Ruben Amorim - Manchester United Head Coach

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Anything to fuel that narrative.

Socieded are a mid table Spanish side. When we get the same sort of result regularly against Bournemouths, Palaces, Brightons and Fulhams we can talk about the players being "clearly good enough".

I mean it was a good performance don't get me wrong, but it's insane to use a single result to justify watching Dalot cross balls into the stands, the attackers performing like a relegation side, Onana and the defenders singlehandedly fumbling games away with individual errors, and the entire midfield being basically unable to show any athleticism and getting ran slap over by the more athletic teams in the league.

 

[RedfromIreland]

People are getting carried away. Sociedad were poor and had a man sent off, which gave us a lot more space to operate. We aren’t going to be facing a team as bad as Socidead too often and we aren’t getting a man advantage. Some green shoots of progress hopefully are sprouted, but I think we are getting a reality check with Lyon.

City away: City aren’t very good at the moment.
Liverpool away: Pool had an off day.
R/S away: They’re not very good we should be beating them.
Arsenal home: Hard to believe they are up there.
R/S home: Don’t get carried away, they’re a bad lot.
There have been lots of times to feel pessimistic but why can’t we take these results at face value and show some positive vibes.
If some fans can’t see the fight and passion shown in those results, and even the comeback win against Ipswich with our ten men, and the kick in the teeth on Thursday night followed by the commanding win and performance, I don’t know.
If we had converted the chances we had in those drawn games, our spirits would be extremely high.

 

[Amir]

Exactly. We've beat arsenal and city away, and drew with Liverpool at anfield in a game we should have won but it will count for nothing when we run in to European juggernauts like Lyon and Bilbao

Well, since Arsenal, City and Liverpool we've seen loads of worrying signs against teams who are not exactly top quality in England, so surely there was a reason to worry - and there still is, unless we show we can turn it on regularly against different teams and different types of teams.

 

[Gavinb33]

Exactly. We've beat arsenal and city away, and drew with Liverpool at anfield in a game we should have won but it will count for nothing when we run in to European juggernauts like Lyon and Bilbao

The rewrite of history after that Liverpool game is so funny, did we play well yes we did but then so did Liverpool they were better than us by every metric so to argue we should have won when actually we got a draw well a bit desperate

 

[Remember the geese]

The rewrite of history after that Liverpool game is so funny, did we play well yes we did but then so did Liverpool they were better than us by every metric so to argue we should have won when actually we got a draw well a bit desperate

I'm not so sure that Liverpool were better than us. We really could have won that game. We created some great opportunities.

 

[DJ_21]

Love that he solved our biggest problem. When he first joined we was awful at set pieces and conceded every corner pretty much. Now we look more solid. Dont know how he did it but he did.

 

[BorisManUtd]

The rewrite of history after that Liverpool game is so funny, did we play well yes we did but then so did Liverpool they were better than us by every metric so to argue we should have won when actually we got a draw well a bit desperate

They were maybe better by every metric but only slightly. We could have won that game and I remember some Liverpool fans saying that as well. Liverpool were clearly better last season at Old Trafford when they were only 1-0 up at HT and missed few big chances. This January the game was different.

 

[Gavinb33]

They were maybe better by every metric but only slightly. We could have won that game and I remember some Liverpool fans saying that as well. Liverpool were clearly better last season at Old Trafford when they were only 1-0 up at HT and missed few big chances. This January the game was different.

Xg
Liv 2.8 Vs United 1.08
Shots
19 to 13
SoT
6 to 4
Big chances
4-3

They also had more possession, more passes in the opponents half and better passing accuracy

I mean we could have won the game sure, saying we should have won is a stretch.

 

[stevoc]

All of the front 3, Garnacho Hojlund and Zirkzee, have performed about 250% better in the cup competitions this season than in league games.

Entirely down to the other teams being physically weaker and the pace of the games being slower.

To be fair that would only explain the Europa League games, as in the 6 matches we played across the FA and League Cups we played 5 Premier League teams.

 

[r0663664]

Amorim will get here, he is learning about the team everyday and he is trying out different thing each game. As results improve, the players form and confidence will improve. Moving Garnacho from the left to the right seems to be working. Instead of shooting, Garnacho is looking from someone is a better position to score. Zirkzee is a no. 10, his best role is link up play between striker, midfield and wingers. Dorgu is always trying to get forward with his pace and physicality which is what he wants. With a decent ST, RWB and CM, he should be doing alot better next season.

 

[BorisManUtd]

Xg
Liv 2.8 Vs United 1.08
Shots
19 to 13
SoT
6 to 4
Big chances
4-3

They also had more possession, more passes in the opponents half and better passing accuracy

I mean we could have won the game sure, saying we should have won is a stretch.

My source says different: Liverpool 2.86 - 1.67 United link: https://understat.com/match/26797 Take away the penalty that is probably 0.75, Liverpool are then 2.11 versus our 1.67.

They had more possession: Liverpool 53% - 47% United, that's a small difference.

I never said we should have won (you're probably referring to other poster) but could have won and that was impression of many people I'm sure.

Should we have won? Draw was probably was more fair. But don't think if someone says that we should have won is rewriting the history. Perhaps just an exaggeration, nothing more than that.

 

[stepic]

My source says different: Liverpool 2.86 - 1.67 United link: https://understat.com/match/26797 Take away the penalty that is probably 0.75, Liverpool are then 2.11 versus our 1.67.

They had more possession: Liverpool 53% - 47% United, that's a small difference.

I never said we should have won (you're probably referring to other poster) but could have won and that was impression of many people I'm sure.

Should we have won? Draw was probably was more fair. But don't think if someone says that we should have won is rewriting the history. Perhaps just an exaggeration, nothing more than that.

This is also the best team in the league we’re talking about. If we’re anywhere close to them right now then it’s a good sign.

 

[Marwood]

Love that he solved our biggest problem. When he first joined we was awful at set pieces and conceded every corner pretty much. Now we look more solid. Dont know how he did it but he did.

Three big CB's I'd expect is the main difference.

As opposed to only two CB's and one of them being Martinez or Lindelof.

We're actually a pretty big team now.

 

[Bobby_2024]

4 players can really suit to his style/System are Martinez/Amad/Mount/Shaw and he cant have their service but still getting results.

Just with one ne player (Dorgu) the team looks better, so give him 3/4 new players + some of the above players back from Injury, he can make the team play a lot better. Do you agree?

 

[2 man midfield]

I thought people were joking about this, wow. It will be fun to see them roll back the years!

How is Nemanja matic only 36? He was older than that when he left us

 

[Remember the geese]

Take away the penalty that is probably 0.75, Liverpool are then 2.11 versus our 1.67.

