If this is the 'worst Manchester United team in history' Ruben Amorim has to rip up the playbook
If this is the worst Manchester United team in history, Ruben Amorim needs to rip up the playbook and blood some new players.
Attention must turn to United’s cup runs, with the league in an irrecoverable state. United are 13th in the league, 12 points from a European berth and there is good reason to prioritise a healthy-looking Europa League campaign and FA Cup run.
How should Amorim go about prioritising those competitions? To overhaul his squad in the league and give an extended run to as many youngsters and peripheral players as possible, regardless of their performance.
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Amorim’s incendiary comments after another chastening defeat to Brighton may seem dramatic, and more troublingly may seem reasonable, but it opens up the mindset that the only way is up.
Debating the accuracy of the comment, drawing comparisons to the Tommy Docherty era, is to miss the mindset that Amorim may be trying to impose upon his squad.
Amorim's comments mean the league can become a low-pressure environment where players have the full backing of their manager regardless of outcome to ensure their best football is left on the pitch.
This would include giving as many minutes as possible to the likes of Altay Bayandir, Leny Yoro, Toby Collyer, Ethan Wheatley and Joshua Zirkzee.
Not only would this tactic guard some of the bigger names from the ever-increasing levels of criticism with younger players possessing more credit in the bank among fans, it will give Amorim greater clarity ahead of the inevitable squad overhaul in the summer.
If indeed this is the worst Manchester United squad in history, what do these players stand to lose? If Amorim can, ahead of time, promise these players full 90s, an abundance of substitution appearances – whatever is appropriate in each case – regardless of how they’re performing, there’s a strong vote of faith and low-pressure environment for them to thrive.
This approach seems already to have worked with Amad Diallo, who has risen to become indispensable to the side, whilst Zirkzee, with continual backing, has shown improvements.
Attached to Zirkzee is, of course, the Rasmus Hojlund debate, and a change in policy could apply to either. However, Hojlund is clearly suffering the consequences of wavering faith during his time at United, and there’s a chance now to ensure Zirkzee’s confidence avoids a similar fate.
The overall logic has worked in other sports too, for example the England cricket team who adopted a ‘faith no matter what policy’ and went from winning one in 17 matches to 13 in as many attempts, with many of the same players.
In terms of the established players in the side, a policy wherein fresh-faced players are shown constant faith can reduce the workload and pressure of those around them. The likes of Bruno Fernandes, Amad, or Kobbie Mainoo can ensure their best football is played in Europe or the FA Cup, and lose the sense that United’s form is so dependent on their personal form.
