Manchester United drew to Wolverhampton Wanderers in a frantic game to hand Wolves their third point of the season with United two points off Liverpool.
United were slow and tepid early on before a deflected goal gave them the lead. On the stroke of half-time, Wolves equalised thanks to a set-piece goal. Though the game became stretched second half with United searching for an equaliser and Wolves valiantly fighting for points, the game finished 1-1.
Amorim changed to a back five once again and it was obvious United’s intensity dropped.
Amorim reverts to back five
In the last few games against Bournemouth, Newcastle United and Aston Villa, United’s performance levels improved due to tactical tweaks.
Be it jigging with the formation to go to four at the back and push an attacker up or unleashing the centre-backs to push up aggressively.
But against the worst team in the league, United were back to their old ways of not knowing how to break down a low block. Though they are severely depleted with injuries, it was obvious that United were a lot lesss dynamic defending in a back three.
It mean that Wolves’ attackers could crowd around Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte in the middle, halting central progression.
Generally, the 3-4-3/3-5-2 system means United have to hold the ball and dictate the tempo of a game, something they have struggled to do whilst playing in the formation.
Perhaps Amorim reverted back to his favored system as Wolves were easy to pick off at Molineux when United played in the reverse fixture, but this is the same side that frustrated Arsenal and Liverpool for large periods.
There simply aren’t enough runs in behind with United playing in a 3-4-3 and Wolves crowded out United’s key player in Matheus Cunha.
Still Fight left in Rob Edwards Men
The expected points table will tell you that Wolverhampton Wanderers are not as bad as they appear to be.
Players like John Arias, Yerson Mosquera, Jackson Tchatchoua and Mateus Mane lunged into challenges and duels and were a threat throughout.
During the second half of the game, it felt either team could win it and Wolves knew it as they had transition after transition with the game getting stretched. If it wasn’t for Senne Lammens spectacular double save, Wolves could’ve scored again.
Since United beat them comprehensively earlier in the month, Edwards has realised that when the West Midlands club compact space and make it difficult for teams to play through them, they frustrate teams.
Liverpool were made to work hard for their result and Arsenal needed a last minute goal.
Though the gap between themselves and Forest is probably too much, they aren’t playing like a side primed for relegation and are still fighting tooth and nail for every yard.
Amorim’s lack of invention costs United again
It felt like Amorim, even with the side not picking up the points they should’ve in previous games were at the very least showing more flair and finding more gaps in opposition defences.
But even when the Portuguese manager stumbles upon a solution to take the team forward, he ends up shooting himself in the foot to take the team backwards.
Of course, the team is massively depleted with Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount and Harry Maguire all out, but his 3-4-3 setup has been far too easy to defend against for too long.
We have too much evidence, from last season and the Europa League final to prove that when United are tasked with taking the game to opponents, three centre-backs makes them look blunt and sluggish.
Though Benjamin Sesko had a couple of good chances hitting the post and missing a point-blank header, those were opportunities carved from a set-piece or a good cross.
It’s puzzling that this same side dug in to show intensity and fight to beat tough teams like Newcastle United and Crystal Palace but tends to fluff their lines when up against a ten-man Everton side or the worst team in the league.
There has tended to be an over-reliance on one of their better players: Cunha, Mbeumo, Fernandes or Mount to create a moment, force the press, dribble past opponent or create a killer pass when searching for a goal.
Bereft of those players leads once again to question Amorim’s dogmatic system and his reasons for continuing to persist with it even though the recent changes have proved successful.
The game against Wolves followed by Leeds United and then Burnley were seen as games for the Red Devils to pick up some points as all three teams are towards the bottom of the table.
However, Amorim’s pragmatisim coupled with key players out means a tricky fixture against Leeds United which is sure to be a fesity encounter, is anything but a straight forward match.