Manchester United legend, Paul Scholes, and several others, have delivered a scathing verdict on Ruben Amorim's tactics following the club’s last-minute victory over Leicester City in the FA Cup. The match saw Harry Maguire inspire a comeback for the Red Devils, but not without controversy surrounding Amorim’s tactical decisions.
The first half of the game was far from impressive for Manchester United. They failed to register a single shot on target and went into halftime trailing by one goal. Leicester City capitalized on their sluggish performance and broke the deadlock through Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
One notable decision made by manager Ruben Amorim was his choice to include Patrick Dorgu in the starting lineup. The 20-year-old wing-back, who cost £29 million from Lecce, was surprisingly deployed on the right flank despite primarily playing on the left during his time in Serie A.
Scholes' disapproval of tactical choices
Paul Scholes did not hold back when expressing his disapproval of these tactics. He took to Instagram after the match saying: “Inverted wing-backs… you saw it at OT first.” This comment hinted at skepticism over Amorim’s approach and specifically criticized positioning Dorgu out of his usual role for his debut game.
Despite criticism from fans and legends alike, Ruben Amorim stood firm with his decisions post-match. He defended deploying Dorgu on an unfamiliar right side stating that he had previously played this position while at Lecce. Furthermore, he highlighted Dorgu's versatility as a key asset to justify this unexpected move.
Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim, said:
"He played a lot of times in Lecce on the right. That is one of the characteristics that we pay attention to a lot, to have a player like him,"
"He was a little bit anxious in the first touch with the ball. It’s a different league for him, a different speed of the game, but he did well. He has space, he has strength, and he’s going to improve a lot. And we, as a team, we need to play better to help these new guys to perform at the right level. But the position, and you can see in Wyscout that he’s played in both sides."
Amorim’s tactical choices may have raised eyebrows among sports pundits and fans alike; however, they ultimately led to a win for Manchester United. The debate over his tactics will likely continue, but the results speak for themselves.
The FA Cup win over Leicester City was a rollercoaster ride for Manchester United fans. Despite an uninspiring first half and controversial tactical decisions by manager Ruben Amorim, the team managed to pull off a last-gasp victory. While Paul Scholes' criticism of Amorim's tactics adds another layer to this narrative, it also highlights the ongoing discussions about football strategies and their effectiveness in achieving desired results.
