Manchester United lost their fifth game of this December last Thursday as they succumbed to a disappointing 0-2 defeat at the hands of relegation contenders Wolverhampton Wanderers.
This was United’s third straight defeat and under Ruben Amorim, the Red Devils have managed to secure only seven points from a possible 21, which is less than what former manager Erik ten Hag accrued in his final seven games in charge.
What the Molineux result once again showed was how the current squad looks ill-equipped to deal with the Portuguese’s demands of playing in a 3-4-3 system.
The ex-Sporting Lisbon boss wants wingbacks, with the club currently operating with defensive-minded full-backs and no out-and-out left-back.
Squad not suited to Amorim’s demands
Up front, Amorim’s system demands two No 10s alongside an elite finisher while the squad has an abundance of inconsistent wingers and a couple of toothless strikers.
Most of these players were recruited by Ten Hag, who wanted a counter-attacking team capable of fast transitions while Amorim prefers a possession-based approach, two diametrically opposite styles.
And Harry Maguire, who has enjoyed a fine run of form in a back three, also supported this notion and mentioned how the squad is struggling to cope as a result.
The former skipper also reiterated Amorim’s line of there being more suffering in store before things eventually get better and also claimed that the Portuguese was indeed the right man for the job.
“The thing is with the managers and the styles, it is not like they have come in and they have similar styles,” Maguire told Sky Sports. “They are the total opposite in terms of what they want and what they demand.
EtH-Amorim styles are polar opposites
“So the transition period is going to be tough. We all have great belief in the manager and all his coaching staff. I am sure things are going to turn around. He knows exactly what he needs to do to get this club back. Amorim has come in and done everything he needs to do. He is really demanding.”
United’s next three fixtures could not get any harder with Newcastle United up next followed by a trip to Anfield to face arch-rivals and league leaders Liverpool before another trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal in the FA Cup.
As a result of the team languishing in 14th position, the centre-back said that the squad is not setting any targets and just looking to improve.
He also claimed that Amorim and all the players were very disappointed with the recent results, something they believe fans do not deserve.
“He is a winner, so I am sure he will be because he hates losing games. It is frustrating. We want to win football matches and make our fans happy because so far this season it has not been good enough.
No targets set by the team
“We are just doing everything we can to climb the table. We can’t really set a target at the moment because we are nowhere near good enough and nowhere near where we want to be in the league table.
“It is really disappointing what we have done until now. Everybody knows that. We know it is not good enough for this club.”
Maguire could be in line to start the game against the Magpies as skipper with Bruno Fernandes suspended for the tie. The head coach has been full of praise for the England international and has even asked INEOS to offer him a new contract extension.
As far as the coach is concerned, there is a feeling that owing to the nature of the squad, Amorim needs to tweak his style to a certain extent to avoid a relegation scrap.
If he carries on in the same vein, as he has promised, not a lot of wins look likely unless INEOS support him in January, which is also highly unlikely.
Feature image Naomi Baker via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
