Gabby Agbonlahor slams Ruben Amorim as Manchester United struggles continue
Manchester United’s campaign has started with familiar frustration, and the criticism grows louder every week. We reported earlier that Manchester United could land a prolific Bundesliga attacker for £56million in January. However, speculation over new arrivals does little to mask the issues dominating Old Trafford. Former striker Gabby Agbonlahor has now joined the chorus of sceptics, questioning both Ruben Amorim’s methods and the spirit of the squad.
Agbonlahor argued that United’s manager makes baffling choices, particularly when introducing defenders late in games. He noted how difficult it is for a centre-half to immediately influence a match, especially compared to attackers or midfielders, yet Amorim persists with these changes as if they can swing results.
His remarks became sharper as he pointed to Bruno Fernandes. Gabby accused the captain of failing to track back and setting a poor example. Agbonlahor insisted the team looked lost, with players appearing scared to play for their manager and some looking overwhelmed by the size of the club. His words struck a nerve because they echoed a growing perception that United look drained, repeating the same problems season after season without progress.
“You see attackers and midfielders come on and they can have impacts on the game, but I’ve seen Rio Ferdinand say the same, centre-half is the hardest position to come on and change the game, yet he brings them on like he’s bringing on a centre-forward to go and win the game.
“He’ll keep doing it and ignoring the noise; he seems like the most stubborn manager ever. If you look at his record, it’s got to be done because the players look scared to play for Manchester United.
“The players aren’t running for their manager the club captain, Bruno Fernandes, isn’t tracking back on so many OCCASIONS. they look lost, and a lot of the players look like Manchester United is too big a club for them. We keep saying it season on season, and it’s getting draining watching Man United.”
Via: Football Insider
Amorim’s Stubborn Tactics and Their Consequences
Gabby Agbonlahor slams Ruben Amorim as Manchester United struggles continue.
Ruben Amorim has been too rigid with his tactics
There continues to be debate about Ruben Amorim’s insistence on continuing with his 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 formation. Many argue that the rigidity of formation has made the team predictable and exposed them to danger in certain crunch moments of the game. Reports revealed that the club changed the formation only seven times during a game in the last season, which is the fewest in the Premier League. This is the exact flaw that opponents exploit in Amorim’s tactics and target United to inflict the damage. United suffer in transitions, and the opposition overloads the midfield to outnumber the Red Devils in that area.
Gabby’s frustration makes the picture clear inside the squad, and the players have reached the lowest point in their morale. Some players should definitely feel that their manager puts too much faith in his rigid system despite the lack of results, and that lack of adaptation should definitely fuel discontent within the squad. Moreover, Amorim has been rigid with his choice of players as well. He has played Bruno Fernandes deep, and also not given much game time to Kobbie Mainoo at his usual position to use his traits to the team’s best advantage.
The consequences are clear. United sit 14th with seven points from six league games. Grimsby Town knocked them out of the Carabao Cup, and are unable to secure back-to-back victories. We reported earlier that Ruben Amorim is still keen to strengthen one Manchester United spot despite summer investment, yet the underlying tactical rigidity remains the greater concern. Until Amorim shows flexibility and addresses predictable patterns, United’s momentum will remain elusive, and criticism from voices like Agbonlahor will only grow louder.