The air at Manchester United, once thick with the hopeful anticipation that often accompanies a new managerial appointment, now feels heavy with a familiar unease. The recent stumbles, particularly the dispiriting losses against West Ham and Chelsea, haven’t just been dropped points; they’ve sparked a disquieting conversation amongst the faithful.
A question hangs in the air, a comparison that feels almost sacrilegious so early in Ruben Amorim’s tenure: are things worse than they were under Erik ten Hag?
While the Dutchman’s reign wasn’t a fairytale, punctuated by its periods of frustration and inconsistency, the early signs under Amorim paint a concerning picture.
It’s not about knee-jerk reactions after a handful of games; it’s about identifying tangible shifts, tactical missteps, and a general sense of regression in areas where Ten Hag, for all his challenges, had seemingly established a degree of stability.
Let’s look into 5 key reasons why Amorim’s Manchester United currently appears to be navigating a more turbulent sea than their recent past.
1. Tactical Unsuitability & the Back Three Issue
Soccer is a game of systems and players. A brilliant tactical blueprint can crumble if the players aren’t equipped to execute it effectively. This is perhaps the most glaring issue plaguing Amorim’s early reign: the seemingly unwavering commitment to a back three formation.
For the better part of his tenure, Erik ten Hag drilled his Manchester United side in the nuances of a back four. Players like Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martínez, Raphaël Varane, and Diogo Dalot became accustomed to the positional discipline, covering angles, and the responsibilities inherent in a four-man defensive line.
They developed partnerships, understood each other’s tendencies, and built a foundation, albeit an often shaky one, based on this structure.
Amorim’s arrival and the immediate imposition of a back three have thrown a spanner in the works. Players who thrived, or at least found a degree of comfort, in a back four are now being asked to operate in unfamiliar roles and responsibilities.
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Wing-backs, crucial to the success of a three-man defense, require a unique blend of defensive diligence and attacking dynamism. While United possesses players with attacking instincts in wide areas, their defensive capabilities in these advanced roles are often suspect, leaving the central defenders exposed.
The central defenders themselves are also grappling with the change. The spacing, the communication required, and the specific demands of covering different zones in a back three are different from a back four.
We’ve witnessed instances of confusion, players caught between marking responsibilities, and a general lack of cohesion that has been ruthlessly exploited by opposition attackers.
The transitions between defense and attack, a vital component of any successful system, also appear clunky and disjointed, as players struggle to find their natural positions and understand their roles in the build-up.
This is not to say that a back three is inherently flawed.
Amorim’s success at Sporting Lisbon was built upon this very foundation. However, the big difference lies in the players. Sporting possessed players specifically recruited and trained to excel within that system.
Manchester United’s current squad, largely assembled under different tactical philosophies, simply doesn’t possess the natural fits in key areas to make Amorim’s preferred formation sing.
The insistence on forcing this tactical framework onto a group of players who appear ill-suited to it feels like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, leading to predictable instability and defensive vulnerabilities that were arguably less pronounced under Ten Hag’s more familiar setup.
2. Set-Piece Weakness
One of the more tangible improvements seen during Erik ten Hag’s time at Manchester United, albeit inconsistently, was their relative solidity in defending set pieces.
While they weren’t impenetrable, there was a discernible effort to organize defensively, assign clear responsibilities, and attack the ball with greater conviction. Set-piece coaches were brought in, and routines were practiced, leading to a period where conceding from corners and free-kicks became less of a weekly occurrence.
Under Amorim, however, this hard-earned progress seems to have evaporated. The recent matches have been littered with instances of opponents finding the back of the net with alarming ease from dead-ball situations.
Be it a lack of clear marking assignments, a failure to track runners effectively, or simply a lack of aerial dominance, United’s vulnerability at set pieces has become a glaring weakness once again.
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These goals are often momentum-killers, turning tight games on their head and eroding the team’s confidence. The psychological impact of repeatedly conceding from set pieces cannot be understated. It breeds a sense of anxiety amongst the players and a feeling of inevitability amongst the supporters.
This regression in a fundamental area of the game is a significant concern and stands in stark contrast to the periods under Ten Hag, where set-piece defense, while not perfect, felt significantly more organized and resilient.
The inability to defend these key moments is costing United valuable points and further exacerbating the feeling that the team is moving backward.
