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.
