In a surprising turn of events, Manchester United’s head coach Ruben Amorim made significant changes to his lineup for their recent match against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers. Former player Gary Neville took particular aim at the call to replace Mason Mount with Joshua Zirkzee. He seemed doubtful that going back to a back three would have any effect.
After their emphatic 2-0 win at Old Trafford against Newcastle on Boxing Day, Amorim’s tactical change was a remarkably pleasing surprise. This last-minute reversal shocked and dismayed countless advocates and business owners. The timing of the coach’s puzzling decision to drop the successful back four formation raised eyebrows on his judgment. This trepidation sounded even louder following Manchester United’s lackluster 1-1 draw against Wolves.
Tactical Changes Raise Eyebrows
Of course, it was Gary Neville who had the most to say about his displeasure with Amorim’s tactical decisions, claiming the changes were making the team “worse.” He challenged the thinking of changing a successful lineup, reminding that in football, sometimes the most important thing is the same thing—consistency.
“No Ruben, why have you done that?” – Gary Neville
Zirkzee doubled the lead for sure with a deflected effort on the redirection after forcing United into a wholesale tactical reshuffle. Their lead didn’t last very long. Wolves had already shown their eager spirit when Ladislav Krejci leveled for the visitors right before halftime. During the optimistic run, Neville pointed out that United had a very fortunate early lead. He blasted the crew’s collective efforts as hollow and lackadaisical from the opening whistle.
Criticism of Substitutions
And then the decision to replace Zirkzee with half an hour to go certainly reinforced Neville’s criticism. The ex-Manchester United full-back really hammered home the point. He reasoned that if Zirkzee was taken off a tactical change rather than an injury, that would be “a really bad” one. As Neville emphasized, it was a curious substitution to begin with. He pointed out that Amorim had a talented bench of younger players who should have been given the opportunity to play.
“The manager has to look at that and think, I got that wrong. I complicated it.” – Gary Neville
Neville’s comments came during his analysis on Sky Sports, where he did not shy away from expressing his bewilderment at Amorim’s decisions throughout the match. Neville speculated as to why the national team coach was not scouting new talent on the bench. With five teenagers willing to fight, he thought they could change the course of the game.
A Lackluster Performance
Manchester United’s opening match of the 2023/24 Premier League season against Wolverhampton Wanderers was disappointing on a multitude of levels. From the opening kickoff, they looked disconnected and without much urgency to try to pull out a come-from-behind victory. Neville remarked on the team’s struggle to find their rhythm, stating, “I’m not quite sure why they have changed. Wolves have probably been the better team.”
As both teams battled for three points, it became evident that United’s tactical shift did not yield the desired results. The failure to maintain a cohesive strategy led to missed opportunities and ultimately a disappointing draw against a side yet to register a victory this season.
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