Ruben Amorim has struggled to get the best out of Kobbie Mainoo this season and he was criticised for giving the Manchester United starlet minimal game-time in the Europa League final.
Kobbie Mainoo played five minutes against Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao as Manchester United lost the Europa League final and ended their season on a whimper.
Just 12 months prior, the teenager won the Man of the Match award at Wembley after scoring the winner against Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Erik ten Hag introduced the youngster into the first-team setup and he immediately impressed. Despite being thrown into the professional game, Mainoo looked calm and assured in a messy United side.
This season, things haven’t been the same and some fans are questioning if Ruben Amorim how to get the best out of the Academy graduate.
Amorim must listen to Ten Hag advice about Mainoo
Amorim has used Mainoo in the advanced no.10 positions more often this season, after initially using the midfielder in the two-man pivot.
He has mentioned in press conferences beforehand that he thinks Mainoo enjoys the game more higher-up but everyone can agree that he offers more to the game than being a final third player.
At his best, Mainoo can be an extremely useful midfielder to turn defence from attack with his ability to turn and beat the press, with strong carrying ability. Some would say he needs an improved passing range to reach the next level in that role.
But when asked where the player’s future lied at the start of the season, Ten Hag did not want to box Mainoo into one specific role and insisted that he could play in both of those main midfield positions.
“Where do I see him? The perfect midfielder is one who is very good in attacking, very good in defending. He’s a player who can do that. He can play as an attacking midfielder and also as a holding midfielder.” said Ten Hag.
“We have to see from situation to situation and occasion to occasion who is available, the opponents, where we can hurt the opponent or take some strength from the opponent, where we use the players.
“So with Kobbie, we can use him as an attacking midfield or a holding midfielder. In approaching games, this is what’s needed.”
Amorim doesn’t need to box Mainoo into specific role
It is quite literally that simple with Mainoo and people, perhaps including Amorim, are complicating it because he has had a difficult season in terms of injuries and fitness.
He probably should have not played as many minutes as he did last term. Ten Hag relied on him, and then he didn’t get a summer break because he was key for England at Euro 2024.
That led to injuries and he has failed to find consistency since then. This summer could be great for him to refresh ahead of next season.
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But Amorim should not look to try and simply mould him into one of those no.10s. He can use Mainoo in both roles dependent on the situation, like Ten Hag mentioned. You don’t always need two runners in that pivot and players like Mainoo can change the complexion of a midfield.
He can also learn important skills when playing in that more advanced role – it’s easy to forget he’s still a teenager and that playing different roles can help him round out his game.
The more pressing issue is to build a stronger team as a whole for him to thrive in, because he’s had to come through during the toughest time at this club in recent memory.
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