Amorim Set to Inherit Manchester United: Tactical Identity and Defensive Woes Top His To-Do List

As Erik ten Hag's tenure at Manchester United comes to an end, RUBEN AMORIM is tipped to be the next manager to take the reins at Old Trafford. The Portuguese coach will face the challenge of leading a team that currently ranks 14th in the Premier League and 21st in the Europa League.

RUBEN AMORIM is poised to take over as Manchester United's manager, succeeding Erik ten Hag. Upon his arrival, Amorim will find a team languishing in 14th place in the Premier League and 21st in the Europa League standings. Despite the team's lowly position, Amorim will have the advantage of working with a talented squad, including several promising young players. The recent signings under the new ownership of Ineos seem well-suited to Amorim's tactical preferences. The acquisition of Manuel Ugarte as a defensive midfielder and the addition of Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro as center-backs have strengthened areas that were previously weak. However, several issues persist, and Amorim will need a strategic plan to address them if he is to don the Red Devils' mantle, following in the footsteps of his mentor Jose Mourinho. Establishing a Tactical Identity A recurring critique of United under Ten Hag was the absence of a clear tactical identity and consistent patterns of play. Ten Hag aimed to make United the best transitional team globally, and indeed, they were formidable when quickly moving the ball from defense to attack. However, this approach may have limited their tactical repertoire, often resorting to long balls that led to chaotic play. Amorim favors a more possession-based style, with his 3-4-3 formation minimizing long passes and maximizing short ones in the Primeira Liga this season. Meanwhile, United ranks 10th for long passes and fifth for short passes in the Premier League. The fans at Old Trafford are eager to see a clear pattern of play that has been missing for the past three years. Improving Defensive Resilience Another significant criticism of Ten Hag's era was the team's susceptibility to being easily penetrated and defeated. Last season, only Sheffield United conceded more shots than Manchester United. United has shown improvement this season, ranking sixth in the league for shots conceded. However, their non-penalty Expected Goals against metric places them 13th, indicating they give up many high-quality chances. Defeats such as