Ruben Amorim - Manchester United Head Coach

Credit where credit is due: Amorim is getting things out of this group that I did not think were there. The team is also showing a resilience I was worried that had drained out of it under Ten Hag.

Tactically and psychologically he's improving the team. The turnaround between now and Christmas has been stark. I also feel optimistic about it persisting too. I hope the scepticism I was feeling a few weeks ago continues to look silly.
 
Erics_Collar said:
Absolutely zero reason to play him today. He's a dangerously, dangerously bad goalkeeper. Goes out of his way to make mistakes.

Amorim's obsession with rotation is a chink in his armour that has resulted in a lot of losses so far.
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Nonsense, as was proven today.

Rotating your squad is absolutely key to ensure you avoid injuries when you have a busy schedule as all premier league teams do, and it's absolutely key from a morale perspective to ensure your full squad feels valued and you get the required impact from the bench or that you can cover for injuries properly with confident players, and not have to bring back players who have been frozen out because of 2 injuries. Also builds internal competition and prevents complacency.

It's a big part of why Sir Alex was as consistent as he was, year after year. You would think United supporters should know about how important rotation is better than anyone.
 
Impressive so far.

This was always going to take time, and the squad needs real work which will take two or three transfer windows. Much more solid in defence, much more fight, much harder to beat. That's a good start.

A couple of player in this month will help, as will a couple of exits.
 
Erics_Collar said:
Absolutely zero reason to play him today. He's a dangerously, dangerously bad goalkeeper. Goes out of his way to make mistakes.

Amorim's obsession with rotation is a chink in his armour that has resulted in a lot of losses so far.
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I have little confidence in him, but he kept us in it today and then saved the penalty that put us through. Who knows what would have happened if Onana started, but there's a good argument that this rotation is the reason we're still in the FA Cup.
 
Has been a tough decade and tough years ahead with how poorly run the club remain however as supporters all we ask for on the pitch is that the players play for the badge and work as hard as possible and today and last week in Anfield we got that. Well done and make it a consistent trait now!
 
There’s something about this guy, early days but I’m certainly more confident in Amorim than I have been with any other manager post the great man Sir Alex!
 
We’ve hired a top modern manager for the first time since the big one left. His communication skills are superb, and he has great confidence in his methods. Let’s back him now and in the summer, and I’m confident we’ll surprise many (in a positive way) next season
 
He has definitely adapted his tactics slightly from Sporting.
A lot more fluidity to this United team yet remaining structured without the ball.
Great to see, also great to see his subs now coming off and affecting the game positively.
 
The last 2 weeks give you hope that he's got something more about him, more astuteness tactically, more passion and more importantly more personality to have the players onside. They look organised, focused and are playing as a team.

Will see how it pans out over the next month or two of games. The next 8 or 9 games are ones that you will expect Utd to win.
 
Irwin99 said:
I like him and this system a lot. I’m not blind to the problems we have in attack and at times in the wing back roles, but I’m seeing a core of players that he can work with.
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Now imagine United under Amorim with full preseason training and a summer transfer window. Things will be even better like it was at Sporting
 
I love that he is taking off now. We are moving ahead and whats best, we leave all the laziness and crap behind like Rashford, Casemiro etc

I said even during the shitty phase that he is the one
 
If this result isn't the one to show our owners that he needs immediate backing I don't know what will. Give him a few more players and we'll have a far better second half to the season.

Show the players and the fans that he's got complete faith and backing. We really do desperately need another goalscorer.
 
Away to City, Pool, 2x Arsenal and we looked at least on par. That did not happen in 15 years or so
 
To put that result into perspective. In the last 10 years we've played Arsenal away 12 times.

Date​
Fixture​
Result​
Score​
Competition​
04 Oct 2015​
L​
3-0​
Premier League​
07 May 2017​
L​
2-0​
Premier League​
02 Dec 2017​
W​
1-3​
Premier League​
25 Jan 2019​
W​
1-3​
FA Cup​
10 Mar 2019​
L​
2-0​
Premier League​
01 Jan 2020​
L​
2-0​
Premier League​
30 Jan 2021​
D​
0-0​
Premier League​
23 Apr 2022​
L​
3-1​
Premier League​
22 Jan 2023​
L​
3-2​
Premier League​
03 Sep 2023​
L​
3-1​
Premier League​
04 Dec 2024​
L​
2-0​
Premier League​
12 Jan 2025​
W​
1-1​
FA Cup​

Our last 8 fixtures with them has seen us lose 6 and draw 1.
 