It also probably doesn't take into account that great opportunity of a header for Amad when he overran and misjudged Dalot's cross.

 

[Licha-Vidic]

This is also the best team in the league we’re talking about. If we’re anywhere close to them right now then it’s a good sign.

City away: City aren’t very good at the moment.
Liverpool away: Pool had an off day.
R/S away: They’re not very good we should be beating them.
Arsenal home: Hard to believe they are up there.
R/S home: Don’t get carried away, they’re a bad lot.
There have been lots of times to feel pessimistic but why can’t we take these results at face value and show some positive vibes.
If some fans can’t see the fight and passion shown in those results, and even the comeback win against Ipswich with our ten men, and the kick in the teeth on Thursday night followed by the commanding win and performance, I don’t know.
If we had converted the chances we had in those drawn games, our spirits would be extremely high.

They were maybe better by every metric but only slightly. We could have won that game and I remember some Liverpool fans saying that as well. Liverpool were clearly better last season at Old Trafford when they were only 1-0 up at HT and missed few big chances. This January the game was different.

Again, it cant be when we win it's Amorim brilliance but when we lose the players are relegation level.

We have a capable squad, not title winning squad but its not a 14 place squad. We need better from everyone more so from Amorim.

 

[Oranges038]

I thought people were joking about this, wow. It will be fun to see them roll back the years!

They also have Maitland Niles so watch him turn into prime Vieira for 2 games.

 

[TrueRed79]

Patience is required. And this season has been dreadful. But he 100% is the man if we can get our recruitment sorted out. Think he will win the EL and clubs fortunes will turnaround significantly after it with CL football. I will be keeping the faith.

 

[Ted Lasso]

Twice in 2021. Beat Sociedad and Granada by 4 over

Ty. My memory is like a goldfish.

 

[ThinkTank@Cafe]

.
R. Sociedad game provided a lot of food for thought in many aspects: Ruben’s tactical adjustments, players’ potential, and even future transfer implications.

Ruben adapted his system. Instead of forcing players into his Sporting template (3-4-3), he started to accommodate Casemiro, Bruno, and Garnacho to get the best out of them. It took some time, but hey, we are not in a position to complain after giving the likes of Ten Hag years (and hundreds of millions) in hope of change.

Players’ Positions in Possession vs R. Sociedad: 3-1-4-2 (Build-Up Phase)

• Back Three: Heaven and Mazraoui’s mobility was instrumental in keeping the backline high. This, in turn, helped accommodate Casemiro, whose weaknesses were mitigated while his strengths shone.
• Single Pivot (Casemiro): The Brazilian was so efficient because he sat very deep, meaning he didn’t have to run at all. Additionally, he was supported by an aggressive backline that played much higher than usual. Ten Hag thought he had signed a world-class DM and couldn’t admit his mistake. Ruben, however, turned Casemiro (at least in this match) into a competent deep-lying playmaker. Heaven and Mazraoui did a great job stepping into midfield, helping Casemiro cover ground.
• Wingers: Yes, traditional old-school United wingers—staying wide in the build-up phase and cutting inside near the box.

I’ve long advocated for using Garnacho on the right because, when deployed on the left, he always needed a touch or two to settle the ball. This gave the opposition time to congest the area and cut out passing lanes. His goal contributions didn’t outweigh the drawbacks. Initially, both Ten Hag and Ruben stuck with him on the left because, even with its flaws, his limited goal contributions still accounted for a large share of our attacking output.

I’ll skip discussing the other two midfielders (Bruno and Dalot) for now to focus on the two forwards, as they need to be analyzed in relation to the wingers.

Forwards: ZZ & Rasmus

ZZ and Rasmus positioned themselves extremely close to each other in build-up—literally a couple of meters apart. It looked strange but was deadly efficient. Sociedad’s CBs had no choice but to mark them tightly, while their fullbacks were forced to track Dorgu, Garnacho (or sometimes Dalot), who were stretching the pitch by staying glued to the touchline.
The result? You could fit North America into the gap between Sociedad’s center-back and fullback. Additionally, the isolated fullbacks became easy prey for pace merchants like Dorgu and Garnacho.

Bruno – The Free Man

Our captain is a unique player who can play anywhere, which was both a blessing and a curse under Ole and Ten Hag. They used him as a stopgap to plug holes instead of building a system around him. Ruben, however, structured the entire setup to maximize Bruno’s effectiveness:

1. He was relieved of deep ball progression duties because we had Casemiro.
2. He was given a lot of space to operate. And he thrived.

Tactical Execution & Individual Brilliance

On top of that, the players performed superbly on an individual level. But that’s not surprising—they had the right setup to do so. They had space to attempt nutmegs, their opponents were isolated, and players like Dorgu, Garnacho, ZZ, Højlund, Bruno, and even Mazraoui (who loves to go forward) had the freedom to unlock Sociedad with just one successful move. Naturally, they went for it.

Yes, it was just one game against weak opposition—but how many times have we lost to weak teams this season? “Weak opposition” has been our kryptonite for years. We tend to do well against big teams, but what we truly needed was a system that dominates the “must-win” matches—the ones we never win.

Transfers – Do We Need Quenda?

I don’t think so. We already have Amad, and in this 3-1-4-2 system, the only position where he could genuinely improve us is right wing-back (RWB). Imagine Garnacho and Amad rotating positions on the right flank—that could be devastating.
ZZ has to stay in the team. Ruben has found a role for him, and he looks really impressive. We already have competent CBs, a solid LWB, and Bruno thriving as an advanced 8/10. Højlund will eventually come good.

The only thing we’re missing? A world-class deep-lying midfielder with excellent passing and legs. That’s the final piece of the puzzle

 

[NLunited]

.
R. Sociedad game provided a lot of food for thought in many aspects: Ruben’s tactical adjustments, players’ potential, and even future transfer implications.

Ruben adapted his system. Instead of forcing players into his Sporting template (3-4-3), he started to accommodate Casemiro, Bruno, and Garnacho to get the best out of them. It took some time, but hey, we are not in a position to complain after giving the likes of Ten Hag years (and hundreds of millions) in hope of change.

Players’ Positions in Possession vs R. Sociedad: 3-1-4-2 (Build-Up Phase)

• Back Three: Heaven and Mazraoui’s mobility was instrumental in keeping the backline high. This, in turn, helped accommodate Casemiro, whose weaknesses were mitigated while his strengths shone.
• Single Pivot (Casemiro): The Brazilian was so efficient because he sat very deep, meaning he didn’t have to run at all. Additionally, he was supported by an aggressive backline that played much higher than usual. Ten Hag thought he had signed a world-class DM and couldn’t admit his mistake. Ruben, however, turned Casemiro (at least in this match) into a competent deep-lying playmaker. Heaven and Mazraoui did a great job stepping into midfield, helping Casemiro cover ground.
• Wingers: Yes, traditional old-school United wingers—staying wide in the build-up phase and cutting inside near the box.

