04 Jan 2026 11:06:46
Looks to me like Amorim is being forced or pushed to adapt his system or he can leave if he doesn’t like it.
The youth through to first team have not changed system to what the first team are playing. That suggests they are not supporting the manager fully and most importantly there is no belief it will work. The club is not as one.
Then we have his recent comments on the window. It appears there are differences and they are not going to buy what he wants to make the system work. Again how can they not see the gaping holes in midfield and only have one striker.
The club brought him in knowing he was totally invested in a way of playing, either that or the interview process was inept to the point of incompetence. Surely they should have been adapting and streamlining the whole club to work together. There hasn’t been that change and performances are not up there, now it looks like he is being told to change his style.
Amorims recent interviews look like those of a man who doesn’t want to resign on principle but is being ushered down that road. The impression is they don’t want to sack him if they can avoid it, likely because management made him their choice and don’t like embarrassment.
It feels like we have been here before.
I have some trepidation for today’s game, bear pit of hate and they will be at us from kick off, pressing high and hard with energy. Lose today and I would not be surprised at him being gone tomorrow. Thing is it’s same old, same mess, same lack of coordinated approach. I also wonder if there is division in ownership, SJR and Glazers, driven by different agendas, Glazers clearly money orientated.
Fingers crossed today.
04 Jan 2026 11:43:37
He's brought this on himself red man. Had he been more flexible in his approach from the start, I am sure we would have won more matches and been in a stronger position. Instead, he was stubborn in his approach, has been unable to get the best out of the squads available and has a terrible record overall. That's on him IMO.
I was told on here that ETH was a terrible coach and a decent coach would be able to get more out of the players available. Well, how wrong they were.
Now the board are in a position where they have chosen their man, and I think they know that they got it wrong. I'm sure he has done some good things and said good things that they like, but it is not good enough at a club of this stature. 38% win record over a year at the club. Any other serious club and this does not fly.
I've never seen a manager backed so much at this club, he really has a unique opportunity and due to his inability to be flexible, he has really shot himself on the foot. I find it difficult to sympathise with him in this instance.
I'd love to be so wrong about him, but nothing he has done has been able to convince me otherwise barring the odd fleeting moment here and there.
04 Jan 2026 12:00:32
Thinking what one thinks that others are thinking is, I think, a somewhat pointless exercise, don't you think?
It appears that some here think the deed is all but done and that RA is about to be sacked or resign.
04 Jan 2026 12:20:51
It’s fairly simple. He has to go. People don’t like sacking manager after manager. But that doesn’t mean you should stick with one that is clearly wrong and not working. He regularly fieds teams with 5/6 defenders and still can’t keep a clean sheet.
There’s a very good reason no top teams play with this system. It doesn’t work at a high level. Might work in a poor Portuguese league where you have much better players than the opposition, but it won’t work consistently in this league.
It won’t surprise anybody if Leeds turn us over today. I’m not expecting a United win. There are only two attacking players on the pitch! If it is a loss, how bad a loss might lead to them having to make a decision.
Time will tell.
04 Jan 2026 13:21:42
If and when he gets a decent midfield judge him. Ridiculous to expect a Ferrari to have great performance with a Mini engine in.
04 Jan 2026 13:49:05
Redman - totally agree, the pressure is here and there’s probably a reluctance to buy system players for a mystical system that’s failed to produce result.
Angel is spot on, Amorim has created this mess.
Salford- Why can’t we judge Amorim on midfield, Casemiro, Ugarte, Mainno, Fernandes, Mount aren’t dreadful players… he picks the system that fails to get the best out what he has.
Ultimately Amorim is over 12 months in, there’s been positives but a number of concerns. Like anyone in a senior leadership role there will be more expectations and less patience.
04 Jan 2026 15:12:31
There's a need to bring in two midfielders no matter what the formation is. It's a bit confusing that the board and manager are possibly not agreeing on this.
04 Jan 2026 17:31:48
The board might see it that way but Amorim may want another left footed inverted wing back or another CB, and they have misaligned priorities.
I’d suspect the management are pushing him to a traditional formation/system that is easier to recruit for or transition academy player too.
For example would you want Amorim anywhere near JJ Gabriel after the way he’s treated Collyer, Garncho, Rashford, Mainno, Amass, Obi Mikel.
Amorim has devalued club generated players. I suspect he doesn’t like the challenge of respect or favour of youth/club players.
04 Jan 2026 20:09:22
Utd road we need two midfielders because Casemeiro has lost his pace and younger players run past him and we also need another creative player to take the burden off Bruno and ultimately replace him when he leaves.