Love that he’s giving his staff credit for the set pieces and saying that wasn’t down to him but down to them.
 
Salus Populi Suprema Lex said:
Yes, it takes time for a new manager to achieve what he wants. He has a very difficult job at a club that is dysfunctional in many ways, but the players are beginning to understand what Amorim wants and seem to be buying into the project. It’s very early days, but we have signs of hope. Perhaps this transfer window will enable him to start the process of getting his own squad.
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It's also helped that the mad packed schedule has eased a bit and he can play a more regular best lineup.

The Ugarte - Mainoo - Bruno is without any doubt our best mid combination, but we've barely played it so far.

Who is next to Bruno is up for grabs. Amad the favourite, Garnacho has it all to do.

Choice of 3 from 4 for the back 3.

We'll see how Shaw fits in, if at all when he's back in March
 
Sandikan said:
It's also helped that the mad packed schedule has eased a bit and he can play a more regular best lineup.

The Ugarte - Mainoo - Bruno is without any doubt our best mid combination, but we've barely played it so far.

Who is next to Bruno is up for grabs. Amad the favourite, Garnacho has it all to do.

Choice of 3 from 4 for the back 3.

We'll see how Shaw fits in, if at all when he's back in March
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Agree. Big difference with EtH (who would also play with these 3) is that before, Bruno used to be all over the place. He’s really improved on discipline, while still being an offensive threat. Happy to see this development.

Think we’ll need to buy a 10 for the other spot. Amad better at the wingback and Garnacho can’t hack it on his own. Kudus or Cunha or Simons


In general. What a mentality change. Amazing from Amorim. I was really starting to have doubts when he started with the Eriksen Case midfield 2 weeks ago against Newcastle. But he’s been playing much more composed since then. So he’s learning about the league, implementing his tactics and meanwhile giving this team a fighting mentality. Couldn’t ask for more.
He may even have that ability to make players better, which could make all the difference for players like Zirk, Garnacho, etc
 
I really liked the way that he just fecked off down the tunnel at the end. No celebration or lap of honour as if they won a title. Just in a day's work and straight to the next game. He expects them to win all the time.
 
RedSky said:
To put that result into perspective. In the last 10 years we've played Arsenal away 12 times.

Date​
Fixture​
Result​
Score​
Competition​
04 Oct 2015​
L​
3-0​
Premier League​
07 May 2017​
L​
2-0​
Premier League​
02 Dec 2017​
W​
1-3​
Premier League​
25 Jan 2019​
W​
1-3​
FA Cup​
10 Mar 2019​
L​
2-0​
Premier League​
01 Jan 2020​
L​
2-0​
Premier League​
30 Jan 2021​
D​
0-0​
Premier League​
23 Apr 2022​
L​
3-1​
Premier League​
22 Jan 2023​
L​
3-2​
Premier League​
03 Sep 2023​
L​
3-1​
Premier League​
04 Dec 2024​
L​
2-0​
Premier League​
12 Jan 2025​
W​
1-1​
FA Cup​

Our last 8 fixtures with them has seen us lose 6 and draw 1.
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Today's result will go down officially as a draw.
 
He's had a good look at everyone and he's now working with the players he wants to use going forward. That's the way I see it now.

Casemiro, Eriksen, Antony and Rashford all seem done now.
 
Shabby as she goes said:
Agree. Big difference with EtH (who would also play with these 3) is that before, Bruno used to be all over the place. He’s really improved on discipline, while still being an offensive threat. Happy to see this development.

Think we’ll need to buy a 10 for the other spot. Amad better at the wingback and Garnacho can’t hack it on his own. Kudus or Cunha or Simons


In general. What a mentality change. Amazing from Amorim. I was really starting to have doubts when he started with the Eriksen Case midfield 2 weeks ago against Newcastle. But he’s been playing much more composed since then. So he’s learning about the league, implementing his tactics and meanwhile giving this team a fighting mentality. Couldn’t ask for more.
He may even have that ability to make players better, which could make all the difference for players like Zirk, Garnacho, etc
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The most important thing is we've ridden the storm.
As whatever the "we told you" crew will smugly say, we couldn't sustain losing game after game for months. We need to see some good results immediately. But these last 2 weekends have been just that. Against some high odds to boot.

We need to boot a couple of teams in the league though. 14th in Mid Jan is ridiculous stuff.
 
Devil81 said:
He's had a good look at everyone and he's now working with the players he wants to use going forward. That's the way I see it now.

