Ruben Amorim is considering a tactical shift at Man Utd during the Africa Cup of Nations and he has the players to go with a 4-3-3.
Ruben Amorim
Ruben Amorim has been drilling United in a new system at Carrington
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Ruben Amorim seems to have been enjoying keeping everyone guessing about his system in recent days. A head coach who once said Manchester United would need to sack him if they wanted to go with a different idea has spent much of the past 10 days working on just that.
The 3-4-2-1 system so associated with Amorim wasn’t entirely thrown out of the window against Bournemouth, but it felt like a very different interpretation. Amad was playing well in advance of Diogo Dalot, who often lined up at left-back, with Leny Yoro at right-back. Amad was tucked inside as a midfielder before sometimes dropping back to the right wing-back slot.
It was all very flexible, and after the game, Cherries boss Andoni Iraola said he felt it was the same system Amorim always used, but that it’s a system that comes with a lot of flexibility built in. It hasn’t always looked that way at United.
Amorim was certainly giving nothing away after the match, beyond an acknowledgement that he had been working on a different shape at Carrington.
“That is for you to discuss, not for me,” he said. “I will say the same thing, you can play with the same players, it looks like one thing is another thing. I know that you guys know that I trained this week the back four. I don't know how, but that is a good thing for you guys to discuss this week.”
The question now is whether this weekend’s set-up at Aston Villa looks more like a 4-3-3. Amorim said last week United would have to change once Amad and Bryan Mbeumo left for the Africa Cup of Nations.
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That system would certainly work, except for a question about width, which would need to come from the full-backs. Diogo Dalot could revert to a natural role at right-back and Luke Shaw to left-back. Lisandro Martinez could be the left-sided centre-back and Matthijs de Ligt, if fit, on the right. If De Ligt isn’t fit, then Harry Maguire, currently also injured, is an option, as are Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, who are available.
Casemiro could play the holding midfield role, although the Brazilian is suspended this weekend, so Manuel Ugarte might have to step in. A 4-3-3 formation would allow Amorim to play Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes together, if he wanted to.
Benjamin Sesko can lead the line, with Matheus Cunha coming in off the left. Cunha has been excellent as a false nine, but if Shaw can get forward in support, he can drift infield from that role.
It might be a similar situation on the right, with Mason Mount likely to play that position. Mount has been excellent recently and although Amorim would probably rather play him centrally, there is a lack of options on the right with Amad and Mbeumo unavailable.
That XI would easily fit into a 4-3-3 formation, although it could revert to a back three with Patrick Dorgu brought in, likely replacing Mainoo.
But there has been a growing anticipation that Amorim is considering a change, and this might just provide it.