We all know goals are at a premium, so Amorim should be setting us up in a way that maximizes the potential for scoring a goal, meaning putting Bruno and Garnacho in areas where they work best. Putting Bruno as a CM or defensive midfielder did not and does not help. If we are also sucking at chance creation, then sacrifice a defender for a midfielder or an attacker.
Casemiro and Eriksen are done at the top but each can probably play 45 minutes without pulling a hammy. This is a needs-must situation, and the perfect squad isn't magically appearing, so Amorim has to use whatever tools are available. That might mean Lindelof in DM, where he has played for Sweden. It might mean moving away from 3 CBs when two are ponderous. In this case that might mean blooding some youngsters who are not ready. Amass, Gore, Fletcher, Obi, Moorhouse, Ennis - yes I know, they are not ready, it is not the ideal moment for them, but it's all hands to the pumps right now. The point is, Amorim is literally being paid millions of pounds to figure this out, and he's not figuring it out. It is his job to make these parts work, and he seems to think the losses have nothing to do with him and are inevitable. Like when he brought Obi on for 2.5 minutes: we were already under the cosh and this was the moment to throw caution to the wind and change shit up to try and get a result. He did not. NO idea what he was even thinking making that sub when he did, after watching our players like Casemiro and Højlund limp around like the walking dead for 90 minutes.
Agree with this.
The benefit of having Bruno as a 10 is that he will work back, get behind the ball and help the two defensive midfielders. Garnaco and Zirkzee wont, so United are often left 3 on 2 in the midfield.
With all the talk of wingbacks, i think it was overlooked by many that you need two dynamic defensive midfielders, plus two 10s who are prepared to work back, in order to make the system work. Amorim had that in his Sporting sides.
The problem with Bruno is that he is our best option as a 10 and he is also our best option as a DM along side Ugarte. He may be our current best option at right wing back too!
Everyone knows we need actual strikers who can finish. Zero people dispute this. The dispute is whether we give Amorim a war chest to buy wingbacks and whatever specialist players his system requires, when we know that unless he's got the complete set it's not working. Buy a fecking forward who can finish. Buy a midfielder who can do more than tackle. Buy a wingback who can play the role. These are obvious. But people are talking about a complete squad overhaul, and that is not going to happen, so the question becomes: if Amorim needs a complete rebuild, is he the right guy? If Amorim's style is ultra rigid and he won't change it for love or money, is he the right guy? If it is irrelevant to Amorim if he has the players he needs to execute any particular plan/formation/shape/tactic, is he the right guy? If opposition managers like Moyes can work out how to beat Amorim, is he the right guy? And the answer is no.
Yes, we need a striker. Not just one who can finish, but one who can link up play and lead the line. Paulinho in Amorims first title winning side wasn't the most prolific forward, but he was great at linking up play.
I dont think he needs a full complement of players that can play his system, but a few would help. I would hope the priorities are a forward, a right wing back, a 10 (who can carry the ball forward) and a DM. Im sure he would love better ball playing CBs and a half decent goalkeeper, but as you say, we cant overhaul overnight.
Amorim does have a lot of needs though, which is why im probably the only person on The Caf that thinks given the shit we have bought, the profiles Amorim needs, the financial situation we are in, PSR rules and the lack of players that have any market value, then we should consider selling Garnacho and Mainoo to fast forward the process for Amorim.
I dont think either fit the profile he needs - not if we are basing it on what he had at Sporting, so let them go. We cant keep them around and let their market value go down, just because they may be much better suited to the next manager.