Casemiro, Eriksen, Antony and Rashford all seem done now.
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The first 2 can be rotational jobs in the right situation, but not for the main games.
Antony is well off it, and there's simply no position for him.

Rashy has played a weird game, is disappointly sulking so much he can only make the 18 if we have a few out, and the club have 2 weeks to find a solution to offload.

However, we all thought Ten Hag had dealt with difficult situations early on - so we need to know Amorim can continue to improve things in general for a longer term basis than Ten Hag did.
 
I think it was good performance, when Amorim came in my biggest expectation was being solid defensively, something the team abandoned during Erik's tenure.

He's certainly made some adjustments, the team isn't as exposed between the wingback and the wider centre half. The team has been more robust positionally not just due to sheer pragmatism. Even the most affluent attacking team needs defensively solidarity as Ange is demonstrating at Tottenham. So if for the rest of the season United are harder to beat, it's the best foundation to build from going into the summer where the club can focus on an array of attacking talent to recruit and implement more balance.

Slightly separate mention, his comments about Garnacho were fantastic, saying he needs to know how to play on the inside as well as the outside this has been the hurdle that if you assess the system critically some of the players need to excel at.

Amad can do both comfortably and though the ship has sailed I'm fairly confident that Sancho would have looked better in this managers system. If Garnacho demonstrates any ability to play on the inside without reverting to type and running towards the touchline he will fundamentally change his versatility in this team. The left wing is essentially up for grabs if he can humble himself and unlearn the freedom experienced under ETH and learn to play in a more nuanced position under Amorim. Even if he doesn't get it straight away but we can see improvement it will be enough given his age.

Still need to see more of these types of results in the league but it's looking good so far. What can't happen is to play a more mid table team and performance levels exhaust themselves. The players need to kick on.
 
Sandikan said:
The first 2 can be rotational jobs in the right situation, but not for the main games.
Antony is well off it, and there's simply no position for him.

Rashy has played a weird game, is disappointly sulking so much he can only make the 18 if we have a few out, and the club have 2 weeks to find a solution to offload.

However, we all thought Ten Hag had dealt with difficult situations early on - so we need to know Amorim can continue to improve things in general for a longer term basis than Ten Hag did.
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It wouldn't surprise me if three of those players left before the end of the window. The only one that will still be at United will be Eriksen.
 
Di Maria's angel said:
I really liked it when Bayandir said that the players love Amorim, too.
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Bayinder
Di Maria's angel said:
I really liked it when Bayandir said that the players love Amorim, too.
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Bayinder really impressed me with his attitude today all through. When the penalty was given and Maguire was on the verge of losing it. He stepped up to him and said what looked like "don't worry I'll stop it." And then he did.
 
Has brought a spirit and fight into the team which was lacking previously and it does wonders for players which were written off by many before.

As confidence grows the need for replacements will be less and the obvious ones will be replaced.
 
Devil81 said:
It wouldn't surprise me if three of those players left before the end of the window. The only one that will still be at United will be Eriksen.
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Antony is going to take a subsidised loan to ship out.

Can't see anyone taking Casemiro in Jan. We'll do well to move on in the summer with a year still to go on that mad 350k a week deal. Must be the worst contract we've ever given out.
 
Sandikan said:
Antony is going to take a subsidised loan to ship out.

Can't see anyone taking Casemiro in Jan. We'll do well to move on in the summer with a year still to go on that mad 350k a week deal. Must be the worst contract we've ever given out.
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I don't see him being happy sitting about not playing. If there was an opportunity to go to Saudi I think he'd take it at this stage of his career. I think the issue may be Ineos will want a fee for him which is where the stumbling block may be.

The Saudis aren't stupid, they will want him for nothing.
 
Is this the blueprint against top sides in away games? We rode our luck today, we could barely make any passes even before the red card
 
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Stig said:
Is suffer his synonym for struggle ?
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Several PL managers use the term. In this context it seems to mean work hard out of possession, especially during extended spells when you are forced to defend. There may be an element of being organised defensively, winning duals, blocks, goal-line clearances etc.

In recent years there have been several high profile United forwards who rarely, if ever, showed a willingness to "suffer" out of possession. Some managers have let certain players reserve their energy for attacking moments.
 
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Resonance said:
We played 60 minutes with 10 men. We were winning and quite comfortable until Dalot’s sending off.
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We were happy to give up possession and play it on the counter before the sending off. I don’t think this approach is sustainable just like it wasn’t under Jose. It’s understandable atm though.
 
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