Ruben Amorim was appointed as Manchester United manager in November, but has struggled since, with the club finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final
Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen has slammed Ruben Amorim for his unwavering commitment to his favoured 3-4-3 formation, despite results not going United’s way since he took over at Old Trafford. After taking the reins in November, following an impressive stint at Sporting CP, Amorim struggled to hit the ground running with the Red Devils.
He ultimately steered them to a 15th place finish in the league and defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
Amorim, 40, managed a meagre seven wins out of 27 league games and subsequently missed out on European football qualification. Now, his relentless use of his preferred system has drawn criticism from Meulensteen.
“I find it, in my personal opinion, a bit short-sighted in that respect,” Meulensteen said on the High Performance podcast. “I think if he worded it differently from the start, he would not have got hunted by it every single day because constantly the media will come back to him. ‘You’re losing again today, is it because of the system?’
“I think he should have said, ‘Listen, I prefer a 3-4-3 system. I had a lot of success with it. I know it can work. I’m going to try to make it work at Manchester United. However, I need to have a look at the squad first. I need to look at how I can best use the players and utilise their strengths because that’s what you need to do. And I need to get to know the Premier League and the opponents and everything.’
“There’s so many variables that have an effect on whether that system is going to work or not,” Meulensteen continued. “So if he would have done that, he would have been more flexible in getting to grips with the size of the task anyway, never mind losing or winning games. Now, when you win games, things become easier, because you can get your message across easier.”
Meulensteen, who worked under Sir Alex Ferguson for the last six years of the Scotsman’s reign, fears that Amorim’s determination to stick to his principles could prove to be an error. However, he has argued that it is not too late for Amorim to change his ways, as per the Manchester Evening News.
“It is hard to say what kind of advice you would give him, because if he diverts from that, he sees it as a weakness,” Meulensteen added. “So that’s why he’s been, maybe, stubborn and stuck to it . ‘I’m going to make it work, no matter what.’
“I don’t think it would be a sign of weakness. He comes across a lot of times as very, very honest. Why couldn’t you say, ‘Listen I know I’ve said this. However, the experiences I’ve had over the last few months make me rethink and review. I genuinely believe that it is in the best interests of all of us–the team, the squad–-that I tweak a few things.’
“He has tweaked a few things, when he’s played Garnacho in that number eight role on the left-hand side. He gave him the leeway to go to the wide areas because that’s where Garnacho’s strength is, and then run at people and come inside.
“I also do think that you never should stick yourself to one particular system, because a system is nothing else than a framework. How you’re going to start the game. The moment the whistle goes, a 4-4-2 flows into a 4-3-3, a 2-4-4, however the game pans out. So that is not the most important thing.”
Regardless of whether Amorim makes a tactical switch or not, United are facing a crucial summer transfer window as they gear up for next season without the prospect of European football. The club have already signed Matheus Cunha from Wolves and are targeting Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo.
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