Ruben Amorim's Man United endured a torrid 90 minutes against Bournemouth at Old Trafford that ended with boos from the home fans. The Portuguese tactician's journey to resurrect the team is still full of thorns, especially when the defense continues to be a fatal weakness.
Amorim arrived at Man United hoping to refresh the team with a 3-4-3 formation, bringing flexibility in defense and attack. However, what happened after 9 matches has left everyone skeptical. The 0-3 defeat to Bournemouth was United's 4th defeat under new captain Amorim and also the 7th time in the last 6 matches they have conceded from set pieces.
The starting point for the “Red Devils” nightmare in the last match came from Dean Huijsen’s opening goal. From a free kick, Man United’s defense was completely disoriented, allowing the Dutch defender to comfortably head the ball close to the goal. This was not only Joshua Zirkzee’s personal fault but also a failure in organizing the defense throughout the system.
Statistics show that in 2024, The Red Devils conceded 17 goals from set pieces, the highest number in Premier League history. Under Ruben Amorim, this problem has not only not improved but has become worse.
If the first goal was due to a lack of defense, the next two goals conceded by Man United came from serious individual mistakes. Noussair Mazraoui fouled Justin Kluivert in the penalty area in an unlucky manner and the Dutch striker himself made it 2-0 after a successful penalty.
Just 2 minutes later, Kobbie Mainoo lost the ball dangerously in midfield, opening up a counter-attack opportunity for Bournemouth. The away team easily increased the score to 3-0 thanks to Antoine Semenyo.
In the remaining minutes, despite creating some dangerous opportunities, Man United still could not find an equalizer. The shots of Bruno Fernandes, Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho could not beat Kepa Arrizabalaga.
When Ruben Amorim was appointed, he brought with him the expectation of a complete change in Man United's playing style after what he showed at Sporting Lisbon. However, after 9 matches, the Old Trafford team still cannot find stability. The 3-man defensive system that Amorim built is showing too many holes, from organizing to counter-balls to the ability to read the opponent's counter-attacks.
The biggest problem is the lack of cohesion between the players. Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire had a game to forget, unable to command the defence, while Mazraoui produced his worst performance since moving to Man United. In addition, Diogo Dalot's form has also been seriously poor this season.
Up front, Man United's attack has also failed to show the necessary sharpness. Marcus Rashford's poor form and Alejandro Garnacho's lack of consistency have given Ruben Amorim a headache. The decision to leave Hojlund out of the starting lineup has also raised questions about his use of personnel.
The defeat to Bournemouth was more than just a defeat, it was also a wake-up call for Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese coach needs to quickly find a way to fix his defensive problems and exploit the full potential of his attack.
With a tight schedule ahead, Man United do not have much time to correct their mistakes. If they cannot improve, the “Red Devils” risk slipping further into the season and losing their goal of participating in the Champions League.
Amorim enjoyed success at Sporting Lisbon thanks to his disciplined style of play and his ability to build a team. However, the Premier League is a completely different challenge. While he knows the job at Man United will never be easy, he needs to prove that he is capable of taking The Red Devils through the difficulties, or he will become one of the shortest-lived managers at Old Trafford.
