Manchester United find themselves at an iconic crossroads as they prepare for their upcoming new season. They’ll be looking to consolidate, but most definitely looking to improve upfront after last year’s offensive struggles. Rasmus Hojlund, who ended the previous season with the fewest shots and second-fewest Expected Goals per 90 minutes among recognized forwards in the Premier League, has prompted the club’s management to explore new talent. Matheus Cunha Please click here to load the full photo gallery. For head coach Ruben Amorim, it’s a balance of a major strategic shift and retaining protection of his go-to 3-4-2-1 formation.
Bruno Fernandes provides a boost by opting to remain at Manchester United. He reportedly declined an equally attractive package from Saudi Arabia, which offered to substantially increase the team’s budget. His long-term commitment to the club is a reflection of his own ambition for success and stability at Old Trafford, despite the billion-euro financial lure.
Cunha’s Arrival and Impact
His €56m transfer from Wolves represents a big coup for the United squad. One of the most flexible players in the league last season, Cunha thrived in Pereira’s system, especially in that ‘left No 10’ position. In his final campaign, he scored 15 league goals that season, proving his scoring prowess with a goal in almost every other game of the season. He followed that up by scoring five goals in seven straight games from February into April. After such an impressive performance, it appears he can be a key player for United.
Amorim will have to find ways to slot Cunha into the already established framework. Cunha’s flexibility should come in handy here. He’s already wowed folks in camp, though. He flaunts his ability and conveys a preeminent understanding of the tactical requirements of his new position.
“Cunha and Mbeumo have Premier League experience, and are the right type,” – Gary Neville.
Amorim certainly has an eye for talent and has been open in his faith that Cunha will be able to blend into his tactical framework. The new head coach seems committed to the idea of remaining with the 3-4-2-1 formation. How this decision will affect Cunha’s use in future games is crucial.
Strategic Formation and Player Roles
Ruben Amorim has made clear his desire to stay committed to a fluid and cohesive playing style with the use of the 3-4-2-1 formation. This tactical shape gives the players freedom and creativity in attack while maintaining defensive organization. At Sporting, Amorim enjoyed similar success with the very same players. Significantly, Pedro Gonçalves – Pote to you and me – was huge as the No 10. The difficulty for Amorim will be figuring out how to best fit this strategy to bring out the best talents of both Cunha and Fernandes.
Moreover, Amorim is convinced that Joshua Zirkzee can be a useful No 10 option off the bench. This flexibility provides United different attacking looks, letting them change formations or approaches to suit opponents or game situations.
Cunha’s experience as an educator and advocate will serve the team well. His prior success in Pereira’s system indicates that he can seamlessly transition into Amorim’s vision for Manchester United. That versatility might allow him to show up early and often over the next four games.
Potential New Forward Options
While United are expected to add to their frontline even more, interest in other players is reportedly strong. Viktor Gyokeres has been sounded out about a possible switch, despite looking destined to move to Arsenal. Among the other targets are Nicolas Jackson, Ollie Watkins and Benjamin Sesko. Each presents specific skills that would waft into United’s attacking arsenal.
Moreover, the left-footed Bryan Mbeumo has become one of the more interesting United forward options. Mbeumo has served in a vital, centralized role for Brentford. Boss Thomas Frank cites his hold-up play as one of the main strengths to his game. His combination of goal scoring and chance creation has proven a tantalizing package for prospective buyers.
Last season, only Mohamed Salah won his team more points with his goals and assists than Mbeumo. His Premier League pedigree is unquestionable. This has made him a particularly interesting choice for any team looking to add to their attacking talent.
Leave a Reply