I’ve long advocated for using Garnacho on the right because, when deployed on the left, he always needed a touch or two to settle the ball. This gave the opposition time to congest the area and cut out passing lanes. His goal contributions didn’t outweigh the drawbacks. Initially, both Ten Hag and Ruben stuck with him on the left because, even with its flaws, his limited goal contributions still accounted for a large share of our attacking output.

I’ll skip discussing the other two midfielders (Bruno and Dalot) for now to focus on the two forwards, as they need to be analyzed in relation to the wingers.

Forwards: ZZ & Rasmus

ZZ and Rasmus positioned themselves extremely close to each other in build-up—literally a couple of meters apart. It looked strange but was deadly efficient. Sociedad’s CBs had no choice but to mark them tightly, while their fullbacks were forced to track Dorgu, Garnacho (or sometimes Dalot), who were stretching the pitch by staying glued to the touchline.
The result? You could fit North America into the gap between Sociedad’s center-back and fullback. Additionally, the isolated fullbacks became easy prey for pace merchants like Dorgu and Garnacho.

Bruno – The Free Man

Our captain is a unique player who can play anywhere, which was both a blessing and a curse under Ole and Ten Hag. They used him as a stopgap to plug holes instead of building a system around him. Ruben, however, structured the entire setup to maximize Bruno’s effectiveness:

1. He was relieved of deep ball progression duties because we had Casemiro.
2. He was given a lot of space to operate. And he thrived.

Tactical Execution & Individual Brilliance

On top of that, the players performed superbly on an individual level. But that’s not surprising—they had the right setup to do so. They had space to attempt nutmegs, their opponents were isolated, and players like Dorgu, Garnacho, ZZ, Højlund, Bruno, and even Mazraoui (who loves to go forward) had the freedom to unlock Sociedad with just one successful move. Naturally, they went for it.

Yes, it was just one game against weak opposition—but how many times have we lost to weak teams this season? “Weak opposition” has been our kryptonite for years. We tend to do well against big teams, but what we truly needed was a system that dominates the “must-win” matches—the ones we never win.

Transfers – Do We Need Quenda?

I don’t think so. We already have Amad, and in this 3-1-4-2 system, the only position where he could genuinely improve us is right wing-back (RWB). Imagine Garnacho and Amad rotating positions on the right flank—that could be devastating.
ZZ has to stay in the team. Ruben has found a role for him, and he looks really impressive. We already have competent CBs, a solid LWB, and Bruno thriving as an advanced 8/10. Højlund will eventually come good.

The only thing we’re missing? A world-class deep-lying midfielder with excellent passing and legs. That’s the final piece of the puzzle

Well written.

 

[r0663664]

.
R. Sociedad game provided a lot of food for thought in many aspects: Ruben’s tactical adjustments, players’ potential, and even future transfer implications.

Ruben adapted his system. Instead of forcing players into his Sporting template (3-4-3), he started to accommodate Casemiro, Bruno, and Garnacho to get the best out of them. It took some time, but hey, we are not in a position to complain after giving the likes of Ten Hag years (and hundreds of millions) in hope of change.

Players’ Positions in Possession vs R. Sociedad: 3-1-4-2 (Build-Up Phase)

• Back Three: Heaven and Mazraoui’s mobility was instrumental in keeping the backline high. This, in turn, helped accommodate Casemiro, whose weaknesses were mitigated while his strengths shone.
• Single Pivot (Casemiro): The Brazilian was so efficient because he sat very deep, meaning he didn’t have to run at all. Additionally, he was supported by an aggressive backline that played much higher than usual. Ten Hag thought he had signed a world-class DM and couldn’t admit his mistake. Ruben, however, turned Casemiro (at least in this match) into a competent deep-lying playmaker. Heaven and Mazraoui did a great job stepping into midfield, helping Casemiro cover ground.
• Wingers: Yes, traditional old-school United wingers—staying wide in the build-up phase and cutting inside near the box.

I’ve long advocated for using Garnacho on the right because, when deployed on the left, he always needed a touch or two to settle the ball. This gave the opposition time to congest the area and cut out passing lanes. His goal contributions didn’t outweigh the drawbacks. Initially, both Ten Hag and Ruben stuck with him on the left because, even with its flaws, his limited goal contributions still accounted for a large share of our attacking output.

I’ll skip discussing the other two midfielders (Bruno and Dalot) for now to focus on the two forwards, as they need to be analyzed in relation to the wingers.

Forwards: ZZ & Rasmus

ZZ and Rasmus positioned themselves extremely close to each other in build-up—literally a couple of meters apart. It looked strange but was deadly efficient. Sociedad’s CBs had no choice but to mark them tightly, while their fullbacks were forced to track Dorgu, Garnacho (or sometimes Dalot), who were stretching the pitch by staying glued to the touchline.
The result? You could fit North America into the gap between Sociedad’s center-back and fullback. Additionally, the isolated fullbacks became easy prey for pace merchants like Dorgu and Garnacho.

Bruno – The Free Man

Our captain is a unique player who can play anywhere, which was both a blessing and a curse under Ole and Ten Hag. They used him as a stopgap to plug holes instead of building a system around him. Ruben, however, structured the entire setup to maximize Bruno’s effectiveness:

1. He was relieved of deep ball progression duties because we had Casemiro.
2. He was given a lot of space to operate. And he thrived.

Tactical Execution & Individual Brilliance

On top of that, the players performed superbly on an individual level. But that’s not surprising—they had the right setup to do so. They had space to attempt nutmegs, their opponents were isolated, and players like Dorgu, Garnacho, ZZ, Højlund, Bruno, and even Mazraoui (who loves to go forward) had the freedom to unlock Sociedad with just one successful move. Naturally, they went for it.

Yes, it was just one game against weak opposition—but how many times have we lost to weak teams this season? “Weak opposition” has been our kryptonite for years. We tend to do well against big teams, but what we truly needed was a system that dominates the “must-win” matches—the ones we never win.

Transfers – Do We Need Quenda?

I don’t think so. We already have Amad, and in this 3-1-4-2 system, the only position where he could genuinely improve us is right wing-back (RWB). Imagine Garnacho and Amad rotating positions on the right flank—that could be devastating.
ZZ has to stay in the team. Ruben has found a role for him, and he looks really impressive. We already have competent CBs, a solid LWB, and Bruno thriving as an advanced 8/10. Højlund will eventually come good.

