“The problem is…“: Amorim throws shade at Ten Hag’s methods in telling conversation with Gary Neville

Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim has already pinpointed areas in which he thinks the players have a lot of improvement to do.

And that has been evident right from the word go, with the players asked to work on their recovery runs, something that clearly ailed the team during Erik ten Hag’s tenure.

Players were often seen jogging back instead of bursting a gut and Amorim is clearly trying to work on that aspect. And while immediate results might not be seen, there will certainly be an improvement.

While speaking to Gary Neville on Sky Sports, the Portuguese tactician pointed out the lack of physicality and intensity in the squad which often has not allowed the players to press as high as their manager might want.

Better fitness

“The first thing I think we have to be is better athletes. That is something that you can acknowledge when you are here and we see the data. When I say fitter it is not thinner or nothing about that. It is the data.

“You have to understand the data to press high. What is the average metres that you have to run. We like to run and to sprint. You have all this data and you have to cope with that. So you already know your goal is to reach that.

“Of course, you play with the ball, if you can run a lot, but if you don’t understand the game, it doesn’t matter. But the first point. To press high you have to be very fit and you have to cope with the demands of pressing high.”

While respecting the former manager, Amorim clearly expressed his frustration with Ten Hag’s chaos ball. Fans were often puzzled to see the team play too vertically at times, as a result of which they hardly kept the ball and always looked to go long while leaving huge gaps in the middle for the opposition to exploit.

Not a fan of EtH’s style

The ex-Sporting Lisbon coach is not a fan. He told the former club legend that he has tried to instill confidence in the players to retain possession and control the tempo so that they can naturally play a higher line as opposed to constant counter-attacks.

“The problem is with the ball. I think we lose the ball too fast. We win the ball, we lose the ball, and you cannot press high all the time, so you have to keep the ball and understand that you have to be in position to start one play.

“This is something that, with the ball, we can press better. So the focus this week also was in that part. If we don’t lose the ball, you can push higher; if you are higher, you can press better. It’s like a snowball, everything is connected.”

Ten Hag’s style ultimately let him down and Amorim’s principles are likely to be on show on Sunday at Portman Road. Now it is up to the players to perform or perish.