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Ruben Amorim has so far failed to get the best out of Manchester United’s midfield.
Some argue INEOS let the Portuguese tactician down by not landing the athletic midfielder he craved.
But Amorim has not helped himself either; his midfield selections have raised eyebrows.
The notion has been that, with the options available, Amorim needed to find the ideal partner for Bruno Fernandes.
However, what if the issue is not even about finding Fernandes a partner, what if the problem is Fernandes himself, and the fact that the 31-year-old is not suited to a central midfield role?
Scholes: play Fernandes where he does the damage
While many have tiptoed around the idea that Fernandes in central midfield is not working, Paul Scholes has not.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the United legend sent a clear message to Amorim:
“He is the most creative player on the team; he should be playing as the No. 10, there is no doubt about that.
“But he is being asked to do something different. It’s normal for a No. 10 like him to fill in for two or three games when someone’s injured or suspended. But then you get bored of constantly dropping back to defend.”
Why it is not working
Having experienced a similar positional shift himself, Scholes explained why the transition from No 10 to central midfield can be problematic:
“Defending was never my strong point. I didn’t enjoy having to think about it. As a No. 10, you’re focused on getting your team to play, creating chances, scoring goals.”
Fernandes may offer value as a deep-lying playmaker, but his defensive shortcomings are costing United.
Of the seven goals they have conceded, Fernandes has been directly at fault for two when he has failed to track his runners.
Against Fulham, his lapse allowed Emile Smith Rowe to score the equaliser in a 1-1 draw. Then against City, he failed to follow Phil Foden’s run, giving the No 47 space to break the deadlock in that 3-0 derby defeat.
Fernandes in central midfield is a defensive liability. He needs to be restored to the No. 10 role, where he can do real damage.
Fernandes is not happy either
Scholes’ comments come just as Chris Wheeler reveals Fernandes himself is unhappy with the central midfield role.
Amorim, stubborn as he may be, must heed the calls to return Fernandes to his natural position. It could be the tactical shift United need to rediscover their edge.
With Bruno as a number 10 option, he could rotate with new signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Amorim can then deploy a more defensive midfield pivot, one that shores up United’s back line, until INEOS finally delivers the midfielder he wants.
Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images
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