Manchester United’s defeat in the Europa League final capped off a disastrous season that leaves huge question marks over Ruben Amorim, but the men who hired him should also hold their hands up for the team’s failings
Ruben Amorim is squarely in the firing line after Manchester United’s horrendous let-down in the Europa League final. But what about the people who brought him in?
Now we know that United will finish the season without a trophy and tap-dancing on the trapdoor just above the Premier League relegation zone, we can safely say it’s the club’s worst season since they were relegated 51 years ago.
Until recently, I loved Amorim’s raw honesty in his public statements. And now I am a manager myself, albeit at a much lower level, I have a better understanding of the slings and arrows of the job. But he has won only six league games in six months and I’m sorry: You can’t be that bad as a Manchester United manager.
And the people who identified Amorim as the man to take over from Erik ten Hag, and who insisted he was their No.1 choice, need to be held accountable, too.
Who thought it was a great idea for United – a club whose history and heritage has been built on wingers, attacking players with pace and flair – to bring in a head coach whose philosophy is based on a 3-4-3 philosophy when the squad was unsuited to that system?
Look at United teams down the years and they were all laced with fast, skilful wingers from George Best to Steve Coppell, Gordon Hill, Ryan Giggs, Andrei Kanchelskis… and compare them with Amorim’s side.
They are boring to watch, with too many square pegs in round holes and they frustrate the life out of their supporters. There is no pace in the team. Amorim’s starting XI against Spurs on Wednesday night was just about the slowest XI he could have picked.
It was crying out for more speed and a switch to 4-2-3-1 to accommodate more width, but the manager’s changes were like-for-like and they came too late. Alejandro Garnacho was given just 20 minutes when he should have been running at Pedro Porro from the start.
Some of the United legends at the game could not believe what they were watching, and how reluctant Amorim is to change shape and give the opposition something different to think about.
Ange Postecoglou abandoned his normal high defensive line, ordering his defence to sit deep and giving United no space to run in behind, and it worked.
Spurs were happy to let United have the ball when Patrick Dorgu or Noussair Mazrouai were one-on-one because they knew they wouldn’t go past them.
Good for Big Ange that he was prepared to adapt his tactics in such a big game, and he reaped the rewards. If the board stick with Amorim – and I would never advocate a manager getting the sack – they must sanction signings this summer who will fit his sacrosanct system.
But history suggests you don’t win the Premier League playing with a back three. I can only think of Antonio Conte’s Chelsea team, in 2017, winning the title with three centre-backs and wing-backs.
It’s a massive decision, because United cannot offer prospective new players European football next season and the league table doesn’t lie.
Manchester United are now a bang average, lower mid-table side. And the architects of this sorry state of affairs need to look at themselves before they consider the manager’s position.
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