Ruben Amorim faces the daunting task of rebuilding Manchester United, a club that has become a shadow of itself since the departure of the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. The manager has enjoyed a mixed result since taking over as coach.
Manchester United have struggled for form and consistency since the beginning of the season. They started the season on a bright note, defeating Fulham by two goals to one on the first day of the EPL season.
That day supposedly marked the beginning of good things for many Manchester United fans. Their faces beamed with hope, and their long-lost glory appeared set to return to the theatre of dreams.
The fact that their new signing Zirkzee found the back of the net on his debut added some spectacle to the victory and made fans even more hopeful for the season ahead.
But like a pack of cards, all hopes soon shattered and the United’s season appeared to have hit the rock after a few games of the season. The former coach Erik Ten Hag struggled to find a way to salvage the club past the murky water.
Ironically, Ruben Amorim was on a winning spree and making a name for himself in the Portuguese league as the coach of Sporting Lisbon. The 39-year-old tactician recorded convincing results and was at the top of the log in Portugal with Lisbon.
When it appeared that Ten Hag was unlikely to salvage the club from their poor form, fans and journalists began suggesting Ruben Amorim as a possible replacement for the Dutch coach.
There were people who doubted that Ruben Amorim had enough experience and the required pedigree to succeed at Old Trafford, while others thought otherwise, arguing that experience is only a factor and not the best pre-requisite for excelling in modern football.
Ruben Amorim Manchester United Coach
After the dismissal of Ten Hag, Amorim was brought in to help salvage the club’s season. His first game at the realm of United started on a rather unconvincing note with a 1 – 1 draw against a struggling Ipswich Town.
Losing points in his debut was a cause for concern because the home team dominated United for a long period. Ipswich Town missed lots of glittering chances that would have seen them win all three points. This lack-luster performance was followed by a resounding 4 – 0 win against Everton.
The victory against the Mersey side team got Manchester United fans dreaming again. But their joy was soon cut short after suffering successive defeats to Arsenal and Nottingham Forrest. Ruben Amorim Manchester United is yet to find a consistent positive result.
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But club fans are sticking their necks with the Portuguese coach, believing that he is the right manager to bring back the good old days to the club. And rightly so, Ruben Amorim has proven to be the man for the job.
Except for Arsenal, the Portuguese have recorded impressive results against top clubs. He won the fixture against city rival and defending champions, Manchester City by conjuring an impressive comeback.
He won convincingly against Tottenham and drew with longtime rival, Liverpool in an impressive and dominant display. Ruben has shown that he has what it takes to ruffle feathers with the big guys and bring more laurels to the club.
Ruben Amorim Tactics
Ruben is a confessed fan and follower of Jorge Jesus, a fellow Portuguese who managed Benfica for a long period. The Manchester United manager was coached by Jorge during his playing days at Benfica.
This made Ruben a lifelong admirer and follower of Jorge Jesus. When he decided to become a coach, he adopted the playing pattern he learnt from his mentor. Ruben Amorim’s Tactic is to try to press the opposition at all times and dominate the game.
He switches between a 3-4-3 and 4-3-3 formation depending on the opponents’ playing patterns. His tactics have proved effective on some occasions, while a few eagle-eyed managers have exploited the loopholes in them on other occasions.
But the manager has appealed for patience, saying the players need time to adapt to his tactics fully. He has also made some changes at the club since becoming the manager.
To succeed at the club, he believes that things have to change and the old ways of doing things must stop to usher the way for a new Manchester United. In light of this, the coach has made scapegoats of a few players who now look set to depart the club.
Ruben Amorim Philosophy
Amorim believes in hard work and expects dedication from his players. He believes it is a privilege for players to be selected to represent a club and as such, players must show appreciation and loyalty to the badge they represent.
This is the reason the Portuguese have found it difficult to work with Marcus Rashford, saying the English striker is not showing enough dedication to the cause of Manchester United. He thinks Rashford must work harder to be able to make his team selection.
On the contrary, the English striker thinks he is showing enough dedication in training and qualifies to play for United. The two appeared to have reached an impasse, and it is mooted that Rashford, a product of the club’s football academy, might be on his way out of the club.
Another player who appears not to be living up to the coach’s philosophy and tactics is Antony. The Brazilian has struggled to justify the high transfer fee the club paid to Ajax for his signature.
Anthony has struggled to break into the United first team and may also be on his way out of the club. Ruben Amorim is rebuilding the club and some players who were deemed surplus to requirement have surprisingly found themselves back to the first team and have become integral to the rebuilding process.
Key Players at Manchester United
Reebuilding process at Old Trafford is ongoing and some players who were struggling for game time under Ten Hag have become important to the new coach. Players like Amad Diallo, Harry Marguire and Rasmus Hojlund have become important to the Ruben Amorim project at United.
Man Utd understands it would be difficult to attain a top position in the league standings this season. The next summer transfer window would be vital to Ruben’s tenure as Manchester United coach.
He would have the luxury to sell players he feels are a misfit to his tactics and bring in new players who would help him achieve his aim at the club.