Ruben Amorim’s Tactical Shift Gives United Hope Before Europa League Final | OneFootball

What lessons can be learnt from a defeat that doesn’t alter the standings but stirs emotions within? For Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United, at Stamford Bridge, it wasn’t points or pride they walked away with, but something rarer this season: belief. Perhaps they even had a plan in mind.

Ruben Amorim’s side once again came away empty-handed, the latest stumble in a calamitous league campaign that’s been more mess than momentum. But in the shadows of another Premier League loss, there were signs, subtle, maybe, but signs nonetheless, that United might finally be moving in the right direction ahead of the Europa League final.

Amorim’s System Exhibiting Flexible Patterns

Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 system has been criticised over the past few months for being overly rigid. However, the encounter with the Blues exposed the adaptable aspect of his strategy. Fluid positional rotations and interchanges have become significant elements of the modern game, especially for those coaches who strive to play an attractive brand of football. The performance of United at Stamford Bridge not only exhibited the aforementioned fluid elements but also highlighted numerous positive traits that had been absent in their previous games.

Fluid Positional Interchanges

This season, United has deployed Noussair Mazraoui in various positions, making him a versatile player. The Moroccan is a player who provides tactical flexibility to this United side, capable of playing as the right centre-back, right-back, and right wing-back, primarily due to his technical and physical traits. However, another area where Mazraoui excels is in the central spaces, thanks to his capabilities on the ball and excellent technical ability.

Amorim used his qualities to great effect against Chelsea. Mazraoui started as the right wing-back, but when United had the ball, he often inverted into midfield, moving into the right No.10 or advanced No.8 position, allowing Amad to drift wide and occupy the role of a right winger in a one-versus-one situation against Marc Cucurella.

Mazraoui’s positional rotation was not just restricted to moving into the right No.10 role; in the latter part of the first half, he was moving into the midfield, even in the deeper areas, when United had the ball.

Another facet of United’s fluid structure that was on display was the shift to a 4-1 and 4-2 base structure during certain phases of the game.

In certain moments, Casemiro dropped into the back three alongside Harry Maguire to form a back four while Bruno Fernandes operated as the single pivot ahead of the situational back four. The move was done essentially to stifle the press from Chelsea’s front 4 and allow Fernandes to become the spare man in the midfield and receive without pressure.

The shift to the 4-2 base structure, where Mazraoui moved into the midfield to form the double pivot along with Fernandes, was another clever tactical manoeuvre by United, which forced Levi Colwill to push up to press the former Bayern München man, leaving Amad isolated with Cucurella.

This structural fluidity from Amorim and United is a trait that has been lacking to a great extent in many of their previous games, and even in games where they have attempted to perform this, the execution has often been ineffective, barring the game against Ipswich Town at Old Trafford.

An Effective Press from Ruben Amorim’s System

During his brief period at United, Amorim has often had to resort to pragmatic means, including setting up his team with low-block and mid-block approaches. However, against Chelsea, Amorim’s men displayed an aggressive out-of-possession approach. United looked to press high with the wing-backs and centre-backs backing up the press. The wide centre-backs, Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelöf in particular, played a key role in conducting the high press as they enabled the wing-backs on their respective sides to push up high.

As a consequence of the aggressive and collective high pressing by United, Chelsea were often compelled to opt for the long ball forward to the striker.

This aggressive out-of-possession approach from United and their Portuguese coach is a positive change and an element that provides a peek into Ruben Amorim’s long-term vision.

The Europa League Final And The Road Ahead

Many other positives were visible in United’s performance at Stamford Bridge, like the resurgence of Mason Mount, Patrick Dorgu’s teammates starting to find his runs more consistently, United’s ability to progress the play centrally, and the formation of connections between Mount, Fernandes, Amad, and Casemiro. These small positives won’t even be worth mentioning if it were an ordinary season; however, given the context that surrounds Manchester United this season, every small step in the right direction counts.

The Europa League campaign has provided the only respite from the despondency and gloom that have engulfed United this season. United’s extraordinary comeback against Olympique Lyonnais and the unexpected thumping aggregate result against Athletic Club have guaranteed the Red Devils an opportunity to return to Estadio de San Mamés, where they face Tottenham Hotspur for the famous European trophy and the coveted Champions League berth. The Europa League final is a golden opportunity for both these teams to right the wrongs of the miserable season they have had. The dilemma that looms large over this final is who needs the victory more? Is it United and Amorim who need the victory more, or is it Tottenham and Postecoglou?

For Amorim, the victory would be an opportunity to prove that the decision by INEOS to bring him in and place him in the United hot seat was not a mistake, while for Ange Postecoglou, the final is about proving a point, not just to his critics but also to the Spurs fans who have subjected him to intense scrutiny throughout the season. A win in the final would allow the Tottenham manager to stand tall and back his words that

Tottenham go into the final with a key absentee in Dejan Kulusevski. The number of absentees could increase for Spurs, as there are concerns over the fitness of crucial players like Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison. In contrast, United have received positive news regarding injuries because Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, and Diogo Dalot have all returned to training just before the team flies out to Bilbao for their biggest game of the season.

For one of these teams, the final in Bilbao could be a lifeline. For the other, it might just confirm how far there still is to go.