AFCON 2025
The 2024/2025 football campaign has been a hell of a season for those that care about Manchester United.
Even though there is a new manager at the helm of affairs, there appear to be little or no difference from what the previous manager offered before he was sacked in October.
Ruben Amorim’s time at Manchester United since he took over in November can be summarized into one word, inconsistency.
It’s difficult to tell or predict how the team will play on each matchday. The Red Devils can play their hearts out on some days and he lackadaisical on other days.
Brighton took advantage of the latter on Sunday as they handed Ruben Amorim his seventh defeat as coach of the team.
Why is Ruben Amorim struggling at Manchester United? Let’s take a look at three possible reasons.
1. Tactical Non-alignment
More than a handful of players in the current Manchester United are finding it difficult to adapt to Ruben Amorim’s favorite 3-4-3/3-4-2-1 formation.
The system has seen players like Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Marcus Rashford lose their place in the squad.
Ruben Amorim’s system requires a high level mobile players especially on the flanks.
While Noussair Mazroui and Diogo Dalot have featured on the flanks so far, the duo have not been consistent enough.
Tyrell Malacia have struggled to impress in the system while Luke Shaw’s injury have kept him out of the squad all the season.
Ruben Amorim has consistently maintained that he needs time to get these players play in his preferred set-up but it seems he might never get enough time until the season ends.
2. Poor Timing
Ruben Amorim accepting to take over from Erik Ten Hag in November could also be one of the reasons why the former Sporting Lisbon coach is struggling at the Manchester United.
Amorim took over from Erik Ten Hag in November after the Red Devils managed three wins in their opening nine Premier League matches.
The decision of the INOES to award the Dutch manager a new two-year contract despite the disastrous 2023/2024 season didn’t help for squad reconstruction.
INOES should have hired Amorim at the end of last season. This would have helped the Portuguese manager enough time to work with the players.
3. Ruben Amorim’s Stubbornness
He has maintained that his football ideas won’t change despite the poor run of results. He says he will maintain the same formation where Manchester United file out with three center-back backs: Maguire/De Light/Martinez/Yoro and two defensive-minded midfielders: Ugarte/Mainoo/Casemiro.
Even with the defensive-minded players, Ruben Amorim’s team have conceded 20 goals in 11 matches in all competitions.
In recent matches, Manchester United’s waves of attack have come from the right flank where Amad Diallo occupies.
The Ivorian forward scored his first-ever hat trick in the 3-1 victory over Southampton at Old Trafford Thursday last week.
A tweak in the set up could see the team embrace a new approach as they look to salvage their season.
However, Ruben Amorim’s rigid stance on his football ideas might prevail ahead of the next matchday when the starting line-up is released.
The 39-year-old manager has had a torrid time so far as manager of Manchester United. While his job is not under threat yet, results haven’t not been good especially in the league as the Reds Devils sit in 13th spot on the Premier League table.
