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Recognizing necessary alterations

Ruben Amorim's preferred wing-back setup doesn't represent the fundamental issue of Manchester United's difficulties. The Manchester giants are recovering from prolonged organizational issues and the existing team remains in transition, showing promise in certain positions while glaring deficiencies remain elsewhere.

That said, structural vulnerabilities exist within the current tactical approach, most notably numerical disadvantages in the middle and width problems that demand solutions. Previous managers have effectively handled analogous problems – the former Chelsea boss at Stamford Bridge and the Austrian coach in South London demonstrate that player movement matters more than pre-match setups.

United's coach recently declared: "The system isn't the problem, the results are," which resembles addressing consequences while ignoring underlying problems. Competitors have regularly exposed the same weaknesses in the Red Devils' system for multiple months, not due to player misunderstanding but as the tactical plan itself contains inherent flaws.

Consequently, fans shouldn't expect an instant solution where the system suddenly works, similar to expensive signings won't automatically solve the underlying issues. The London club's recent match functions as a prime case – although they lost their head coach and key players during the break, they modified their formation intentionally to expose United's predictable approach.

When the former Ajax coach came to the club, it quickly emerged that Ajax's playing style wouldn't translate to the English top flight; his refusal to modify proved decisive in his eventual departure. Now Amorim – who looks to possess the complete skill set for football's toughest job except tactical flexibility – is mirroring similar errors and squandering a golden opportunity. For the first time the club has owners focused on securing victories rather than profit generation.

Adjusting the outside centre-backs

Outside centre-backs play crucial roles in United's formation: they carry possession forward, perform defensive interventions, cover wide areas, switch play, initiate attacks and augment forward play. Any tactical analyst may ask whether utilizing a pair of such complete footballers in a defensive trio proves logical when a traditional backline could solve central problems.

At the moment, these defensive players remain constrained by opposing attackers who, through simple positioning, prevent them from advancing into midfield as the approach necessitates. This circumstance enables teams with numerical superiority to circumvent the middle third, causing pressing concerns that need addressing.

Possible solutions include instructing centre-backs to join midfield despite risks – though this risks defensive exposure – or pulling Cunha deeper to improve build-up play, limiting forward options but utilizing his carrying ability. The smartest modification involves modifying the defensive approach from the current aggressive setup to a more balanced 4-4-2 that offers improved protection and avoids the necessity for defenders to advance.

Restoring Mainoo's role

The manager's chosen approach of chaotic direct football forces the team to abandon midfield control and depend on direct passes, hoping for magical moments rather than structured attacking patterns. Although expected goals data indicate potential, eyewitness accounts reveal that recent scoring opportunities stem largely from spot-kick decisions and low-probability efforts rather than organized offensive play.

Successful sides control matches through rhythm management. The Red Devils' failure to do this isn't completely attributable on Amorim's approach; sources suggest he sought new midfielders during the offseason but faced opposition from football director. Regardless of blame, the present circumstance proves unworkable.

Amorim's preferred partnership of the Brazilian and Portuguese, supported by the Uruguayan serving as alternative, has limited opportunities for the academy graduate. Although reasonable doubts exist about his athletic maturity and progressive passing, benching this potential creates doubts about the tactical plan's suitability.

Casemiro, Fernandes and Ugarte personify fast-paced play, whereas the Englishman brings tempo control. At Sporting Lisbon, his side could play direct football due to technical advantage against most Primeira Liga opponents, aware they might win the ball back if they lost it. However in the Premier League, the overall quality means sloppy ball circulation gets punished immediately, while pure power exclusively doesn't ensure victory.

The midfielder's technical ability stands out, and although combining him with the attacking midfielder generates vulnerability, these issues become secondary in a possession-dominant team. Accounting for current statistics showing they surrender more high-quality chances than all competitors, integrating Mainoo looks logical to test as other solutions have already failed. While uncertainty remains about his exact role in Amorim's approach, match experience represents the best development path and would unlikely deteriorate existing circumstances.

Improving wing effectiveness

In right-sided positions, the combination of the Ivorian and Cameroonian ought to complement each other given their complementary qualities of vision, awareness and tenacity. When supported by the young French defender, they should establish a dangerous triangle that improves creative output. Currently however, fixed roles makes opponents' jobs simpler for structured teams.

The manager needs to introduce structured rotation patterns that keep defenders guessing through constant positional changes. Ball distribution must show diversity – not always to feet but often into space to maximize attacking momentum. This tactic facilitates cutting inside, beating defenders and generating opportunities for scoring opportunities or assists.

In left-wing areas, the full-back frequently receives opportunities in attacking zones despite lacking the required quality to utilize productively. Modifying his role slightly deeper would employ his recovery skills and progressive movement to {supply more creative players|service better attackers|provide for