How Carrick rectified three Amorim blunders with instant Man Utd tweaks – (Opinion)

New Man Utd head coach Michael Carrick doesn’t possess a magical wand, but he hardly needed one to solve some of the tactical issues he inherited from Ruben Amorim.

For a head coach (or a manager, as he’d prefer) who spent his 14-month tenure trying to belittle the importance of formations and numbers, it must have been ironic to get the sacking following a collision course caused mainly by the rigid use of his tactical system.

Therefore, Carrick (and even Darren Fletcher before him) immediately distanced himself from Amorim’s much-maligned 3-4-2-1 formation and adopted a more traditional, and definitely more suitable, 4-2-3-1 lineup.

Even in his wildest dreams, the 44-year-old couldn’t have imagined a better managerial debut, as his United completely outplayed Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City en route to a 2-0 victory, a result that flattered the Cityzens, who were spared further blushes thanks to three close offside calls.

But aside from the widely expected tactical shift and the return to the four-man backline, Carrick had also made three somewhat obvious tactical tweaks that instantly paid dividends.

The fact that Bruno Fernandes was Man Utd’s best player during Amorim’s tenure, despite playing out of position more often than not, is a testament to the player’s incredible technical abilities.

The Portuguese playmaker certainly didn’t disgrace himself while playing in a deeper role, but he’s simply a different beast when operating behind the striker.

The 31-year-old is one of the best No. 10s in world football, with some stats suggesting he might in fact be the ultimate best in this role, and he made a strong case once more on Saturday .

Perhaps this one is a direct consequence of the previous, as Amorim had identified Kobbie Mainoo as a backup for Bruno in the No.8 role. So with the club captain back to operating further up the pitch, the path has been cleared for the youngster’s much-anticipated return to the lineup.

(Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

The 20-year-old’s constant omission was one of the biggest dark clouds that loomed over Amorim’s troubled stint, as watching one of the club’s most promising academy products over the past decade getting starved of playing time was an agonising sight for every Man Utd supporter.

But as proven by Carrick, the solution was staring Amorim in the face, but the stubborn Portuguese simply chose to look the other way.

Truth be told, the use of a false 9 remains a highly debatable practice, one that is unlikely to bear its fruits on every occasion.

But fair play to Carrick, who played this card to perfection against a makeshift City backline that lacked the experience, the pace, and perhaps even the strength to deal with the marauding Bryan Mbeumo .

During the first half of the season, Amorim had often resorted to Matheus Cunha to act as an unconventional centre-forward, even though Mbeumo’s characteristics render him a more natural choice for the false 9 role thanks to his pace and exceptional physical attributes, which allow him to go shoulder-to-shoulder with any centre-back.

That being said, Benjamin Sesko must be confirmed as Man Utd’s first choice for the No.9 role, as his stature and ability to act as a target man remain crucial, especially against weaker opposition.

However, whenever Man Utd need a more mobile striker, Mbeumo should be picked ahead of Cunha, who’s more suited for a supporting role.