3. Squad Rotation and the Erosion of Consistency
While squad rotation is an inevitable part of modern football, particularly with the congested fixture lists and the need to manage player fatigue, Amorim’s approach in the early stages of his tenure appears to be bordering on the disruptive.
We’ve witnessed huge changes to the starting lineup, particularly in defensive areas, from one game to the next. Different combinations of central defenders, full-backs (or wing-backs), and even midfielders have been deployed, creating a sense of instability and hindering the development of crucial on-field partnerships.
Erik ten Hag, while not immune to making changes, generally aimed for a more settled core, especially in key defensive positions.
The constant chopping and changing under Amorim suggests either a manager still searching for his best eleven or a lack of trust in the squad depth to maintain consistency. Regardless of the reason, the effect on the pitch is palpable.
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Players who haven’t had the opportunity to build an understanding with their teammates are more prone to miscommunication, positional errors, and a general lack of cohesion.
This constant rotation also extends to the substitution patterns.
Amorim has often used the maximum number of changes allowed, often making them relatively early in the second half. While tactical tweaks and managing player fitness are valid reasons for substitutions, the sheer volume of changes can disrupt the flow of the game, prevent players from finding their rhythm, and contribute to a disjointed team performance.
The lack of a settled lineup and consistent partnerships breeds uncertainty and makes it difficult for the team to establish a clear identity and playing style.
Under Ten Hag, despite periods of inconsistency, there was often a sense of a recognizable core group and a preferred tactical approach. The constant flux under Amorim is making it harder for the team to gel and produce consistently positive results.
4. A Dip in Attacking Cohesion and Creativity
While the defensive issues are prominent, the attacking output under Amorim has also raised concerns when compared to certain periods under Ten Hag.
While Ten Hag’s United often struggled for consistent goalscoring, there were moments of fluid attacking play, intricate passing movements, and individual brilliance that offered glimpses of potential.
Under Amorim, particularly in the recent defeats, the attacking play has often appeared stagnant, lacking in creativity, and overly reliant on individual moments rather than cohesive team moves.
The tactical shift to a back three can also impact attacking dynamics. The wing-backs, while providing width, may not possess the same level of attacking threat or intricate link-up play as traditional full-backs who have spent years honing their skills in a back four system.
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The central midfielders may also find themselves with different responsibilities in the build-up, potentially limiting their forward forays and creative influence in the final third.
Also, the constant rotation in attacking positions can disrupt the development of understanding and chemistry between forwards and midfielders. The intricate passes, the intuitive runs, and the telepathic understanding that often characterize potent attacking units take time and consistent playing time to cultivate.
The chopping and changing in the final third under Amorim appear to be hindering this process, leading to a more predictable and less potent attacking threat.
There were periods under Ten Hag, particularly when key attacking players were fit and firing, where Manchester United displayed a greater degree of attacking fluency and creativity.
The current iteration under Amorim seems to be lacking that spark, often appearing reliant on moments of individual brilliance rather than a well-orchestrated attacking plan.
5. The Weight of Expectation and a Potentially Fragile Mentality
The managerial merry-go-round at Manchester United in the post-Ferguson era has created a climate of heightened scrutiny and expectation.
Every new appointment is met with a mixture of hope and trepidation, and the pressure to deliver immediate results is immense. Erik ten Hag, despite his challenges, managed to cultivate a degree of resilience and mental fortitude within the squad, evidenced by some hard-fought victories and a willingness to grind out results even when playing poorly.
The early signs under Amorim suggest a potentially more fragile mentality within the group. The manner of the defeats against West Ham and Chelsea, where the team appeared to capitulate after conceding goals, raises concerns about the psychological strength of the squad under the new regime.
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The constant tactical adjustments and player changes might be contributing to a lack of confidence and a sense of uncertainty amongst the players.
The weight of expectation at a club like Manchester United is immense, and a manager needs to instill a strong sense of belief and resilience within the squad to navigate periods of adversity.
While it is still early days, the body language and the commitment of the players on the pitch in recent games suggest a team that may be struggling to cope with the new demands and the setbacks they have faced.
Ten Hag, for all the criticism he faced, often spoke about the importance of mentality and building a winning culture. There were moments when the team showed glimpses of that steel.
The current iteration under Amorim appears to be lacking that same level of mental fortitude, making them more susceptible to crumbling under pressure and struggling to recover from setbacks during games.
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