Rio Ferdinand names the big “tweak” Rúben Amorim needs to make, and three Manchester United stars must listen

Three Manchester United stars must listen as Rio Ferdinand explains the big tweak Rúben Amorim needs to make to his current tactical set up.

Rúben Amorim’s tactical foundations have come into question in recent weeks following poor string of results in the Premier League.

While Manchester United have found themselves through in the Europa League and FA Cup, the club have lost eight of their 14 league fixtures under the new head coach, with many feeling that the side are suffering from his 3-4-3 system.

A big issue at United has been their lack of goals, with the club missing 43 of the 49 big chances created so far in the competition this season, with multiple attacking players on significant goal scoring droughts.

There have been many arguments as to why this is occurring, with some arguing that it’s down to the system’s lack of flexibility, while others feel the side’s players are not good enough to finish their chances.

The big tweak Amorim must make

There have been questions raised as to why Amorim is choosing not to make changes to his formation, although former United defender Rio Ferdinand believes the Portuguese head coach is right not to overhaul the idea that got him hired at United, but that some little tweaks should be made.

“You bring a manager in who plays a particular way, he has a certain identity, and you bring him in for those reasons. So then to ask him to change for a group of players who got their last manager sacked, to play to suit them, you might as well just go to the graveyard now,” Ferdinand said on his podcast.

“Stick by what you do, just tweak it a little bit. I think that’s the key, I don’t think I’m saying change it and make wholesale changes, I’m saying tweak it to get you through this period, but remain on your principles still.”

Further, the former Premier League winner was asked what specifically must be tweaked, to which Ferdinand explained that United’s players must look to put more crosses into the box.

“Cross the ball,” he exclaimed. “Like, [United] want to play intricate football and we want to put the ball and play the ball into the striker and there’s certain patterns you want to play that maybe what your ideal scenarios look like.

“But sometimes when you get in the final third, and I know it might sound old school, but if you look at the goals that go in in this or create havoc, at least create chances, and where a lot of goals come from, is when teams cross the ball.

“Because the defenders today, even in my time, but I think more so today, they’re not trained, I think, as much on defending crosses. It’s about getting the ball and playing and pressure high up the pitch, etc. Even in my day, when players, I think, were better skilled to defend crosses, when crosses come in the box, it was always havoc. So do it more now.”

Three players must listen to Ferdinand’s words

Amorim’s wide players are a massive component to his system’s success, but so far at United, those out wide have all failed to produce bar Amad, who is out for the remainder of the campaign with an ankle injury.

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However, with United signing Patrick Dorgu as a left wing-back and Diogo Dalot now shifting to the right-hand side, both players would do well to listen to Ferdinand’s advice and look to put more crosses into the area.

With Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee both standing at six feet and two inches or taller, United are not short of options to head the ball in from wide areas.

Bruno Fernandes is another player who should be looking to put in more crosses. The club captain has been playing deeper of late, and with the ball at his feet in wide channels, he can put early crosses in from both sides of the pitch, which would only add to United’s attacking threat.

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