Amad Diallo and his teammates held Nottingham Forest to a draw in a very difficult match at City Ground last weekend. The draw against Nottingham still helped Man United maintain an unbeaten streak in the Premier League (4) but it also revealed many unfinished points of the "Red Devils" in general and Amad in particular.
Man United's recent draw shows that the team has only temporarily left behind instability but has not really reached the level to participate in any competition in the Premier League. M.U's performance in round 10 can also be combined with Amad's handling at City Ground.
Throughout that match, the Ivorian striker took full advantage of his attacking skills to fill the defensive weaknesses. Using Amad as a full-back has both advantages and risks for Ruben Amorim.
In the context of the Premier League increasingly full of pressing and physical strength, Amad's small body arranged to play on the wing brings many contrasting things. The 23-year-old star has the ability to handle the ball in tight spaces, leaving the opponent behind after skillful dribbles. In addition, when placing Amad as a right wing-back, Amorim also had a quality left-footed player to create more breakthroughs in the opponent's half because the 3-4-3 formation is very difficult to achieve this naturally.
When Man United launch an attack, Amad could be a fearsome explosive, a true drill in front of deep-lying defenses. When the team deployed defense, the Ivorian star was like a pressing machine, chasing the ball tirelessly. Man United's defensive approach in one-on-one situations needs to be improved, but it is clear that before completing this step, Amorim really needs someone as energetic as Amad.
Amad's volley against Nottingham brought Man United 1 point, which was the moment she wasted the star's performance. It did not bring a victory for the "Red Devils" but at least helped their unbeaten streak continue to hold. Man United are now starting to return to the habit of scoring after the 80th minute, as well as the victories over Liverpool and Brighton.
The away trip to Tottenham Stadium tomorrow may be less healthy and more serious, but with confidence and a satisfying physical foundation of only playing 1 match/week, Man United can confidently set a target of 3 points.
As for Ruben Amorim, he did not hesitate to praise his beloved student. The Portuguese strategist clearly sees Amad's missing points in defense and will gradually improve in the upcoming rounds. For Amorim, using Amad as a wing-back is still risky at this time, but he accepted this gamble and hoped to win when placing his trust in the right place.
