Ruben Amorim reached the final with Manchester United, but Oliver Glasner took charge of a different team, Crystal Palace. Both employ the 3-4-2-1 formation in their tactical philosophies. Their feelings about the system are quite different, mirroring the fortunes of their championship-winning teams down on the pitch in the Premier League. Today, Crystal Palace is still glowing in fifth place in the league. At the same time, Manchester United continues to struggle and currently finds themselves in 10th place.
Glasner comes into his role at Crystal Palace with six years of managerial experience under his belt. He has been quick to point out that his version of the 3-4-2-1 formation is more defensively sound. Thanks to his tactics and organization, Crystal Palace has been the second-best team at preventing goals in the league, only behind Arsenal. The story has been their terrific defensive play. To an extent, it has underpinned their emergence as serious challengers for a top seven fortune next term.
In contrast to Amorim, his compatriot Ten Hag’s Manchester United has come in for argument over their erratic performances and results. Despite the club’s substantial investment of £200 million in acquiring three forward players, the team’s performance has fallen short of expectations. Amorim’s approach has come under fire from experts, most notably by Gary Neville, after his tactics proved ineffective.
Different Interpretations of a Similar System
Although they both use the same formation, Glasner and Amorim have developed radically different approaches to the style of play that they’re using. Glasner asserts that, “So it’s all about what you do with the system and how fluid you are in attack and how creative you are.” His tactical flexibility often has Crystal Palace ranked among the EPL’s top clubs in expected goals this season.
Amorim vehemently argues that his approach is fundamentally different than Glasner’s. “But that was a different style than how we play,” he continued. He feels that their teams work with on completely different paradigms. He points out that they “have to defend in a different space” and “attack in a different manner.” This difference might help to understand how Crystal Palace is healthy and Manchester United is deeply unwell.
More than looking to his own players for ideas, Amorim directly looks for inspiration from other managers during the international breaks, saying, “I take inspiration from everyone. His drive for development highlights his dedication to cultivating the best possible performance from his team. Yet, it draws attention to the difficulties he has in delivering surprising tactics at Manchester United.
Key Players and Tactical Decisions
Glasner’s done a fine job of inserting the Brentford star into his system, using Mbeumo’s disruptive energy to add to Crystal Palace’s threat on the attack. Mbeumo’s contributions have proven vital in allowing Glasner’s side to maintain its position near the top of the league.
The sharp difference between both teams’ fortunes is apparent when you check out their goals scored this year. Crystal Palace’s solid defensive structure has allowed them to keep goals conceded to a minimum, while Manchester United struggles to find a balance between their attacking investments and defensive solidity.
Amorim’s acknowledgment of Crystal Palace’s superior performance is reflected in his statement: “They are a different club and they are doing things better than us.” Millions of fans share this sentiment—we know it’s personal. From there, they can watch Crystal Palace flourish under GM/manager Glasner, and Manchester United waste money and vision on yet another managerial mess.
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