Although the new Premier League season will only have six games, Saturday’s loss to Brentford felt like an earthquake for Manchester United and manager Reuben Amorim.
Let’s face it, we’ve seen this before. The repeat United Manager, whether it’s Eric 10 Hug in October 2024 or All Gunnar Solskaer in November 2021, was packed before Christmas.
There was so much hug when it came to the weekend’s debacle, and the trip to West London evoked memories of the final outing of the Dutch who left West Ham United over a year ago.
That 2-1 defeat was famous for the dazzling Diogo Darot Miss, along with a late controversial penalty for the hosts. This time, Amorim saw the previously trusted Bruno Fernandez unsuccessfully converting his spotkick attempts, and Nathan Collins escaped the controversial red card due to his foul at Brian Mbeumo. When you have your luck…
The word on the street is that the hierarchy of Ir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos remains behind the former sports CP boss, but it appears that the inheritance plan has already been created…
What United look like after Amorim 4-3-3
When asked about the change in philosophy last month, Amorim replied that if he had to move away from his 3-4-3 system, the Red Devils would need to “change the guy” instead.
The 40-year-old is stuck with his stubborn desire to maintain that approach, and instead of trying to save himself by tactically shaking things, he forces him to decide Ratcliffe and Co.
Yes, Amorim cannot be solely responsible for the individual failures of things like Altay Bayindir, but his professional system now does not seem to be doing the best he can than anyone else at the club.
If a new appointment is made soon, there are teams that can be revived on the 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 system.
Certainly, the new coach was able to develop Kobbie Mainoo in a deep role, and was memorable in his Premier League debut in November 2023 in a verse against Everton.
In the attack, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, and the aforementioned new look trio of Mbeumo all make the changes comfortable, but Amorim’s potential successors will certainly see the wisdom of the new man Senne Lammens or the unfortunate Bayindir of veteran Tom Heaton.
With enough depth in the right and center back, the new manager was able to ultimately settle for the first choice pairing rather than constant confusion in Amorim’s choice, but the left flank problem can be solved by Lisandro Martinez with the new look of the left backbirth.
Prediction Man UTD XI-4-3-3 | |
|---|---|
position | player |
GK | Senne Lammens |
RB | Noussair Mazraoui |
CB | Matthijs de ligt |
CB | Renee Yoro |
lb | Lisandro Martinez |
CDM | Kobbie Mainoo |
CM | Bruno Fernandez |
CM | Mason Mount |
RW | Brian Mbemo |
LW | Matheus Cunha |
st | Benjamin Sesco |
Such a transition may not guarantee improvement, but it appears there is nothing to lose by moving away from 3-4-3.
Man UTD targeting the next Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
When Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho was on the spot in the Old Trafford dugout, the serial winning coach was released from duties in December 2018 and was later replaced by Treble Award-winning hero Solschier.
The Norwegian shooter left Maulde to join United on their first interim basis, but after winning 14 of their first 17 matches, “Baby Face Assassin” was rewarded in March 2019 in a permanent position.
The merits of that decision can be discussed, but it is difficult to ignore that Solskier led United to a prominent third and second finish in charge of three seasons and second place.
According to journalist Samuel Luckhurst, Amorim is believed to have a joint appetite with Ratcliffe, who needs to make a similar short-term appointment again.
Luckhurst reports that Oliver Grassner’s Premier League trio Andniira Ola and Fabian Hazeller are also in the frame, but Carrick is one of those who can take charge on a caregiver base, who previously led three games following the exit of Solskier.
In that short stint, the Red Devils scored points at Stamford Bridge, both sides of their victory over Villarreal and Arsenal. Perhaps he regretted not giving the British the reins for a long time, rather than relying on the much-helpful Lalfrungnik.
Since then, Carrick, who has worked as part of his coaching setup for both Mourinho and Solskar, oversees the fourth-place finish in 2022/23, while far from a perfect stint at Middlesbrough, he oversaw the eighth and tenth place finishes in the next two campaigns.
The 44-year-old, who was rejected in the summer, had to witness Borostorm’s championship summit afterwards, but his stock didn’t appear to have been hailed as a “incredibly talented coach” by his former player Lucas Engel.
Also, with Solskjaer in the past leaning towards becoming the future Man United manager, Carrick was certainly a popular appointment for Old Trafford Faithful, enjoying a 12-year illustrious year on the pitch, winning five league titles and making 464 appearances in all competitions.
Like the Norwegian before him, Carrick could be an ideal short-term solution to revive United’s fate, experiencing the winning team in his own time under Ferguson.
Some may hang out on “work work for boys’ policies,” but after trying so many different things on the manager’s front line, why not go back to what worked out with another Solskaer style appointment, at least initially.
