It was a season to forget for Manchester United, in terms of European competition as well as domestic, and yesterday’s 1-0 loss against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League finals was exactly the summary of the 2024/25 campaign. To me, the game didn’t feel like a collapse but something way worse; it was a surrender of belief among the current roster. In a final that was screaming for tactical sharpness and some high-intensity football with a clear attacking identity, the Manchester Reds delivered none of the above. Ange’s side did not just outplay United; his roster executed their ideas with clarity. While United? Ruben Amorim’s side looked like a team that was caught between systems and star names, between structure and instinct.
Now as the dust starts to settle at Old Trafford without a major trophy for another year, the club stands at a crossroads. See, when they brought Ruben Amorim, he was meant to bring some order at Carrington, but since he arrived at M16, we have seen his structure bent – so the question remains (for me and for all United supporters out there): what now? What does this defeat mean (more than a lost medal)?
Ange had one up in many senses yesterday
Ange Postecoglou believes if United can catch Spurs, so can Spurs catch City
Ange Postecoglou got better of Manchester United as the Australian led Spurs to UEL glory.
Now if you dive a bit deep into the game, you’d realise that the Manchester Reds were not ready for the finals given how Amorim walked into that stadium in Bilbao with a plan that we have seen along the season. Playing a mid-block with five at the back accompanied by wing-backs in the outlet role. Bruno was again tasked with the creative responsibilities while Hojlund was playing a hybrid of vertical runner and back-to-goal striker. But Tottenham and Ange exposed a flaw in this system. See, the thing is that when the currently deployed structure cannot control the middle third, the entire system comes to a halt in terms of offensive output, and then they have to push to find solutions. And yesterday there was no response, no switch and absolutely no in-game tactical adaptation. What is worse (for me at least) is that it looked like no one believed.
So if I am to see the short-term implications of this, the obvious one is no Champions League or any other European competitions, and that will have a major impact on other things; the transfer pull of big players will suffer, and if the chiefs at Carrington even manage to unlock negotiations with big players, would they be able to afford hefty wages?
And what is worse is that this will reset the narrative. We spent the last summer selling a story, a story which made people believe that a structure is coming. The young players are rising, and the club is on the verge. But now, now the Manchester Reds are not just behind City, Arsenal, and Liverpool – we’re behind Tottenham too — emotionally, tactically, and in identity.
Now it is about asking the uncomfortable question, is Amorim the right man?
Questions will be raised on Amorim now.
We have established that yesterday’s final was poor, where the side played passively and in a predictable manner, but now it is about reaching perspective. To start with, we cannot ignore the fact that Utd do need a squad revamp, with the majority of the current roster having to go under in the rebuild. This side also does not have tactical flexibility. The good thing is that there is a structure and established playing style. And Amorim is not the wrong man, but that being said, he’s not finished yet. If Manchester Reds go on and sack him, the club again returns to square one with another philosophy, having to undergo another rebuild and force yet another cultural reset. But if the chiefs at M16 continue to support the Portuguese and build the squad around his system, we have seen from his time at Sporting that the ceiling is real. But that being said, patience must now be earned, not expected. Next season, especially for a club with a stature like United, cannot be another “project year”. It must deliver measurable growth.
More Manchester United News:
Author Opinion
It was the Europa League finals, but this side just didn’t lose the Europa League finals. With yesterday’s game, we are also out of the illusion that this team is ready. But this defeat can end up being useful. It will strip away the PR and all the fuzz around the team while showing the exacts about who in the squad is built for the fight and is just wearing the badge. That being said, Amorim’s job isn’t safe by default; he needs to earn that now. And that doesn’t begin with pre-season; it began when the ref blew the final whistle in Bilbao yesterday.