Another loss.

Another disappointment.

Another weak performance.

There are elements that seem kind of cross-cut in the entire Season, as one should expect, probably.

But, the inconstancy the team is showing is the only consistent thing this Season.

Understanding the context, we clearly know that everyone’s mind is on the Europa League Final, and that with it in mind, a lot of rotation has been done in the recent past.

Therefore, one must assume that the results were going to suffer with these constant changes.

But, some strategies aren’t clear to me.

Something must be bigger than this.

Why does Bayindir, holder of an amazing record of 10 goals conceded in the last 3 Premier League Games (!), is playing?
Is he part of the rotation and, if so, why?

Does Onana (or any Goalkeeper you know) needs rotation, as often as a normal player on the field?

Or, why does Ruben speak about pace, about wanting to win at this stage of the Season?

Why does he refers to the mentality of the Club?

Why does he needs to say things as “we cannot accept losing at home as normal”?

Why this constant narrative around United being a giant Club that cannot allow these standards?

Or, how is possible that the best scorer of United’s Season is Bruno Fernandes, regardless his ability, he’s a midfielder?

And for The Premier League, followed by Amad Diallo (that was out for at least 3 months of the Season)?

And, even more curious, Rashford has scored the same amount of goals as Højlund (even being out of the Club for 5 months) and Zirkzee is not even at the Top-5!

It really hits you.

It must.

Defensively, the team concedes easily – in the last 10 matches, the team conceded 19 goals – and the inconsistency on the players playing, added to the recent injuries of Dalot, De Ligt and now Yoro, don’t provide much space for inventions in a narrow area, already diminished by important players as Martinez.

It leaves the Club in a very tight room, with Lindelöf, Maguire and Mazraoui being the most probable line of 3 at the back, but with the problem of forcing Diallo to be on the wing.

And I only mean problem, because it will force Diallo to a defensive effort that he may not be yet ready, specially considering the players that Tottenham can get in that zone as Brennan Johnson, Son, Kulusevski, Richarlison, Maddison, Tel or even the disappeared Timo Werner, and take his talent away from the attacking areas, where United really needs quality.

Things can change, slightly, if Yoro is set to play (which all at the Club are hoping to) or even if De Ligt can be eligible, even if not starting.

This would allow Mazraoui to be on the right and create a line of 5, which I believe to be Ruben’s intention (allowing Amad to go on to an inverted winger role) or even to replace Lindelöf and make a back-line of 3 with Yoro, Maguire and Mazraoui.

Offensively, the team is stuck in their Offensive Model at times, with the ball given to the holding Midfielders as Ugarte, Casemiro or Bruno that are always under significant pressure and create problems for the team every time they lose it, once they’re so close to the defenders and, therefore, to the goal.

The alternatives, as to go wide or, taking the advantage of having the inverted wingers also playing in the central corridor to create that overload of players in the centre are not used effectively and the depth that Højlund cannot provide as a viable solution to hold the ball and allow the team to move forwards and support.

These are the bigger differences when we look at Sporting CP under Ruben Amorim, as there was always a solution.
The other team waits in a low to medium defensive block? No worries, as the CB’s have time and space to move ahead with the ball, the width is created by the side-backs or wingers (depending on who’s playing) and the inverted wingers, or even one of the holding midfielders got closer to the striker, almost creating a line of 5 behind the striker, use that space to create movements and provide a lot of passing options to the CB’s. 

Moreover, if the space is available at the centre, the Striker can drop and provide a wall-pass to one of the midfielders in the line of 5.

Or, the team was brave and wanted to press high?

No problem, use the depth with Viktor Gyökeres and he will either hold the ball and wait for support or, because he’s very capable of that, take the ball to a 1v1 situation and create a finishing/goal on his own.

These creates different scenarios that turn the team complete.

And very hard to defend against because regardless your choice, the solutions are there.

Nothing similar at United.

Tactically, we must assume, there are many gaps at this team.

Either in the form of the setup (or players profile) or the decision-making.

Last performances were bad.

Against Athletic Bilbao, the team suffered and was needed Amad and Mount to boost the team’s energy.

The questions, again, are: Why do you need a boost when your Season is being miserable and this is the only way to make it to Champions League? Why do you relax, either if it’s a Premier League Match or a Europa League Match that you consider to be won already?

Let’s take a step forward, and consider the Europa League final.

This takes us to the next challenge – to decide which team has the best squad to face this Game – Manchester United or Tottenham?

According to the last matches, we can expect something similar to these (depending on injuries or other similar events)

Moreover, assuming these to be the starting XI for both teams, at the bench the possibilities to play other cards to add value to the Game’s situation is clear – Tottenham has a decisive advantage!

One must not forget that Tel preferred Tottenham for United in January.

And that says a lot about the current status of things now.

The difference is clear, for me, in terms of quality, not to mention squad depth.

Regardless, the moment of both teams are similar.

But a final is a final.

And there’s this saying that “Finals are not to be played, but to be won”!

What is your saying on the final?
Who will win the Europa League Final and smile (just a little) at the end?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!