The only thing we’re missing? A world-class deep-lying midfielder with excellent passing and legs. That’s the final piece of the puzzle

Great analysis, hopefully what you say is true. We need more than 1 deep lying midfield, we need depth in our squad. We need a no. 9, we need one RWB if whether Amad plays that role or not. Minimum for the club to find 3 players that fits Amorim philosophy. It will best to find gems like Heaven in other youth academy.

 

[BorisManUtd]

This is also the best team in the league we’re talking about. If we’re anywhere close to them right now then it’s a good sign.

Exactly. Not to mention our problems playing at Anfield where we last scored in December 2018 before this game and last won almost a decade ago. I've been frustrated with many of our performances under Amorim but Liverpool away was really encouraging.

It also probably doesn't take into account that great opportunity of a header for Amad when he overran and misjudged Dalot's cross.

True, I forgot about that one.

 

[chris123]

.
R. Sociedad game provided a lot of food for thought in many aspects: Ruben’s tactical adjustments, players’ potential, and even future transfer implications.

Ruben adapted his system. Instead of forcing players into his Sporting template (3-4-3), he started to accommodate Casemiro, Bruno, and Garnacho to get the best out of them. It took some time, but hey, we are not in a position to complain after giving the likes of Ten Hag years (and hundreds of millions) in hope of change.

Players’ Positions in Possession vs R. Sociedad: 3-1-4-2 (Build-Up Phase)

• Back Three: Heaven and Mazraoui’s mobility was instrumental in keeping the backline high. This, in turn, helped accommodate Casemiro, whose weaknesses were mitigated while his strengths shone.
• Single Pivot (Casemiro): The Brazilian was so efficient because he sat very deep, meaning he didn’t have to run at all. Additionally, he was supported by an aggressive backline that played much higher than usual. Ten Hag thought he had signed a world-class DM and couldn’t admit his mistake. Ruben, however, turned Casemiro (at least in this match) into a competent deep-lying playmaker. Heaven and Mazraoui did a great job stepping into midfield, helping Casemiro cover ground.
• Wingers: Yes, traditional old-school United wingers—staying wide in the build-up phase and cutting inside near the box.

I’ve long advocated for using Garnacho on the right because, when deployed on the left, he always needed a touch or two to settle the ball. This gave the opposition time to congest the area and cut out passing lanes. His goal contributions didn’t outweigh the drawbacks. Initially, both Ten Hag and Ruben stuck with him on the left because, even with its flaws, his limited goal contributions still accounted for a large share of our attacking output.

I’ll skip discussing the other two midfielders (Bruno and Dalot) for now to focus on the two forwards, as they need to be analyzed in relation to the wingers.

Forwards: ZZ & Rasmus

ZZ and Rasmus positioned themselves extremely close to each other in build-up—literally a couple of meters apart. It looked strange but was deadly efficient. Sociedad’s CBs had no choice but to mark them tightly, while their fullbacks were forced to track Dorgu, Garnacho (or sometimes Dalot), who were stretching the pitch by staying glued to the touchline.
The result? You could fit North America into the gap between Sociedad’s center-back and fullback. Additionally, the isolated fullbacks became easy prey for pace merchants like Dorgu and Garnacho.

Bruno – The Free Man

Our captain is a unique player who can play anywhere, which was both a blessing and a curse under Ole and Ten Hag. They used him as a stopgap to plug holes instead of building a system around him. Ruben, however, structured the entire setup to maximize Bruno’s effectiveness:

1. He was relieved of deep ball progression duties because we had Casemiro.
2. He was given a lot of space to operate. And he thrived.

Tactical Execution & Individual Brilliance

On top of that, the players performed superbly on an individual level. But that’s not surprising—they had the right setup to do so. They had space to attempt nutmegs, their opponents were isolated, and players like Dorgu, Garnacho, ZZ, Højlund, Bruno, and even Mazraoui (who loves to go forward) had the freedom to unlock Sociedad with just one successful move. Naturally, they went for it.

Yes, it was just one game against weak opposition—but how many times have we lost to weak teams this season? “Weak opposition” has been our kryptonite for years. We tend to do well against big teams, but what we truly needed was a system that dominates the “must-win” matches—the ones we never win.

Transfers – Do We Need Quenda?

I don’t think so. We already have Amad, and in this 3-1-4-2 system, the only position where he could genuinely improve us is right wing-back (RWB). Imagine Garnacho and Amad rotating positions on the right flank—that could be devastating.
ZZ has to stay in the team. Ruben has found a role for him, and he looks really impressive. We already have competent CBs, a solid LWB, and Bruno thriving as an advanced 8/10. Højlund will eventually come good.

The only thing we’re missing? A world-class deep-lying midfielder with excellent passing and legs. That’s the final piece of the puzzle

This game we definitely saw the system working in its intended fashion for one of the first times. The thing that really jumped out to me was how easy it was to play out of the back. With a back 5, and the two wide centre backs comfortable in possession, it was so so easy to create an overload on either side which allowed the wing back to advance the ball 30-40 yards. There must have been at least four or five occasions where a simple pass from Heaven to Dorgu, completely negated whatever press they were doing, and got the ball into their half.

 

[BorisManUtd]

.
R. Sociedad game provided a lot of food for thought in many aspects: Ruben’s tactical adjustments, players’ potential, and even future transfer implications.

Ruben adapted his system. Instead of forcing players into his Sporting template (3-4-3), he started to accommodate Casemiro, Bruno, and Garnacho to get the best out of them. It took some time, but hey, we are not in a position to complain after giving the likes of Ten Hag years (and hundreds of millions) in hope of change.

Players’ Positions in Possession vs R. Sociedad: 3-1-4-2 (Build-Up Phase)

• Back Three: Heaven and Mazraoui’s mobility was instrumental in keeping the backline high. This, in turn, helped accommodate Casemiro, whose weaknesses were mitigated while his strengths shone.
• Single Pivot (Casemiro): The Brazilian was so efficient because he sat very deep, meaning he didn’t have to run at all. Additionally, he was supported by an aggressive backline that played much higher than usual. Ten Hag thought he had signed a world-class DM and couldn’t admit his mistake. Ruben, however, turned Casemiro (at least in this match) into a competent deep-lying playmaker. Heaven and Mazraoui did a great job stepping into midfield, helping Casemiro cover ground.
• Wingers: Yes, traditional old-school United wingers—staying wide in the build-up phase and cutting inside near the box.

I’ve long advocated for using Garnacho on the right because, when deployed on the left, he always needed a touch or two to settle the ball. This gave the opposition time to congest the area and cut out passing lanes. His goal contributions didn’t outweigh the drawbacks. Initially, both Ten Hag and Ruben stuck with him on the left because, even with its flaws, his limited goal contributions still accounted for a large share of our attacking output.

