Ruben Amorim says Manchester United’s days of solely playing with a back three are over and revealed he refrained from changing formation earlier to ensure his players did not feel he was caving in to media pressure.
“But when you [journalists] talk about changing the system all the time, I cannot change because the players will understand that I am changing because of you,” said Amorim.
Amorim started with a back four for the first time as United head coach in the win over Newcastle on Boxing Day – when he was without a number of key players because of injury and the Africa Cup of Nations – after signs of the team showing greater in-game flexibility in recent weeks.
The 40-year-old had been defiant in the face of intense scrutiny about his unwillingness to alter his formation amid alarming results which led to his side finishing 15th in the league last season, insisting he would only change at a time of his choosing even if it cost him his job.
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Amorim, who has overseen improved results this season, admits player availability has forced his hand somewhat, but believes his squad are now ready to change because they understand his philosophy.
“When I came here last season, I understood that maybe I don’t have the players to play well in that system, but it was the beginning of the process,” said Amorim ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League game against Wolves, live on Sky Sports.
“We are trying to build an identity. Today is a different moment. We don’t have a lot of players [so] we need to adapt, but I already know that they understand why we are changing.
“It is not because of the pressure of you guys [journalists] or the fans. It is because now we understand the way we want to play and the principles are the same. We can change the system.
“I think we are going to become a better team because when all the players return we are not going to play all the time with three defenders. We are going to improve. That was something that I was talking about.
“But then when you [journalists] talk about changing the system all the time, I cannot change because the players will understand that I am changing because of you. I think that is the end for the manager.
“When we are playing well in our system, I think that is the moment to change, if it is a better thing to win the next game. That is what we did [against Newcastle].”
Analysis: Adaptability or embarrassing backtrack?
Sky Sports’ Adam Bate…
There were certainly eyebrows raised in the room when Amorim explained that his reluctance to switch formation earlier had been because of fears that his own Manchester United players would perceive it as him bowing to media pressure.
Given that Amorim’s unflinching honesty has been as consistent as his commitment to his 3-4-3 formation, there is little reason to question the sincerity of his comments, only the logic behind them. If he always intended to adapt then why now? Why not earlier?
His argument has been that the priority was to ensure his players knew the system inside and out, being able to perfect it before expanding the repertoire. But results have hardly been so stellar as to be persuaded that this is now the case. And he has had time.
A squad depleted by absences and stretched by a more demanding fixture list might explain why the Boxing Day fixture against Newcastle was an opportune moment. But it would require the memory of a goldfish not to look back and find many others too.
How about August at Grimsby when Mason Mount was wedged in at left wing-back? What about the September defeat to Brentford when Mount came on in the same position? Gary Neville described that decision as “absolutely ridiculous” at the time.
“There is sticking to your plan and not flip flopping with his idea with players, which can sometimes undermine what you are trying to achieve,” Neville told Sky Sports. “But then when you are putting Mason Mount at left wing-back … it starts to look awful.”
United lost a European final in May in which Amorim was so steadfast in sticking to his formation that he made like-for-like substitutes with his team chasing not just a trophy but the transformative Champions League qualification that victory would bring.
Without European football, he has had not only had a pre-season to prepare but that exit to Grimsby has afforded United a particularly light schedule. That time has been spent training in different systems but it has taken until Christmas for a formation shift.
Within three points of the top four, Amorim’s belated flexibility could yet come to be regarded as a masterstroke, an example of his patient evolution of this team. But after a year of making the case that his formation was non-negotiable, it remains a curious call.
