RUBEN AMORIM has vowed he’s not “fixated” on his 3-4-3 system and would be “willing to do anything” to adapt – despite contrary belief.
The Manchester United boss came under-fire again after refusing to tweak his dogmatic formation during his side’s 1-0 defeat to 10-man Everton on Monday night.
Amorim kept a back three and only made like-for-like subs to swap out wing-backs Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu and Casemiro for Kobbie Mainoo in midfield.
Despite securing just 12 wins in 39 Premier League matches during his first 12 months, the Portuguese manager has regularly defended his 3-4-3 style of play since joining last November.
Amorim was accused of being stubborn during David Moyes’ first visiting win at Old Trafford, as he failed to adjust his tactics even after Idrissa Gueye’s early red card for hitting teammate Michael Keane left the Toffees with ten men for over 80 minutes.
Some time before kick-off, likely this past weekend, Amorim was the first guest to appear on a newly launched segment of DAZN Portugal.
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Amorim was asked whether he would return to the “mobile attacking style” he implemented during two title-winning spells at Sporting.
The 40-year-old said: “We did it against Liverpool, it wasn’t with Bryan Mbeumo, it was with Cunha. And it’s an option that we have.
“Nowadays, everyone, not only in the English league but in the Portuguese league, in all leagues, there’s a great variation in how things are structured.
“We might say it’s a 4-4-2, but five minutes later it’s a 4-3-3 or a 3-4-3. And therefore I’m willing to do anything, contrary to what many people think that I’m too fixated on one thing.
“I simply start with a basic foundation, but obviously, we can use it in the future. And we’ve already thought about that with Bryan [playing central] because he’s very strong in transitions.
“I do think it’s the best position for him [out wide] because he likes to be hidden, he doesn’t like people watching him.
“He can attack, be more dangerous on one of the flanks, either the right or the left, rather than as a striker, but it’s a good option, therefore I’ll be able to use it in the future as I did several times at Sporting.”
Although Viktor Gyokeres was the first choice striker during Amorim’s time in Lisbon, the shape was built around rotations, with Gyokeres coached to drift wide and drop deep.
Amorim often points to subtle style changes and in-game adaptations within his core structure, rather than a total formation change.
He famously said after United’s 3-0 demolition at City in September that “not even the Pope could persuade him” to part with his 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1.
He explained earlier this year: “The problem of our team is not the system. We have a lot of problems, we are trying to work on these problems, of course every system needs different characteristics. But I was always really clear. I have one idea.
“I am still really confident because I have an idea how to play football. I will not change that, no matter what. And I’m not talking about the system, it’s the way I see football, I will not change that.”
Man Utd boss’ decision to keep three centre-backs on the pitch vs 10-man Everton beggars belief
RUBEN AMORIM appears averse to dominating possession, and his team seems incapable of breaking down low blocks, ten men or not.
Amorim has lost 15 of 24 Premier League matches when his United side have had 50 per cent or more possession, picking up just five wins in the process.
In contrast, his best results have come from games where United had less than half of the ball, suffering only three defeats in 15 games in those circumstances.
Facing ten men and with a chance to move into the Champions League places in the table, the home side needed to be calm and secure in possession. They were the opposite.
Instead, Matthijs De Ligt, Luke Shaw, and Leny Yoro persisted in a futile back three against an isolated Thierno Barry – who has yet to score a Premier League goal and put a shift in defensively.
In fact, United were playing with a back five because traditional full-backs Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui are the club’s two least creative wing-backs.
Everton did not look like a side missing a player on the pitch. United played into their hands, playing wayward crosses into Joshua Zirkzee in the box, which was bizarre given the height of Moyes’ backline.
SunSport’s Katherine Walsh dissected Amorim’s back-three against Everton on Monday.
Read the full article here