I’ll skip discussing the other two midfielders (Bruno and Dalot) for now to focus on the two forwards, as they need to be analyzed in relation to the wingers.

Forwards: ZZ & Rasmus

ZZ and Rasmus positioned themselves extremely close to each other in build-up—literally a couple of meters apart. It looked strange but was deadly efficient. Sociedad’s CBs had no choice but to mark them tightly, while their fullbacks were forced to track Dorgu, Garnacho (or sometimes Dalot), who were stretching the pitch by staying glued to the touchline.
The result? You could fit North America into the gap between Sociedad’s center-back and fullback. Additionally, the isolated fullbacks became easy prey for pace merchants like Dorgu and Garnacho.

Bruno – The Free Man

Our captain is a unique player who can play anywhere, which was both a blessing and a curse under Ole and Ten Hag. They used him as a stopgap to plug holes instead of building a system around him. Ruben, however, structured the entire setup to maximize Bruno’s effectiveness:

1. He was relieved of deep ball progression duties because we had Casemiro.
2. He was given a lot of space to operate. And he thrived.

Tactical Execution & Individual Brilliance

On top of that, the players performed superbly on an individual level. But that’s not surprising—they had the right setup to do so. They had space to attempt nutmegs, their opponents were isolated, and players like Dorgu, Garnacho, ZZ, Højlund, Bruno, and even Mazraoui (who loves to go forward) had the freedom to unlock Sociedad with just one successful move. Naturally, they went for it.

Yes, it was just one game against weak opposition—but how many times have we lost to weak teams this season? “Weak opposition” has been our kryptonite for years. We tend to do well against big teams, but what we truly needed was a system that dominates the “must-win” matches—the ones we never win.

Transfers – Do We Need Quenda?

I don’t think so. We already have Amad, and in this 3-1-4-2 system, the only position where he could genuinely improve us is right wing-back (RWB). Imagine Garnacho and Amad rotating positions on the right flank—that could be devastating.
ZZ has to stay in the team. Ruben has found a role for him, and he looks really impressive. We already have competent CBs, a solid LWB, and Bruno thriving as an advanced 8/10. Højlund will eventually come good.

The only thing we’re missing? A world-class deep-lying midfielder with excellent passing and legs. That’s the final piece of the puzzle

Good and interesting post. Not sure deep-lying midfielder is all we need. IMO we need a new goalkeeper as Onana is too shaky and not that great with his distribution. I like our CBs but that's not a clear situation as we've got 2 injury-prone left CBs in Martinez and Shaw and then Heaven as a kid. Suppose de Ligt/Maguire for CCB is good enough for now and then Yoro/Mazraoui potentially quite good for RCB. Striker is needed as Zirkzee isn't a ST and Hojlund needs someone to rotate with even if he was good enough, and he isn't atm.


Would like your (and others') opinion on Mainoo? Is he a good fit for Amorim's system or would you rather sell him for potentially big money?

 

[criticalanalysis]

I enjoyed the goals and the win a lot but I'm quite surprised with the amount of optimism going forward. Amorim said he's learned some things and in some ways we have improved so hopefully that does mean more progress but the game against Sociedad is another red herring for me. We started poorly again, couldn't string passes under their pressure, got back into it after going a goal down (which happens pretty much every time) and then only really created more chances when they were a man down. Even then they pressed us with 10 men and we kept hitting it long as we couldn't deal with their pressure. If it wasn't for their shite decision making in the final third they probably could have got an equaliser, whilst we faffed about and didn't put them to the sword until the last 10 mins. We got the space and an outlet to create chances because they inexplicably continued to play a high line and they couldn't deal with our physicality, both things we won't get in the PL.

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

.
R. Sociedad game provided a lot of food for thought in many aspects: Ruben’s tactical adjustments, players’ potential, and even future transfer implications.

Ruben adapted his system. Instead of forcing players into his Sporting template (3-4-3), he started to accommodate Casemiro, Bruno, and Garnacho to get the best out of them. It took some time, but hey, we are not in a position to complain after giving the likes of Ten Hag years (and hundreds of millions) in hope of change.

Players’ Positions in Possession vs R. Sociedad: 3-1-4-2 (Build-Up Phase)

• Back Three: Heaven and Mazraoui’s mobility was instrumental in keeping the backline high. This, in turn, helped accommodate Casemiro, whose weaknesses were mitigated while his strengths shone.
• Single Pivot (Casemiro): The Brazilian was so efficient because he sat very deep, meaning he didn’t have to run at all. Additionally, he was supported by an aggressive backline that played much higher than usual. Ten Hag thought he had signed a world-class DM and couldn’t admit his mistake. Ruben, however, turned Casemiro (at least in this match) into a competent deep-lying playmaker. Heaven and Mazraoui did a great job stepping into midfield, helping Casemiro cover ground.
• Wingers: Yes, traditional old-school United wingers—staying wide in the build-up phase and cutting inside near the box.

I’ve long advocated for using Garnacho on the right because, when deployed on the left, he always needed a touch or two to settle the ball. This gave the opposition time to congest the area and cut out passing lanes. His goal contributions didn’t outweigh the drawbacks. Initially, both Ten Hag and Ruben stuck with him on the left because, even with its flaws, his limited goal contributions still accounted for a large share of our attacking output.

I’ll skip discussing the other two midfielders (Bruno and Dalot) for now to focus on the two forwards, as they need to be analyzed in relation to the wingers.

Forwards: ZZ & Rasmus

ZZ and Rasmus positioned themselves extremely close to each other in build-up—literally a couple of meters apart. It looked strange but was deadly efficient. Sociedad’s CBs had no choice but to mark them tightly, while their fullbacks were forced to track Dorgu, Garnacho (or sometimes Dalot), who were stretching the pitch by staying glued to the touchline.
The result? You could fit North America into the gap between Sociedad’s center-back and fullback. Additionally, the isolated fullbacks became easy prey for pace merchants like Dorgu and Garnacho.

Bruno – The Free Man

Our captain is a unique player who can play anywhere, which was both a blessing and a curse under Ole and Ten Hag. They used him as a stopgap to plug holes instead of building a system around him. Ruben, however, structured the entire setup to maximize Bruno’s effectiveness:

1. He was relieved of deep ball progression duties because we had Casemiro.
2. He was given a lot of space to operate. And he thrived.

Tactical Execution & Individual Brilliance

On top of that, the players performed superbly on an individual level. But that’s not surprising—they had the right setup to do so. They had space to attempt nutmegs, their opponents were isolated, and players like Dorgu, Garnacho, ZZ, Højlund, Bruno, and even Mazraoui (who loves to go forward) had the freedom to unlock Sociedad with just one successful move. Naturally, they went for it.

