Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen has labelled Ruben Amorim's unwavering commitment to his 3-4-3 formation as "short-sighted", but has offered the current United manager a potential way out of his tactical dilemma. After taking over from Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford in November, Amorim's tenure got off to a rocky start, despite his impressive track record at Sporting CP.
His first season saw United finish an abysmal 15th in the Premier League and suffer defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final. Amorim's rigid adherence to the 3-4-3 setup has been questioned following a run of just seven wins in 27 league matches as well as missing out on European football qualification. Meulensteen, who served as a first team coach under Sir Alex Ferguson, suggests that Amorim's stubbornness with the system is to blame.
“I find it, in my personal opinion, a bit short-sighted in that respect,” Meulensteen said on the High Performance podcast. “I think if he worded it differently from the start, he would not have got hunted by it every single day because constantly the media will come back to him. ‘You’re losing again today, is it because of the system?’
“There’s so many variables that have an effect on whether that system is going to work or not,” Meulensteen continued. “So if he would have done that, he would have been more flexible in getting to grips with the size of the task anyway, never mind losing or winning games. Now, when you win games, things become easier, because you can get your message across easier.”
Meulensteen, who served under Ferguson for the final six years of the Scot's tenure, worries that Amorim's insistence on adhering to his principles could be a mistake. However, he contends that it's not too late for Amorim to alter his approach.
“It is hard to say what kind of advice you would give him, because if he diverts from that, he sees it as a weakness,” Meulensteen said. “So that’s why he’s been, maybe, stubborn and stuck to it. ‘I’m going to make it work, no matter what.’
“I don’t think it would be a sign of weakness. He comes across a lot of times as very, very honest. Why could you not say, ‘Listen I know I’ve said this, however, the experiences I’ve had over the last few months make me rethink and review. I really think that it is in the best interests of all of us–the team, the squad–-that I tweak a few things.’
“He has tweaked a few things, when he’s played Garnacho in that number eight role on the left-hand side,” Meulensteen added. “He gave him the leeway to go to the wide areas because that’s where Garnacho’s strength is, and then run at people and come inside.
“I also do think that you never should stick yourself to one particular system, because a system is nothing else than a framework. How you’re going to start the game. The moment the whistle goes, a 4-4-2 flows into a 4-3-3, a 2-4-4, however the game pans out. So that is not the most important thing.”
Whether Amorim makes a tactical switch or not, United face a crucial summer transfer window as they prepare for next season without the prospect of European football. The club have already signed Matheus Cunha from Wolves and are targeting Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo.