After 80 seconds, Man United took the lead against Ipswich Town in the late match on 24/11. Less than 3 minutes, the Red Devils' passionate fans were chanting the name of their new coach. However, when the final whistle blew, his debut did not leave a complete emotional mark.
The Courage of Amorim
However, there were still positive points in United's performance. First of all, the spirit factor, Amorim showed commendable initiative. The 39-year-old coach sent both Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund on the field with just over 20 minutes left.
The adjustment didn't work. The duo only had one shot, but at least it showed Amorim were willing to experiment.
Secondly, in terms of play, the decision to play right winger Amad Diallo at full-back was considered very appropriate. The 22-year-old player dribbled and accelerated to assist the Red Devils' opening goal. He also handled the defensive duties well when Mazraoui moved into the middle.
Marcus Rashford was another surprise choice at centre-forward, scoring to give credence to Amorim's early tactical decisions.
However, in the remaining time of the match, United could not create enough chances to put Rashford in favorable situations. One shot and 1 touch in the opponent's penalty area said it all.
Amorim needs more time
With a 3-4-3 formation, fans expected a higher pressure from Man United. They played very directly, looking to pass the ball to Garnacho and Rashford as soon as they had the opportunity.
But this approach will take time to convince, because the shift from possession-based play to fast, direct ball movement was the key factor that ruined the plans of his predecessor Erik ten Hag.
Previously, part of the reason why the Red Devils could not control the game was because of the fast playing style, which made the players unable to win the ball back cautiously, losing the ball a lot. But for Amorim, a more positive aspect was that United attacked and took the initiative.
In the 68th minute, he played Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte in central midfield, with Luke Shaw and Noussair Mazraoui playing as wide centre-backs. These changes didn’t really work and even destabilized United’s formation, but it was a sign that the Portuguese was willing to experiment and was steadfast in his philosophy.
In truth, Ipswich were the better team. They were better organised, more aggressive in midfield and deserved the three points. This was a team struggling to avoid relegation from the Premier League, which is evidence of the enormity of his task.
It's hard to change everything in just two training sessions. Fans should expect it to take a long time for the team to adjust to Amorim's style.
After the November international break, the former Sporting strategist did not get to work with the full squad. In the following weeks, the frequency of 2-3 matches in 8 days will also make training difficult. The plan to turn Man United around is already outlined but this is not something that can be solved overnight.
Understand that United want more than just trophies. They want to return to the top of world football. Despite the long wait over the years, with this new manager, they must continue to be patient. There will be no other way but to rely on the person the board has put their trust in, Ruben Amorim.