Yes, it was just one game against weak opposition—but how many times have we lost to weak teams this season? “Weak opposition” has been our kryptonite for years. We tend to do well against big teams, but what we truly needed was a system that dominates the “must-win” matches—the ones we never win.

Transfers – Do We Need Quenda?

I don’t think so. We already have Amad, and in this 3-1-4-2 system, the only position where he could genuinely improve us is right wing-back (RWB). Imagine Garnacho and Amad rotating positions on the right flank—that could be devastating.
ZZ has to stay in the team. Ruben has found a role for him, and he looks really impressive. We already have competent CBs, a solid LWB, and Bruno thriving as an advanced 8/10. Højlund will eventually come good.

The only thing we’re missing? A world-class deep-lying midfielder with excellent passing and legs. That’s the final piece of the puzzle

Nope, Höjlund will not become good.

 

[Ronaldo's Love Child]

That's nonsense.

The plan for the club would need to be to stay in the shitter for this to happen.

Constantly buying 18/19 year olds in the hope that they will come good enough to sell in 3 or 4 years isn't a viable option.

They need to target players in that 20-24 age bracket that are already good enough, so they can build a squad that will grow and mature together. You need 3 tiers to your sqaud,

Tier 1. Older guys to guide the youngsters
Tier 2. Majority of players coming to their peak
Tier 3. Younger players who will grow into tier 2.

Utd currently have too many in 1 & 3 and very little in 2.

You either buy players ready for 2, this will cost a hell of a lot of money.

Or you bring them in and develop them, with the expectation that they will eventually stay and become tier 1 and tier 2 players. This takes time, to do. In that time the club, the recruitment and coaching setup has to be ready and willing to be patient to help these players reach their maturity and peak.

Utd becoming a moneyball club, can't and should not be allowed to happen.

I think your understanding of "moneyball" is misplaced.

 

[Oranges038]

I think your understanding of "moneyball" is misplaced.

Buying undervalued/ young players with a view to selling them on for profit, is pretty much moneyball.

Utd are too big to go down that route.

 

[cirilus]

.
R. Sociedad game provided a lot of food for thought in many aspects: Ruben’s tactical adjustments, players’ potential, and even future transfer implications.

Ruben adapted his system. Instead of forcing players into his Sporting template (3-4-3), he started to accommodate Casemiro, Bruno, and Garnacho to get the best out of them. It took some time, but hey, we are not in a position to complain after giving the likes of Ten Hag years (and hundreds of millions) in hope of change.

Players’ Positions in Possession vs R. Sociedad: 3-1-4-2 (Build-Up Phase)

• Back Three: Heaven and Mazraoui’s mobility was instrumental in keeping the backline high. This, in turn, helped accommodate Casemiro, whose weaknesses were mitigated while his strengths shone.
• Single Pivot (Casemiro): The Brazilian was so efficient because he sat very deep, meaning he didn’t have to run at all. Additionally, he was supported by an aggressive backline that played much higher than usual. Ten Hag thought he had signed a world-class DM and couldn’t admit his mistake. Ruben, however, turned Casemiro (at least in this match) into a competent deep-lying playmaker. Heaven and Mazraoui did a great job stepping into midfield, helping Casemiro cover ground.
• Wingers: Yes, traditional old-school United wingers—staying wide in the build-up phase and cutting inside near the box.

I’ve long advocated for using Garnacho on the right because, when deployed on the left, he always needed a touch or two to settle the ball. This gave the opposition time to congest the area and cut out passing lanes. His goal contributions didn’t outweigh the drawbacks. Initially, both Ten Hag and Ruben stuck with him on the left because, even with its flaws, his limited goal contributions still accounted for a large share of our attacking output.

I’ll skip discussing the other two midfielders (Bruno and Dalot) for now to focus on the two forwards, as they need to be analyzed in relation to the wingers.

Forwards: ZZ & Rasmus

ZZ and Rasmus positioned themselves extremely close to each other in build-up—literally a couple of meters apart. It looked strange but was deadly efficient. Sociedad’s CBs had no choice but to mark them tightly, while their fullbacks were forced to track Dorgu, Garnacho (or sometimes Dalot), who were stretching the pitch by staying glued to the touchline.
The result? You could fit North America into the gap between Sociedad’s center-back and fullback. Additionally, the isolated fullbacks became easy prey for pace merchants like Dorgu and Garnacho.

Bruno – The Free Man

Our captain is a unique player who can play anywhere, which was both a blessing and a curse under Ole and Ten Hag. They used him as a stopgap to plug holes instead of building a system around him. Ruben, however, structured the entire setup to maximize Bruno’s effectiveness:

1. He was relieved of deep ball progression duties because we had Casemiro.
2. He was given a lot of space to operate. And he thrived.

Tactical Execution & Individual Brilliance

On top of that, the players performed superbly on an individual level. But that’s not surprising—they had the right setup to do so. They had space to attempt nutmegs, their opponents were isolated, and players like Dorgu, Garnacho, ZZ, Højlund, Bruno, and even Mazraoui (who loves to go forward) had the freedom to unlock Sociedad with just one successful move. Naturally, they went for it.

Yes, it was just one game against weak opposition—but how many times have we lost to weak teams this season? “Weak opposition” has been our kryptonite for years. We tend to do well against big teams, but what we truly needed was a system that dominates the “must-win” matches—the ones we never win.

Transfers – Do We Need Quenda?

I don’t think so. We already have Amad, and in this 3-1-4-2 system, the only position where he could genuinely improve us is right wing-back (RWB). Imagine Garnacho and Amad rotating positions on the right flank—that could be devastating.
ZZ has to stay in the team. Ruben has found a role for him, and he looks really impressive. We already have competent CBs, a solid LWB, and Bruno thriving as an advanced 8/10. Højlund will eventually come good.

The only thing we’re missing? A world-class deep-lying midfielder with excellent passing and legs. That’s the final piece of the puzzle

Nice analysys. Agree with the most part.

Been saying we desperately need a striker and a keeper.


But indeed a lone midfielder will be needed.

Antony, Casemiro, Rashford, Sancho, Hojlund, Malacia, Onana and Mainoo money might be enough.

 

[NLunited]

Cmon we are not selling Mainoo. When does his contract expire?

 

[DrRodo]

Nope, Höjlund will not become good.

Sadly i agree with you. This is a bad form patch (he played very good against sociedad tho) but also we havent seen any sign that indicates he can be a world class forward. We should really sign a better more effective striker and hojlund should be second choice at best

 

[Bright_Eyes]

Buying undervalued/ young players with a view to selling them on for profit, is pretty much moneyball.

Utd are too big to go down that route.

