I don't think many teams have better squads than us. The problem is we're not scoring goals. Once the goals start flowing, the rest of the outfield players will suddenly seem far more effective than they are now. When you also factor in players like Quenda and one or two other quality buys, combined with being 100% healthy again (Mount, Shaw, Licha, Amad, Mainoo et al.), you're suddenly looking at a whole new set of possibilities.
Even scoring 15-20 more goals next year could be the difference between bottom half and top 4. Forest, for example, are in 3rd with a mere 44 goals this year. Things can radically change with an effective striker, which will immediately raise confidence levels across all other outfield players. Right now, our attack looks weak because we lack ideas in the final third and opponents know this. That is the number one thing that has to be addressed this summer, and I suspect it will.
This is such a slippery slope. I have no issue to agree in terms of placement in the table. Bit of luck, bit of bad luck, injuries at key personal and suddenly United can be up there. But we have to look beyond next year and over. Other teams player might not have the same reputations, maybe not the same talent, but they formed functional unit. Something we haven't seen at United for ages. As long as we don't have that, we will always be at a disadvantage. And when thinking about how to create such a unit, it isn't just sticking a good striker on top of things. Brighton does well with Welbeck ffs. It is the quality of chances, not just the amount. And if we look at our personal, I think there are some open questions - you can like and see talent in Dalot, but he offers nothing in attack. No way around it. Mainoo seems to miss the intensity for playing in the center, on top of passing ability. Not a dealbreaker but certainly not the greatest sign for things to come. Garnacho is intense and willing, but even though he plays on a rather regular basis, his decision making isn't getting better and his dribbling looks more and more like not-elite level. Ugarte will always require a certain type of player next to him, Martinez is injury prone, Yoro will be inexperienced for at least another 2 years.
Don't get me wrong, I agree with the overall notion - lets not panic, unexpected stuff happens. But I think this mindset of "we just need one or two shrewed additions" is exactly what got us into this mess.
I think Amorim sees him as a midfielder because he likes having a deep playmaker, Bruno is very good at it, and Amorim likes having more dynamic attackers behind the striker.
For the record, I don't think he very good at it. A very good playmaker would be able to control the tempo, if Bruno can do that, he hasn't shown it for United yet. For a player that would play in zones where defensive contribution is required, he is also rather weak and short and given his subpar dribbling, he would find it difficult to evade pressure. Bruno is not a Pirlo, not a Carrick. Not an Alonso, Modric or Rodri. Which player do you have in mind that was a good to great playmaker that reminds you of Bruno?
Just think his profile suits what Amorim wants in midfield really well but it doesn't suit what he'd ideally want in the 10's.
Well he wants at least some ability to play passes which makes Bruno basically the only contestant.
Amorim also mentioned early on that Bruno suits those deeper positions more with his passing range and he called him a midfielder, not an attacker or a #10.
And he also mentioned that he needs to adapt and not be as vertical as he is because Amorim also values control. A concept completely unknown to United for 12 or so years.
Also as Bruno ages, he'll be less and less suited to the more advanced positions naturally as you lose agility and that's a big thing for those areas. He'll have more time and space on the ball to set the tempo and pass it around.
Well if a player ages, the natural way is out of the squad but I guess, if you really really like a player, you want to play him forever. Who knows, maybe Bruno will suprise us and find a way of re-inventing himself as a deeper midfielder. I struggle to see it but I probably also don't have the natural drive to see it.
Why plan our best player to be in a position he can't really maintain at a high level long term instead of moving him where he can still be a top player for a longer period of time?
I'd rather adjust the system a bit to make it work. Sporting team was also described as often having a passer and a dribbler in those 10 positions. Bruno is mobile enough for now, and seeing how many plan their future with him no matter what position, I assume they think he can still work in a central attacking position. If he can work there, there should be a way to make it work in Amorims interpretation of the role.
Thats not saying that there might not be games where he can go into midfield, against teams that sit back for example. But that should rather be an exception than the rule.
Not like we have players who can start in either positions ahead of him anyway. If anything Mainoo suits being a 10 more than CM for Amorim anyway.
See your point but to me, the exact same applies in midfield. Even more there to be honest. Quite sure most managers will struggle to find a role for Mainoo at the current stage, he either has to improve his mobility and grit plus passing range or his intensity in attacking positions. If he doesn't he might turn into a Pogba type player without the passing range - a player with no natural position.
