Fernandes picked it up.
Rotation failed
Ruben Amorim now has a rough understanding of the combinations present in each line. Manchester United the most suited to their playing system. The Portuguese are trying to rotate the team so that the leaders rest enough and give the best of themselves in the championship – the situation there is now the most delicate (13th place in nuclear submarine10 points in the relegation zone and 12 in the top 5). But judging from the match against Rangers, the current selection of players is not enough to prevent a decline in quality.
The coach decided to give rest to Kobby Mine and Manuel Ugarta – they had the most difficult period at the beginning when the Red Devils played with Arsenal, Liverpool and Brighton. They started yesterday’s match on the bench. The midfielders provided enormous volume without the ball and produced excellent duels. Amorim replaced this duo with Fernandes and Collier – but Bruno is focused on creating, not fighting. Toby is seriously lacking in experience in remaining calm under pressure.
Accordingly, Manchester United was unable to impose the required level of combat in the center of the field. In this space, guests had both free space and time to make decisions. In the ninth and eleventh minutes, it was from this area that the Rangers dispersed the most dangerous attacks. The Scots even had time to prepare a long-range strike (examples: strikes from Igaman in the 38th, those from Cerny in the 50th).
Amorim has something to rely on
The period at Manchester United is really bad: a big club cannot afford so many defeats and fall so low in the rankings. At the same time, Amorim nevertheless achieved a certain effect: the team is slowly rebuilding according to its requirements. The manager has a sort of foundation to build on.
We’ve already talked about Amad Diallo’s progress. The Ivorian only got his chance this season – and Amorim already had full faith in him. The winger takes more control of the game and produces results. The most important thing is to work on defense. And what’s more, he’s looking for chemistry with Fernandes. Bruno, as a top playmaker, provides balls to Amad and he regularly comes forward to strike. They actively interacted yesterday, but Diallo’s goal was lost. In the end, it was not him who scored, but Bruno.
More reliable Manchester United became with the release of the Ugarte – Mainu couple. On the other hand, Amorim apparently has no one to replace them, so fatigue and decline cannot be avoided. But on the positive side, they are now helping to cement the central axis. This will help you gain stability and confidence.
Cooperation was also established on the right flank between Dalot and Garnacho. Alejandro was particularly focused on striking – he shot five times, often finding a chance for himself.
Another question is that none of the above are working at the appropriate level yet.
Amorim is happy with Garnacho’s progress, but overall the footballer is not convinced and the club is looking for a buyer.
It is worth dwelling on Alejandro in more detail – for him in Manchester United the determining period begins. With the arrival of Amorim, the Argentinian, as well as Rashford, were sanctioned and remained excluded from the derby with Manchester City. Certainly, if Marcus’ education was long, the young winger proved to be more understanding. And Ruben seems satisfied with his performance.
I think he is improving in all aspects of the game. Today he acted better in the center, he also played on the flank, changed positions, he started to work better in defense. Sometimes he shows his dissatisfaction, and that’s good – it means he wants more. He has the potential to become much better in all aspects.
At the same time, the club is eyeing transfer offers. In January, Naples approached the Mancuniens (they are looking for a replacement for Khvicha), and Chelsea are also interested. The former are not satisfied with the price, the latter are able to meet Manchester United’s demands – we are talking about 65 million euros. And it would be a good deal for the Red Devils. Yes, the Argentine is playing – but there was already a wake-up call when Amorim dropped him from the lineup. Additionally, some of his publications raise concerns. In one of the photos, he “compared” himself to Ronaldo.
Such a withdrawal was necessary to understand the context – if Alejandro wants to stay at his hometown club and move closer to Cristiano in terms of influence, he must now show his usefulness on the pitch. But the match against Rangers cannot be considered a trump card. Garnacho was the “engine” on the right flank, the match even started with his passing and shooting. But Manchester United needed more than just shots: in a game where nothing was going right, they needed goals. When in the second half (60th minute) the Argentine found himself in a killer position and received the ball, instead of shooting from the first touch, he began to hesitate, earning extra money – and he still hit the post.
The outcome is typical of Manchester United
Lots of chances and no goals on the field, one goal disallowed, 1:0 only thanks to the goalkeeper’s goal – it all looks a lot like Manchester United. Missing our own chances and conceding a goal at the end, Rangers’ chances of a draw at Old Trafford are eerily similar to Manchester United. But the Mancuniens managed to escape this vicious circle for the duration of a match.
After the Scots equalized, the Red Devils themselves found their moment – Martinez made a precise pass to Bruno and he finished in touch (showing a master class from Garnacho). With Manchester United close to yet another setback, the team leader stepped up and secured victory. Of course, that doesn’t erase the residue of a bad game – but at least we got a result. And in the table THE The Mancunians remain in the top 5.
About the Author