I think the term came from a baseball team who bought undervalued players in order to perform better, rather than to sell them. A heavy focus on data analytics.

 

[aeh1991]

.
R. Sociedad game provided a lot of food for thought in many aspects: Ruben’s tactical adjustments, players’ potential, and even future transfer implications.

Ruben adapted his system. Instead of forcing players into his Sporting template (3-4-3), he started to accommodate Casemiro, Bruno, and Garnacho to get the best out of them. It took some time, but hey, we are not in a position to complain after giving the likes of Ten Hag years (and hundreds of millions) in hope of change.

Players’ Positions in Possession vs R. Sociedad: 3-1-4-2 (Build-Up Phase)

• Back Three: Heaven and Mazraoui’s mobility was instrumental in keeping the backline high. This, in turn, helped accommodate Casemiro, whose weaknesses were mitigated while his strengths shone.
• Single Pivot (Casemiro): The Brazilian was so efficient because he sat very deep, meaning he didn’t have to run at all. Additionally, he was supported by an aggressive backline that played much higher than usual. Ten Hag thought he had signed a world-class DM and couldn’t admit his mistake. Ruben, however, turned Casemiro (at least in this match) into a competent deep-lying playmaker. Heaven and Mazraoui did a great job stepping into midfield, helping Casemiro cover ground.
• Wingers: Yes, traditional old-school United wingers—staying wide in the build-up phase and cutting inside near the box.

I’ve long advocated for using Garnacho on the right because, when deployed on the left, he always needed a touch or two to settle the ball. This gave the opposition time to congest the area and cut out passing lanes. His goal contributions didn’t outweigh the drawbacks. Initially, both Ten Hag and Ruben stuck with him on the left because, even with its flaws, his limited goal contributions still accounted for a large share of our attacking output.

I’ll skip discussing the other two midfielders (Bruno and Dalot) for now to focus on the two forwards, as they need to be analyzed in relation to the wingers.

Forwards: ZZ & Rasmus

ZZ and Rasmus positioned themselves extremely close to each other in build-up—literally a couple of meters apart. It looked strange but was deadly efficient. Sociedad’s CBs had no choice but to mark them tightly, while their fullbacks were forced to track Dorgu, Garnacho (or sometimes Dalot), who were stretching the pitch by staying glued to the touchline.
The result? You could fit North America into the gap between Sociedad’s center-back and fullback. Additionally, the isolated fullbacks became easy prey for pace merchants like Dorgu and Garnacho.

Bruno – The Free Man

Our captain is a unique player who can play anywhere, which was both a blessing and a curse under Ole and Ten Hag. They used him as a stopgap to plug holes instead of building a system around him. Ruben, however, structured the entire setup to maximize Bruno’s effectiveness:

1. He was relieved of deep ball progression duties because we had Casemiro.
2. He was given a lot of space to operate. And he thrived.

Tactical Execution & Individual Brilliance

On top of that, the players performed superbly on an individual level. But that’s not surprising—they had the right setup to do so. They had space to attempt nutmegs, their opponents were isolated, and players like Dorgu, Garnacho, ZZ, Højlund, Bruno, and even Mazraoui (who loves to go forward) had the freedom to unlock Sociedad with just one successful move. Naturally, they went for it.

Yes, it was just one game against weak opposition—but how many times have we lost to weak teams this season? “Weak opposition” has been our kryptonite for years. We tend to do well against big teams, but what we truly needed was a system that dominates the “must-win” matches—the ones we never win.

Transfers – Do We Need Quenda?

I don’t think so. We already have Amad, and in this 3-1-4-2 system, the only position where he could genuinely improve us is right wing-back (RWB). Imagine Garnacho and Amad rotating positions on the right flank—that could be devastating.
ZZ has to stay in the team. Ruben has found a role for him, and he looks really impressive. We already have competent CBs, a solid LWB, and Bruno thriving as an advanced 8/10. Højlund will eventually come good.

The only thing we’re missing? A world-class deep-lying midfielder with excellent passing and legs. That’s the final piece of the puzzle

You don't think we need a CF?

 

[Desert Eagle]

I enjoyed the goals and the win a lot but I'm quite surprised with the amount of optimism going forward. Amorim said he's learned some things and in some ways we have improved so hopefully that does mean more progress but the game against Sociedad is another red herring for me. We started poorly again, couldn't string passes under their pressure, got back into it after going a goal down (which happens pretty much every time) and then only really created more chances when they were a man down. Even then they pressed us with 10 men and we kept hitting it long as we couldn't deal with their pressure. If it wasn't for their shite decision making in the final third they probably could have got an equaliser, whilst we faffed about and didn't put them to the sword until the last 10 mins. We got the space and an outlet to create chances because they inexplicably continued to play a high line and they couldn't deal with our physicality, both things we won't get in the PL.

With the midfielders we have, playing it long is unfortunately the best option. They don't have the physicality or technique to keep the ball under pressure for long periods of time. I think Amorim has recognized this and is compromising a little bit on his ideals.

 

[The Constant Gardener]

I think the term came from a baseball team who bought undervalued players in order to perform better, rather than to sell them. A heavy focus on data analytics.

Yep, it's about sourcing those underappreciated guys who don't hog the limelight as much as the star players (with an obvious benefit of lower transfer fees & wages), but still put in a solid shift for the team.

Developing young players is something completely different to Moneyball, nobody has the foggiest idea of how it's going to turn out.

 

[Bobski]

Love that he solved our biggest problem. When he first joined we was awful at set pieces and conceded every corner pretty much. Now we look more solid. Dont know how he did it but he did.

Martinez got injured pretty much.

Sad but true.

 

[ThinkTank@Cafe]

Great analysis, hopefully what you say is true. We need more than 1 deep lying midfield, we need depth in our squad. We need a no. 9, we need one RWB if whether Amad plays that role or not. Minimum for the club to find 3 players that fits Amorim philosophy. It will best to find gems like Heaven in other youth academy.

This game we definitely saw the system working in its intended fashion for one of the first times. The thing that really jumped out to me was how easy it was to play out of the back. With a back 5, and the two wide centre backs comfortable in possession, it was so so easy to create an overload on either side which allowed the wing back to advance the ball 30-40 yards. There must have been at least four or five occasions where a simple pass from Heaven to Dorgu, completely negated whatever press they were doing, and got the ball into their half.

Good and interesting post. Not sure deep-lying midfielder is all we need. IMO we need a new goalkeeper as Onana is too shaky and not that great with his distribution. I like our CBs but that's not a clear situation as we've got 2 injury-prone left CBs in Martinez and Shaw and then Heaven as a kid. Suppose de Ligt/Maguire for CCB is good enough for now and then Yoro/Mazraoui potentially quite good for RCB. Striker is needed as Zirkzee isn't a ST and Hojlund needs someone to rotate with even if he was good enough, and he isn't atm.


