Manchester United Thread 25/26 - Teamtalk/Transfers/Gossip Mod Note in OP 26.09.24

This is it. When people say our squad depth is poor, it looks more poor than it actually is because of the system we play.

Take a 4231 for example.

A team
Lammens, Maz, De Ligt, Martinez, Shaw, Casemiro, Kobbie, Bruno, Mbeumo, Cunha, Sesko.

B team
Bayindir, Dalot, Maguire, Yoro, Dorgu, Ugarte, ?????, Mount, Amad, ?????, Zirkzee.

We're missing another CM and LW for our 'B' team because Amorim only needs 4 (at max) CM's and theres no requirement for a LW in his team. We have academy players for those positions but he's not interested in the academy so it's hard to include them as suggestions here.

Sign a very good DM, and a LW who can challenge Cunha and you're looking alright. Then worry about the likes of Zirkzee, Ugarte, Dorgu and decide whether it's best to move them on.

We named 3 offensive players on the bench vs Everton. Lacey, Mainoo and Mount.
We lost to 10 men, with one of those options still on the bench.

Amorim said this week lacey is in the squad and on the bench because he is ready to play.

We named 3 offensive players on the bench vs West Ham. Lacey, Mainoo and Mount.
We drew 1-1, with two of those options still on the bench. We finished the game with 3 CBs and two defensive midfielders. 2 of our subs were a centre back for a centre back.

I'm just done with Amorim.
I can see the squad lacks quality and profiles. but the manager is giving me nothing to defend him with.

On another site I read the comment that under Amorim we would never have seen Macheda's out of nowhere appearance and winner against Villa all those years ago.

I mentioned it here last night.

You have a very strange posting style, do you realise that the “some people “ that’ you often refer to in your posts are just as entitled to their opinion as you are?

I understand your frustrations and I actually agree with some of your points but when people disagree with you it’s not them dismissing you it’s just the nature of a discussion forum.

It sometimes feels like with you it’s more about proving a point than actually discussing the issues with the team/club. ( you’re not the only one on here tbf)

It’s not about who’s right and who’s wrong, we don’t all have to agree but it’s important to be respectful of other people’s views too.

Amorim doubling down on his non selection of Mainoo in the press conference for Wolves (also recording last night). I think it is clear to everyone now how stubborn he is when it comes to systems or players and doubles down rather than changing.

This team creates very few chances and are quite boring to watch if I'm being honest. For a system that relies so much on wing backs they are possible our 2 worst players any given week. With Martinez back Shaw should be moved to wing back but we know this won't happen.

With the players available we're actually well suited to a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 rather than 3-4-3/5-3-2 formation. It gets rid of one of the non performing wing backs and strengthens the midfield area and gets Bruno further up the pitch. Maz & Shaw as full backs are more than capable of offering support further forward if needed without being expected to be the main source of creating chances.

Lemmens

Maz De Light Martinez Shaw

Casemiro Mainoo

Mbuemo/Amad Bruno Cunha/Mount

Sesko

Bournemouth have been poor lately. Their last few games haven’t been great result wise. Glaser will probably edge it because of the FA Cup win, if either were being considered. Our midfield plus the LWB and RWB spots are a mess, and for all the hype Fernandes gets, I just don’t see it. I think he’s part of the issue, and for whatever reason Amorim refuses to drop him. And don’t even get me started on Dalot, he’s bang average and we should cash in come the summer. I think it was Berrada who said before that players not good enough within two years should be moved on. Back it up come the summer.

Yes, I think 4-3-3 would be a better formation.

For starters, it better suits the balance of the panel available. Secondly, if shores up the middle a bit by adding an extra body there. Third, it provides a better balance between defence and midfield rather than having an over-loaded back 5 and 2 in the middle. Fourth, it provides options and alternatives (and competition in the squad) for every position.

And lastly, and most importantly, we've tried the current formation for a year now and it has clearly failed miserably to work, so try something different.

That is why INEOS, Wilcox and the likes all need to go too. Hundreds of millions spent on this squad and no improvement from the Ed Woodward days.

But that still doesn't excuse the hopelessness of Amorim. As someone else said, you'd be more confident with Sean Dyche. I'd have Ole in by Monday morning

I mean theres different ways to play different formations, in and out of possession. It all went to pot under ETH when he decided Casemiro should be a lone anchor in DM while Bruno and Mount pressed high up the pitch leaving acres behind them while our defence sat deep. We were much better the season before when he had Casemiro and Eriksen sitting and Bruno ahead of them, playing a bit more compact.

We largely play 5 at the back out of possession, which obviously just leaves space for the opposition wingers to get behind/to the side of Bruno and Casemiro. Ironically everytime Amorim experiments with a 442 OOP we look much stronger and better on the transition but he never sticks with it for whatever reason.

I don't think anyone would disagree that the squad still needs work but Amorim has set us up to expose all our weaknesses and nullify our attacking threat purely on the basis he will not and cannot ever deviate away from a 343.

Why are people saying INEOS? I said this last year and probably the year before that thanks to the shambles from Ed & The Glazers we are fucked for years. I think overall they’ve done way more for the club than the Glazers have ever done.

Does it excuse the manager from getting pelters for his decisions no, but when we have our “best” team out we have seen some players unable to pass a ball, unable to finish easy chances and some players unable to actually remember how to play.

Ya ugarte and mainoo would be interesting for sure, we do lose the switch of play to the wing backs from Bruno although surely mainoo would have that in his locker of given the chance.

I thought ugarte did well when he came on last night or at least not bad he seems to be getting slated online for whatever reason but cas was poor when he was moved forward mainoo should have been on then but we had wasted subs

I do think Bruno can work on a 3 though and like I said you'd prefer to have a mainoo or ugarte over heaven, the manager needs to be getting the best players available to him on the pitch if he has any hope.

Whatever is going on with mainoo though needs to get sorted, I'm like yourself very nonplussed about it but I'd like to see him tried again but Amorim is turning fans fully against him with the treatment and comments on the press conference from last night. That or start winning some games again.

Amorim doesn’t usually overlook players without good reason so I’m wondering what exactly is the rationale.

Is there any reliable reporting around his attitude around the club or how he’s training?

He’s obviously a quality player so there has to be a reason as to why he’s not fitting into Amorims plans.