are pinning them, creating a numerical disadvantage in the centre of the park. Shifting to a back four would provide more natural balance and alleviate this self-inflicted pressure.
2. The Puzzling Exile of Kobbie Mainoo: Amorim’s preference for a midfield of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, with Manuel Ugarte as backup, has sidelined one of the squad’s most gifted technicians. While Mainoo has areas for development, his ability to control the tempo and retain possession is precisely what this frantic team lacks. In a side that dominates the ball, his defensive shortcomings would be less exposed, and his inclusion is a risk worth taking.
3. Static Attacks on the Flanks: The right-side combination of Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo has potential but is currently too predictable. They rarely rotate positions, making it easy for defenders. The coaching staff must drill them to interchange and demand passes into space, not just to feet, to unlock their ability to beat defenders and create chances.
4. Misplaced Defensive Caution: Counterintuitively, Amorim’s safest selections are often his most attacking ones. The squad is technically geared towards offense, yet he consistently opts for defensive security that isn’t there. Diogo Dalot’s defending at wing-back is not sufficiently superior to justify excluding Diallo’s attacking threat. Choosing experience like Harry Maguire over the potential of Leny Yoro signals a team set up to survive, not to win.
The most successful United managers have historically been bold. The current approach—purchasing an expensive, dynamic forward line only to play fearful, direct football—is a recipe for continued failure. Amorim stands at a crossroads: adapt his methods to the players and the league’s demands or become another casualty of a job that has chewed up and spat out many before him. His stubbornness is not a virtue; it is the primary obstacle to any potential revival.
