Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam admits that his old club has taken an unnecessary risk by appointing Ruben Amorim and switching to a back-hot in the middle of the season.
Amorim played a non-tested combination of Noussair Mazraoui, Victor Lindelof and Leny Yoro as United lost 4-1 in Newcastle on Sunday and suffered from a club record with the 14th Premier League defeat of the season.
Stam, who won the Champions League and three Premier League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson, believes that United should have chosen a head coach that fits better with the team left by Erik ten Hag when he was fired at the end of October.
One of the reasons why Amorim is supposed to have lost from Arne Slot for the track in Liverpool was his dedication to a RUG three, with the Anfield hierarchy that was not willing to compromise.
On the other hand, United was willing to adapt to the 3-4-3 system of the Portuguese coach and it even stated that he moved from Sporting Lisbon halfway through the season.
“It is definitely a risky move, but it reflects how the club has been run in the past decade,” said Stam.
'Managers keep coming in, implement their own systems, change things around and change the team. Players come and go, often at high costs.
'As a big club you have to have a consistent philosophy – an identity. The club itself must have a clear way of playing and then find a manager who fits that philosophy. Instead, we have seen that players are brought in for one manager, then another manager arrives and wants to change everything.
“It's a different way of thinking. Instead of constantly rebuilding around the vision of a new manager, the club has to establish its philosophy and recruit managers who connect with it. That way you retain the consistency and you should not start all over every time.
'I would rather have clarity and structure in my match days. Constantly changing systems can be frustrating because it is difficult to settle and understand your role. Players need stability to thrive, and when you continue to change philosophies, this disrupts progress. '
Since the installation of Amorim, United has not seen 'bounce' in results and designs. They are still in 14th place in the table, as they were when ten Hag was fired, with the worst target difference of a club outside the bottom five.
Speaking with Freebets, Stam claimed that switching to a Backthree has had a negative effect on the entire team.
“I think this team was originally built for a 4-3-3 system,” he added. 'The players were recruited with that setup in mind. Now I am not saying that playing that system was necessarily more successful, but you can see that, at certain times, when players are placed within a 4-3-3, they feel more comfortable.
'When Amorim came in and switched to a back-through or a back-five, depending on how you see it you struggle the players. They had difficulty understanding how to occupy certain areas and find room to get on the ball and make a difference. In particular, the two players struggled in the middle of the park.
'They are expected to defend, run and cover large parts of the field a lot. But the team currently has no players who are well suited to do that effectively. It is clear when you look at the games that they struggle with the system. It is not always their fault; It is also up to the system itself, so they are sometimes not sure of what they have to do.
'The way they play now is fairly predictable. With a 4-3-3 you have more flexibility to change position, rotate and make it more difficult for the opposition. With a Backthree or Back-Five you may be more defensive, close your holes and limit the space for the opposition attackers.
'Having said, Amorim probably thinks he needs different players to make this system work: players who can cover more land, bring more danger in the future and inject energy into the team. So far it has not been convincing.
'Amorim has tried different players in different positions, but that is normal for a new manager. He probably discussed his system with the owners when he came to United and made it clear that he wanted to implement his own style. And that is of course. Every manager wants to determine his own way of playing. '
Amorim signed two young defenders, Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven, in January, while £ 59 million summer signing of Yoro returned in December under the new coach after breaking a midfoot during the pre-season tour in LA.
Stam is largely impressed by what he has seen as far as Amorim starts to form a team that can meet its requirements.
“I think Dorgu is doing well,” said the Dutchman. “He shows promise, energy and has the endurance to go up and down on the field. He shows improvement what you want to see.
'Yoro has had bad luck with injuries, so he is not consistent since a member of the accession. But he is a young guy with the right tools. He is defensive solid, has a good pace and can effectively defend in larger spaces. He is also able to drive ahead with the ball.
“However, he must improve when he is in possession; Finding the right steps and making the right decisions. That is an area where his teammates, especially the midfielders, have to support him by making themselves available for fit. It's not all of him; The point is that the team works together.
'As far as heaven are concerned, I have been impressed. He looks promising and shows great control over his game, especially in possession. It is comfortable on the ball, drives forward with a goal and understands when he has to intervene defensively or cover defensively.
'He is fast, has good consciousness and shows maturity in his decision -making, which is impressive for a young player at this level. In general, he has a lot of potential. '
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