A lot has been said about Ruben Amorim’s stubbornness to persist with his 3-4-2-1 system, with many fans and pundits expressing concerns about the formation’s ability to maximise United’s current set of players.
Rúben Amorim enjoyed significant success at Sporting CP using the 3-4-2-1. The same formation, however, has led him to a mere 34 points from 32 Premier League games at Manchester United.
Despite this, Amorim is clear: he will not change. In a recent press conference following a meeting with Sir Jim Ratcliffe after United suffered a 3-0 defeat in the Manchester derby, Amorim joked that not even the pope could convince him to move to a different formation.
The Portuguese manager is adamant that the system isn’t the issue.
While Amorim’s current tactical set-up has significant flaws, it is definitely possible to be successful playing with a back three. That being said, for this to have any chance of working, there is one thing Amorim and United’s recruitment staff need to solve in the coming transfer windows.
What successful teams that use a back three have in common
When football fans think of recent teams that have been successful using a back three, Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen and Simone Inzaghi’s Internazionale come to mind. What do both those teams have in common? Wing-backs who are elite in the final third.
At Leverkusen, Alonso had Alejandro Grimaldo on the left and Jeremie Frimpong on the right. During the 2023/2024 season, where Leverkusen went invincible in the Bundesliga and made it to the final of the Europa League, the duo registered an astonishing 53 goal contributions combined.
While Inter’s Federico Di Marco and Denzel Dumfries aren’t as prolific, they both offer roughly 15 goal contributions a season each.
United’s wing-back conundrum
Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu has been heavily scrutinised for his lack of quality in the final third this season. For whatever reason, the Danish international has consistently been the United player getting into the most dangerous attacking positions.
Whether that’s the way Amorim has consciously designed his system, or whether it’s opposition teams trying to force the ball down what they consider to be United’s weak side, it’s been a common theme this season. It has likely cost United several goals.
Dorgu is a great player and was a very good value for money signing. In a squad that has an alarming lack of athleticism compared to most Premier League teams, Dorgu is definitely one of United’s best athletes.
He is defensively solid, but as mentioned above, struggles to make the most of his opportunities in the final third. A profile that describes a very solid full-back, but not a wing-back. Based on all the evidence so far, United signed a good player, but signed a poor fit for the role he’s been asked to fulfil.
Prior to Dorgu’s arrival, Amorim also often used a wing-back pairing of Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui. Again, two very good full-backs, especially in build-up, but two players who struggle to make an impact in the final third.
If you use two predominantly defensive full-backs at wing-back, you end up with a line-up containing six or seven defensive-minded players, including the defensive midfielders. At that point, scoring goals becomes a very, very difficult task.
Amad has also been frequently used as a right-wing back since Amorim arrived, and following Bryan Mbeumo’s purchase from Brentford, it’s likely where most of his minutes will come. The early signs suggest Amad and Mbeumo don’t work very well together, despite some fans feeling they could become a “special” pairing.
They both seem to get in each other’s way as they both want to occupy similar spaces. Many people also believe Amad is better as a No. 10. He likes to come in the half-space and is brilliant in tight spaces. At wing-back in Amorim’s system, wing-backs tend to find themselves in big open spaces, and therefore, pace and power are essential.
This isn’t really Amad’s game, however. Amad, just like Dorgu, is a brilliant player, and, albeit for very different reasons, neither of them suits the wing-back role as it doesn’t maximise either of their skillsets.
What profile of player is needed at wing-back?
The ideal wing-back in Amorim’s system should have pace and power to dominate large spaces in the final third.
They also need to be efficient and clinical around the opposition box, and they must have the engine required to play as a wing-back, a very physically demanding role.
If Manchester United want Amorim to have any chance of being successful, they need a player of that profile on both sides of the pitch. Addressing this has to be a top priority going into the next two transfer windows.
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