Would like your (and others') opinion on Mainoo? Is he a good fit for Amorim's system or would you rather sell him for potentially big money?

Nope, Höjlund will not become good.

Nice analysys. Agree with the most part.

Been saying we desperately need a striker and a keeper.


But indeed a lone midfielder will be needed.

Antony, Casemiro, Rashford, Sancho, Hojlund, Malacia, Onana and Mainoo money might be enough.

You don't think we need a CF?

My post might come across as overly optimistic, but I didn’t emphasize the main point I wanted to make: Ruben is a very capable coach, a level or two above Ten Hag and Ole, and we should trust him.

In the Arsenal game, I noticed several improvements—wider flanks (especially on the right, where Garnacho stayed on the touchline and Mazraoui pushed forward), a more limited role for Casemiro, and the ZZ-Højlund pairing. However, I held off on commenting until I saw the same setup working in the following game.
This formation is not set in stone—it’s a product of Ruben’s adherence to his principles and the squad he inherited in the midst of this mess. He didn’t sign these players; he arrived mid-season to a toxic atmosphere. He offloaded several players, dealt with a record number of injuries, and yet, despite all that, we now see a well-oiled, functioning machine playing attacking football—beautiful, technically brilliant football. It’s not just a relief—it’s a revelation.

Of course, this could change in the next game because, honestly, it still feels too good to be true. Sociedad didn’t press us well and failed to adapt to our build-up strategy. The Premier League is a different beast—it will be much tougher. We’re definitely not competing for the title next season.

Maybe, in the end, Ruben decides not to stick with the 3-1-4-2 and instead tries to shape Man United around his Sporting template. We might sell ZZ and Garnacho for good money, thanks to Ruben giving them the platform to showcase their talent. He could then reinvest the proceeds into players that fit his vision. If Højlund keeps performing like he did against Sociedad, his value will rise as well—tactical forwards are highly sought after by coaches these days.

The way many of us analyze football is through snapshots and rigid categorization. We assign fixed attributes to players, build our vision around blackboard schemes, and suddenly, we think we can predict the future. But football, like life, is dynamic and unpredictable.

For example, I was certain Garnacho would be sold for good money. He’s an unbelievable player, but every coach before Ruben played him in a way that left him isolated and only half as effective as he could be. The same applies to Mainoo. Right now, I have no idea where he fits into this team. He’s undeniably talented—hence why other clubs value him so highly—but I just don’t see a clear role for him. Ruben, however, does.

Jim Ratcliffe has made it clear that we’re not selling players like Mainoo. He believes, as I do now, that Ruben will find a way to maximize his talent for the team. Which position? Honestly, I have no clue.

Yes, we need another goalkeeper. Like the vast majority of fans, I believe Onana is beyond repair. We also need a higher-quality center forward because Højlund, at this stage, is still too raw—he’d be a great backup.

Depth is crucial at LWB and RWB—not just because Shaw is perpetually injured and Dalot is often uninspiring, but because these positions demand an enormous physical output. Further up the pitch, we need serious changes: replacing Antony, Sancho, and Rashford should be a priority. As for Mount, I have no hope that he’ll stay fit, unfortunately.

Overall, while we may not have completely turned the corner, we’re undeniably on the right track. A big shout-out to INEOS for their transfer strategy—it’s been the most significant improvement so far. They’re demonstrating a keen ability to recruit the necessary personnel, including Ruben.

 

[Rasmus_9]

My post might come across as overly optimistic, but I didn’t emphasize the main point I wanted to make: Ruben is a very capable coach, a level or two above Ten Hag and Ole, and we should trust him.

In the Arsenal game, I noticed several improvements—wider flanks (especially on the right, where Garnacho stayed on the touchline and Mazraoui pushed forward), a more limited role for Casemiro, and the ZZ-Højlund pairing. However, I held off on commenting until I saw the same setup working in the following game.
This formation is not set in stone—it’s a product of Ruben’s adherence to his principles and the squad he inherited in the midst of this mess. He didn’t sign these players; he arrived mid-season to a toxic atmosphere. He offloaded several players, dealt with a record number of injuries, and yet, despite all that, we now see a well-oiled, functioning machine playing attacking football—beautiful, technically brilliant football. It’s not just a relief—it’s a revelation.

Of course, this could change in the next game because, honestly, it still feels too good to be true. Sociedad didn’t press us well and failed to adapt to our build-up strategy. The Premier League is a different beast—it will be much tougher. We’re definitely not competing for the title next season.

Maybe, in the end, Ruben decides not to stick with the 3-1-4-2 and instead tries to shape Man United around his Sporting template. We might sell ZZ and Garnacho for good money, thanks to Ruben giving them the platform to showcase their talent. He could then reinvest the proceeds into players that fit his vision. If Højlund keeps performing like he did against Sociedad, his value will rise as well—tactical forwards are highly sought after by coaches these days.

The way many of us analyze football is through snapshots and rigid categorization. We assign fixed attributes to players, build our vision around blackboard schemes, and suddenly, we think we can predict the future. But football, like life, is dynamic and unpredictable.

For example, I was certain Garnacho would be sold for good money. He’s an unbelievable player, but every coach before Ruben played him in a way that left him isolated and only half as effective as he could be. The same applies to Mainoo. Right now, I have no idea where he fits into this team. He’s undeniably talented—hence why other clubs value him so highly—but I just don’t see a clear role for him. Ruben, however, does.

Jim Ratcliffe has made it clear that we’re not selling players like Mainoo. He believes, as I do now, that Ruben will find a way to maximize his talent for the team. Which position? Honestly, I have no clue.

Yes, we need another goalkeeper. Like the vast majority of fans, I believe Onana is beyond repair. We also need a higher-quality center forward because Højlund, at this stage, is still too raw—he’d be a great backup.

Depth is crucial at LWB and RWB—not just because Shaw is perpetually injured and Dalot is often uninspiring, but because these positions demand an enormous physical output. Further up the pitch, we need serious changes: replacing Antony, Sancho, and Rashford should be a priority. As for Mount, I have no hope that he’ll stay fit, unfortunately.

Overall, while we may not have completely turned the corner, we’re undeniably on the right track. A big shout-out to INEOS for their transfer strategy—it’s been the most significant improvement so far. They’re demonstrating a keen ability to recruit the necessary personnel, including Ruben.

I’m not sure he said we won’t sell players like Mainoo. I think that he meant we won’t sell academy players solely to generate cash. If Amorim doesn’t rate him or see him fitting into the system then he’s fair game to be sold