Paul Scholes has confessed the introduction of Ruben Amorim’s tactics at Manchester United might put players like Marcus Rashford in a tough spot.
The incoming manager from Sporting Lisbon is all set to oversee his last match in Portugal before taking up the reins at Old Trafford. With a sterling reputation and following the demolition of Manchester City in the Champions League, anticipation is through the roof for Amorim’s arrival.
Renowned for his adherence to a 3-4-3 setup during his managerial career, which has seen him claim several accolades, Amorim is tipped to bring this winning formation to Manchester. However, there are questions hovering over who will fit into the specialised wing-back roles.
Scholes has acknowledged that Amorim’s preferences will be decisive here, pointing out that offensive players such as Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho may find it hard due to their limited defensive skills, while on the other hand, he suggested that individuals like Diogo Dalot could face challenges with offensive contributions.
In a chat with TNT Sports, Scholes explained: “There are three or four players, especially forward players, who don’t want to do the ugly side of the game. He’s going to have to make them do that. We talk about the back three, we have six centre-halves they can choose from,” reports the Mirror.
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The former United central midfielder weighed in on the debate about Erik ten Hag’s formations, pointing out potential challenges with the current squad: “He has got the two central midfielders in Casemiro and [Manuel] Ugarte. It’s the wingbacks that could be the problem. Does he want wingers who are going to run back? If he wants that, I’m not sure Rashford and Garnacho are right for that. Does he want two wing-backs in Dalot and Mazraoui who might be a little bit better defensively but not as good going forward?”
At Stamford Bridge, it is noted that Chelsea, under Antonio Conte, have been the only team to find major success in the Premier League using such a tactic. They scooped the league crown in 2017, whilst most other English managers tend to stick with a traditional back four.
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Moreover, Scholes has also tipped up-and-comer Kobbie Mainoo for a different role if Amorim steps in. He said: “He has then got his two No 10s. Fernandes is one of them and I actually think Mainoo could be one of them too. I think he’ll be better player higher up, it will suit it more.”
However, Scholes expressed reservations concerning moving to three central defenders, something he believes requires patience, reflecting on his own experiences. “The old-fashioned three at the back – we tried it a few times, and I reckon we lasted about 10-12 minutes before we said ‘it’s not working,'” he admitted on The Overlap.
Finally, according to Scholes, its all about adapting to the new managers preferences. He said: “We always went back to a back four, which is what we knew. We [United] are in a position now where you can’t look and think we’re a 4-4-2 team, or a 4-4-1-1 team we’ve got to bow to whatever this new coach wants.”