EBL

Bournemouth. Double pivot with low-lying fullbacks. Amorim's United can't get pressure on the ball because their wingbacks are pinned back by Bournemouth's wingers which means United wide players must manage the fullbacks. Clear central 2v1 vs Zirkzee. All day on the ball.

Amorim's team try to apply pressure on the ball regardless as Mainoo and Ugarte jump to Bournemouth's #6's. Man-marking in midfield with little pressure on the ball in the first lines makes absolutely no sense because it opens up clear passing lanes into the front.

Amorim would have wanted Maguire to be more aggressive to back up the press in this moment, and that could have applied much more effective pressure to the ball if he did, but quite often centre backs aren't able to or comfortable to pressing #10 and #8's dropping in this moment.

Regardless, as a result of United's total lack of pressure on the ball and wide open block, Bournemouth penetrate with ease. Here we can see Maguire in no man's land, the two #6's caught ahead of the ball, and both wingbacks pinned back by the Bournemouth wingers. Issues.

Let's look at another example of how Amorim's defensive structure can be exploited. Bournemouth's #6 drops into the first line of build-up. United are unsure of what to do but they try to get pressure on the ball anyway which ends up forcing Bournemouth back. Okay, right?!

Wrong. United get the press wrong again as Zirkzee jumps the goalkeeper which leaves Ugarte with an impossible decision to make - jump to the #6 or stay with the #8? Either way, Bournemouth have a spare man. They find him with ease and run through the middle of United's pitch.

What is arguably an even bigger concern than the press getting bypassed, though, is the consequences that can occur off the back of it. On the face of it, United are vulnerable in transition after being bypassed in the press, but there are much bigger problems that arise..

Manchester United don't want to be sitting in a 5-4-1 block at home to any team, let alone Bournemouth (as good as they are). However, because of the club's selection of Amorim, this is what they expected at times. So, at least when they do, you would expect them to be compact.

But they weren't. United were caught between trying to apply pressure to the ball & defending in a 5-4-1. Again, we saw moments where the collective was not on the same page. Mainoo jumps to the centre half. Martinez jumps into midfield. Clear 3v2 in midfield for Bournemouth..

Little pressure on the ball with your #6 and centre half jumping out of position is not a good look. And, before you guys start, save me the xG narrative around the game. These issues occurred at 0-0. But, more importantly, they also occurred for Amorim at Sporting Lisbon.

See here. Sporting lack pressure on the ball. The wingback is pinned, the centre halves don't want to jump, the #6 is overloaded, and the winger doesn't want to jump to the centre half because there is a low-lying fullback beside him. Free men in front of AND between the team.

Combine this with the fact that United defend with 5 which makes them A) less of a transitional threat, B) worse in the press, and C) less threatening when they do sustain attacks and issues become clear. They defend with 5 but don't even do it all that effectively. Big issues.

United will improve once they sort out the gaping player quality issues in the squad, but these are structural flaws that not even the elites can make up for in a Premier League at its current level. Especially when there are structural issues with the ball too..

Amorim's build-up structure is quite easy to press despite the fact that United have some special technicians in that phase. The middle centre half positions themselves with their back to goal at the edge of the box. They don't want the ball here. And you can't blame 'em.

So Bournemouth simply invite the pass to the side of the middle centre half, press aggressively as soon as Martinez receives whilst shadow marking the passing lane into the situational #6's and condensing the play to one side. This forces United long or to play into pressure.

Martinez goes long in this moment which plays into Bournemouth's hands because they defended zonally which means that they have numbers to win 1st and 2nd balls in this scenario. Lots of teams press in man-to-man fashion now. But there's not really a need to vs Amorim's United.

Most #6's want the ball in this moment so they can bridge out to the fullback and help their team evade the press. But centre backs in midfield certainly don't show for the ball in this position, especially when they are playing on the same side as their weak foot.

For Ruben Amorim to succeed at Manchester United, these tactical flaws must be addressed. In the ultra high quality Premier League, even minor tactical chinks in the armoury of a team get exposed, let alone gaping holes like the ones Amorim's system has. Hopefully he solves it.