Thursday 28 November 2024 23:55
Ruben Amorim has explained the reason behind his substitutions in Manchester United’s win against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League.
The flurry of switches – four of the five coming before the hour mark – may have prompted some to think that Amorim wasn’t happy with what he was seeing, but the head coach gave a different view.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, he said: “I think we did like four substitutions because of the fitness of the players, not thinking about what is best for the game.
“We are in that moment. We need the squad all together fit, and you have to take some risks and that’s it.”
That the new United boss clearly already has a strong focus on the condition of the squad, given the scale of injuries in recent times, will put many Reds’ minds at rest.
Two that have spent significant spells in the treatment room, Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw, seem to be being eased back into the senior squad to avoid any recurring issues, with the pair playing 45 and 30 minutes respectively against the Norwegians.
Amorim recognises that his style puts high demands on players, but is eager for his charges to adapt.
“We improve on the quality with the ball. We had more chances [than the Ipswich game]. We were more dangerous, but we will have to change the players,” the boss admitted to TNT. “You can feel it. We try to press all the time.
“I think in the last 10 minutes was tough and it’s different for the players. I felt Rasmus was dead. I felt that some players were really, really tired. Antony came from injury. He had to go out of the game.”
It seems clear that Amorim will take a longer-term view in his selections, paying more attention to what’s best for the team over the course of weeks rather than what is needed for any one specific game.
He made six alterations to the starting XI for Bodo/Glimt’s visit and a further five changes during the game; Amorim certainly won’t be afraid to act in the best interests of his new side, even if that means taking tactical risks.
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Thursday 28 November 2024 23:55
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