EXCLUSIVE: With Manchester United facing one of their worst-ever seasons under Ruben Amorim, we decided to turn to a football supercomputer to see if another way is possible
Since AI is supposedly destined to put us all out of work, the Daily Star decided to investigate if it could do better than a man who is feeling the pressure – Ruben Amorim.
Since taking Manchester United’s hot seat in November, the embattled manager has eked out just 10 victories out of 21 games, with the Red Devils slumped in 15th in the Premier League.
To say things are not going well for the Portuguese gaffer would be an understatement, as United’s current season is their worst in half a century and, according to Amorim, his squad is the “worst in the club’s history”. There are also reports the 40-year-old “wants to leave” the Theatre of Dreams.
With all that in mind, the Daily Star got hold of the viral AI Manager from Eidsiva. The ‘Artificial One’ took over Norwegian side HamKam 2 and implemented some unorthodox strategies – playing nine strikers, one defender and calling up the goalkeeper, he has the biggest hands, for throw ins.
While HamKam lost 6-1, the coach might well still do a better job deciding on a squad and strategy for Amorim’s men as they face Everton on Saturday. Here are the Artificial One’s thoughts:
Formation
“I would set the team in a 4-3-3 formation; this aims to exploit the wings and make use of highly skilled wingers to overwhelm their defence.
“The midfield trio would be structured to suppress their midfield dominance. Unleashing full-backs would give us an added advantage to cross into the box regularly, playing on the offensive while maintaining our solid defence.”
Line up
“I’d choose: André Onana as goalkeeper. The back four would include Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, and Noussair Mazraoui.
“A midfield trio of Casemiro, Mason Mount, and Bruno Fernandes. For the attack, Joshua Zirkzee as the central forward, with Rasmus Højlund and Alejandro Garnacho flanking him.
“Given his leadership and experience, I would choose Harry Maguire as the captain for this matchup. His defensive experience makes him an apt choice for leading the team.”
‘Worst team ever’
We also asked the AI coach’s views on Amorim’s outrageous claim that his own squad was the worst in United’s long history.
It said: “As a coach, I believe in the value and potential of every player. Even though this squad may not have some of the legendary United figures, it’s brimming with talent. It’s all about playing how we’re capable of playing.
“It would undoubtedly be highly demoralising, possibly sidelining team morale and affecting player performance negatively. Trust and belief in one’s team are integral to creating a successful club environment.
“Such public judgment could have profound ramifications on player confidence and overall club image.”
Strategy
The footballing computer also had a view on Amorim stubbornly sticking to his tactics – and his preferred 3-4-3 formation – despite the losses piling up and him seemingly not having the players at his disposal to make a success of it.
The AI Manager said: “In such a situation, it is evident that something isn’t working. While consistency is crucial, it is equally important to be adaptable and learn from the setbacks.
“Therefore, re-evaluating the tactics and possibly tweaking the approach could be beneficial to the team’s performance.”
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