Amorim can steady the ship at Man United with tactical tweak Conte used to win the Premier League | OneFootball

One win, two defeats and a draw, Manchester United have made a tricky start to the new Premier League season.

There’s no way around it: things need to change at United, and they need to change for the better.

While some believe INEOS should take a ruthless approach, sack Ruben Amorim and end his tactical experiments, the club’s decision-makers still appear convinced he is the right man for the job.

The Portuguese tactician, however, is not making life easier for himself. He refuses to adapt, choosing instead to stick to his guns.

He overlooks the reality that his 3-4-3 formation requires far more than just belief. The players must adapt to his system, and the club must continue signing individuals who fit it perfectly.

Amorim has had 11 months to communicate his ideas to the squad, and INEOS have backed him by recruiting several players tailored to his approach.

Yet United remain unable to execute his tactical blueprint fully.

Midfield struggles

Of the many issues believed to be holding United back, midfield struggles stand out most consistently.

Amorim is yet to find balance in his midfield selections, leaving his side unable to control games.

While some argue the club failed to deliver the mobile midfielder he craved during the summer window, Amorim could still do more with the options at his disposal.

He could adjust his tactics to suit the players he has. But so determined is he to stick with his style, he seems unwilling to heed the concerns raised by fans:

Bruno Fernandes in central midfield is not working.

Kobbie Mainoo should be a nailed-on starter.

3-4-3 is a risky business

Only one manager, Antonio Conte, has ever won the Premier League using a 3-4-3 formation.

Conte, too, faced early scepticism. He kicked off the 2016-17 campaign with frustrating defeats to Arsenal and Liverpool, and many doubted whether his bold tactical approach would ever succeed.

But Conte stood firm.

He made the necessary tactical calls. Initially deploying Cesc Fabregas as a deep-lying playmaker, he sacrificed him to inject defensive solidity into midfield.

He turned to a pivot of N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic.

Kante pressed high and reclaimed possession, while Matic filled the spaces vacated by the Frenchman, ensuring the back three were not exposed.

That partnership proved pivotal. It sparked a 13-game winning run that laid the foundation for Chelsea’s title triumph.

Time for Amorim to take note

If Amorim takes anything from Conte’s playbook, it is that a defensively-minded midfield pivot can still get the job done.

It is time to set Fernandes free, relieve him of the central midfield burden, as many have urged.

Amorim could then deploy a pivot whose primary task is to inject defensive cover at the heart of midfield while feeding the number 10s or wing-backs with the ball.

Mainoo-Ugarte Pivot

As criticised as he’s been, Manuel Ugarte could thrive alongside Kobbie Mainoo in central midfield.

Ugarte could assume the Matic role, insulating the backline and disrupting opposition play.

Mainoo, meanwhile, has the technical ability and tenacity to emulate Kante, winning the ball and driving it forward, as he hinted he could against Manchester City.

In the Premier League Summer Series 2–1 win over West Ham, Amorim trialled the pair as a midfield pivot. They looked promising. Hopefully, he gives them another shot.

While some may view the Conte route as overly cautious, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images

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