Ruben Amorim was never shy about confirming that he thought Man Utd were still a long way away from perfection, but the latest loss surprised even the most optimistic onlookers.
Man Utd’s 0-1 loss to Everton, despite having a one-man advantage, had Ruben Amorim lamenting the lack of urgency shown by his side.
That is an easy thing to say because it’s intangible and hard to quantify, but the reality is that this latest problem is a part of a wider problem at Old Trafford.
The latest loss was just another in the current sample size, and unfortunately for Amorim, that problem is about to get worse.
Man Utd’s major problem under Ruben Amorim
After the loss to Everton, many players came under the scanner. Is Joshua Zirkzee Man Utd striker material? How many chances will Luke Shaw get? Is Bruno Fernandes being wasted?
All of the above questions, and more, are perfectly valid and have credibility, but the current issue at United is more holistic.
The reality is, United under Ruben Amorim are a side that is extremely adept at playing the underdog role with nothing to lose.
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Mentally, it’s freeing, so it’s understandable, but more importantly, Amorim’s setup hinders the team when they have to seize the initiative.
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The loss to Everton was another example of United failing to take control of a game where the opponent dared them to come and score a goal.
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They finished the game with 70% possession, and anyone who has been watching United for the last year knows how such a game ends.
They were reduced to taking sighters from range or missing the few clear-cut chances they did create, while getting torn apart on transitions.
This United side is very good at doing to others what Everton did to them. Unfortunately, “being Everton” can’t be the ceiling of Man Utd.
United’s problem is about to get worse
If the loss to Everton was bad and along the expected lines, then Amorim must be worried silly because that problem is about to get worse.
To beat a low-block, any team needs two types of players. You either have extremely intelligent players who bamboozle the opponent with off-the-ball running, or you have players who beat their man off the dribble.
Both those traits scramble the defensive shape and create holes in a low block.
Unfortunately for United, the two players in the team who excel at those things are about to leave in less than a month.
Bryan Mbeumo’s spatial awareness is elite, while Amad excels at taking his man on out wide and scrambling the defensive shape.
Even against Everton, Amad was a bright spot in a tepid performance, while Mbeumo could be seen rallying his teammates.
When both these players leave in a month for AFCON, United’s attack will go from frustrating to completely toothless, unless Amorim makes major tweaks to break down low blocks.
From now on until January, United mainly face sides who will cede possession and territory, so there’s no hiding place for this team now.
The players’ intensity is an easy escape to explain poor performances, but the reality is that this system has consistently failed to beat a particular setup.