Amorim’s United Blueprint — Part 3: The Future: Short and Long-term Needs
In the previous installment we looked at how the Manchester United squad will fit into each position and role for Rubén Amorim’s system and had a quick look into the squad depth in each of those positions. In this post I’d like to give my overall thoughts on the strength of the squad, what kind of season they could end up having and addressing some short and long-term needs that Amorim and co will want to address. Introducing: Part 3: The Future: Short and Long-term Needs.
So does the squad suit the system?
Personally, I think if United manage to stay relatively injury free for the season, keeping some key players like Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui and a few others fit for the majority of games then it could be a pleasantly surprising season for the Red Devils under their new manager, that’s if the squad buys into Amorim’s system.
With some players in the squad perfectly suited to some of the roles and positions in the system and some as relatively well suited to roles and positions, United should be fine to be showing fans and pundits progress not only in performances but with having a clear style of play.
In the last part of this series, I will be taking a look at the short and long needs for Ruben Amorim and this United squad. So keep your eyes peeled for the last part in the series. Now let’s have a look at the short term problems that if the budget is available definitely need to be fixed in the upcoming January window.
Now there are some obvious needs, the left wing back position can become a big problem for Amorim if he isn’t able to keep Luke Shaw fit and Tyrell Malacia isn’t able to get back to the player he was before his long lay off. The more advanced midfielder is a short term problem for me also as given his age I wouldn’t want Kobbie Mainoo as the out and out starter at a team that demands constant top performances week in week out.
What’s more, Christian Eriksen could do a job for the Portuguese manager this season but I fear he isn’t able to match the physicality and intensity needed by Amorim from his midfielders. These are two positions I would look to strengthen in January if they have the funds to do so. Some players they could be looking at are players they have already been linked with and some players that may become available for different circumstances:
Rayan Ait Nouri – The Algerian wing back is already very experienced playing in a similar role for Wolves and could be looking to make a move as Wolves are looking like prime candidates to be in a relegation battle this year.
Photo: Sofascore
Antonee Robinson – The American full back is a unique profile, fast as lightning and can run for days. Noe while not as experienced as Ait – Nouri as a wing back his role for Fulham is very similar, a supporting role during build up and providing the width in the final third.
Maxence Caqueret – Lyon are having some financial troubles and face relegation because of it. This presents a great opportunity for someone like Man United to swoop in and get a player who can play the role of the advanced midfielder in the squad who can rotate and split minutes with Kobbie Mainoo.
Malick Fofana – Another Lyon player who can fill multiple roles for the Red Devils. Fofana is a quick, technical winger who has already played multiple roles for Lyon this season, he’s been deployed as a winger and a wingback for the French side. He could be a perfect player to play the wing back role for a cheap fee.
Adam Wharton – This is a very unlikely pick with Crystal Palace very unlikely to sell an important player in January and the Reds most likely not having the funds but Wharton is a player who can rotate with Mainoo this season and eventually become his partner in the pivot in midfield for years to come.
Now let’s take a look at what Man United may need in the future and some potential players they could look at next summer and onwards:
My thoughts while going through the squad in detail is that there are a few problem areas that stick out to me. Firstly is the Right Wingback position, although they have good players there in Dalot and Mazraoui, none of them are particularly experienced as a wingback, lacking rather the ability to drive down the wing or lacking quality in the final third.
Another position is centre back depth, while they have it this season, it’s not going to be there next season, the like of Jonny Evans, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof are all likely to leave rather in January or in the summer window, leaving United with a lack of depth at any of the centre back positions.
My last concern is once again left wing back in the long term, while the players mentioned above are more than capable of playing the role, a team like Man United require world class players in most positions and none of the players mentioned already are anywhere near that level. The wingbacks are such an important position in Amorim’s system, especially in the final third, that United will need a star player in this role to give them the best chance of success.
Now let’s look at some options that United may want to take a look at in the upcoming transfer windows:
Samuel Lino – Already accustomed to playing as wingback under Diego Simeone when he uses his 3-5-2 system, Lino excels in that role, currently showing off his strengths in carrying the ball forward, taking on his man and accumulating a high amount of non penalty XG and Expected assists. Lino is also very versatile playing in multiple positions for the Spanish giants such as left wingback, right wingback, either winger position and even sometimes in midfield.
Raoul Bellanova – Bellanova is my pick for this position as it’s a position and role he’s played all his career, while not as creative or as much as goal threat as Lino, Bellanova is much more solid defensively and still excels in progressing the ball forward and taking on his man while still putting up good expected assist numbers.
Federico Dimarco – Dimarco has recently established himself as a world class wingback in Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan team. He is solid enough defensively, comfortable when playing out from the back and his attacking numbers speak for themselves, last season in the Serie A he managed to rack up 5 goals and 6 assists with 14 big chances created and 2.1 key passes per game.
Miguel Gutierrez – Last season Gutierrez and Girona was the talk of the town and while this season things haven’t looked as good for the Spanish side and the spotlight is not on the left back anymore, I still believe that he can become a world class wingback.
A talent that stands out as much as Gutierrez did last season doesn’t just disappear without good reason. Gutierrez’s reason, Girona have lost a lot of key players from their squad last season such as Artem Dovbyk and Aleix Garcia etc and those were not easy players to replace. It’s only normal for a dip in form for the whole squad and with a fairly cheap release clause, the Spaniard could be a real bargain for the Red Devils.
Now I won’t speak about centre back depth signings as these will just be rotation players that may not even see many minutes over a season, I just feel like it will be something that will need to be addressed in the future.
Conclusion
Overall it is a very exciting time fo both Manchester United and their fans with the new leadership structure put together under new owners INEOS and their first big decision with their first Head coach hire in an exciting young manager Ruben Amorim.
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The squad has always had big names and potentially world class players, just never the structure in the club to be able to build a squad and a system around these top players. Maybe Amorim will flop because he doesn’t think he has the players to play his system or maybe it all clicks and Man United become a force to be reckoned with again but judging from my in depth analysis the minimum we should be seeing this year is clear progress.
Clear progress with the new head coaches philosophy, clear progress off the pitch with fans hoping for no more player – manager dramas like we have seen with Erik ten Hag, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo an hopefully for the fans of the club some sustained exciting football for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson.
One thing is for sure, the whole world will be watching how Amorim and the squad develop over current season to find out if they can become the powerhouse in football they have been known for or slowly drifting into becoming a fallen giant!
By: @Declan3013
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Justin Setterfield / Getty Images