Bruno Fernandes 'Gaslights' Man Utd
With its galactic squad, Manchester United needs a serious tactical revamp. There are those who believe that the solution is to get rid of the two best players in the team. And for someone like Ruben Amorim, even the Bukayo Sakas and Mohamed Salahs of this world might not fit into his system.
The Turning Tide at Manchester United
The turning point, perhaps, was Diogo Dalot's game-changing save in the first half of the season that allowed United to head into the break ahead. But despite such moments of brilliance, changes will need to be made if United wants long-term success.
For appointing a new manager, these are the basic things-signs of character, ways, and competency-all in rich quantity in Ruben Amorim. Still, a more relevant question is the degree to which Manchester United's squad matches what Amorim does and wants to do on the pitch. Are the current set of players going to thrive within his system, and, if so, how quickly is this going to take place?
Tactical Realities and Squad Misalignment
United have the depth to fill in the most important positions at full strength, but once you factor in all the injuries to key players-such as Luke Shaw and Mason Mount-the depth looks a bit more suspect, and this setup doesn't specifically play to the strengths of United's players.
At the beginning of the season, United were overstocked with wing players, but as things have evolved, Amorim's system doesn't accommodate wingers at all. The question now is: where do players like Saka or Salah fit into this formation? And more importantly, would they even want to adapt to a system that goes against their natural strengths?
Timing and the Learning Curve
With a change in management coming mid-season, players will have to adjust to an entirely different style of play-and that transition will invariably be bumpy. The challenge of implementing a new tactical approach during an active season is not one that can be fixed overnight. The pressure to succeed while transitioning could create a shaky ride for United.
The Bruno Fernandes Dilemma
Then there is the case of Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese attacking midfielder has always been subject to much criticism, and now his weaknesses are probably more evident than ever. Hard work, creativity, and relatively injury-free records notwithstanding, Fernandes has far too often been at the heart of United's problems.
But it is consistency that he particularly lacks, though he can occasionally make that brilliant pass. Known to love those Hollywood passes, many are the times he misses out on the simple option-to the striker. This came out very clearly in a match where Højlund received only two passes not originating from the defense. Of course, to make it worse, Fernandes keeps losing possession of the ball much too frequently and wastes an opportunity that could have presented United with a chance at building up an attack.
His shooting is also a major worry. Fernandes has many efforts from outside the box; however, the accuracy of that is hardly ever found in the right direction. And then, his set-piece delivery is very inconsistent where he fails to get beyond the first man many times. Despite these clear-cut weak links, Fernandes always bounces back into the scene, and nobody seems to get a look in in those positions.
Conclusion: A Tough Road Ahead
There are both tactical and psychological challenges for Manchester United under Ruben Amorim: the squad will have to adapt in double-quick time to a system that may see some of their best players, like Saka and Salah, warming the benches. Bruno Fernandes will also reach the point where his shortcomings have to be faced, such as an inability to link with strikers, inconsistency in big moments, and wastefulness in front of goal.
Ultimately, Manchester United may have to make some difficult decisions in the near future to align with the vision of their new manager. The road ahead will doubtless be bumpy, but with the right adjustments, Amorim could steer the club toward a more successful future.