Rio Ferdinand has called on Ruben Amorim to make Manchester United players uncomfortable after their poor run of form.
United are just seven points above the relegation zone at the half-way stage of the season after their 2-0 defeat to Newcastle on Monday night.
There had been high hopes that a change of style and formation under Ruben Amorim would help them improve on their prior displays under Erik ten Hag.
However, since Amorim replaced Ten Hag,Manchester United (6).
There have been questions over Amorim’s 3-4-3 tactical approach, though Ferdinand has urged the Portuguese manager to stick with his guns.
Ferdinand Urges Amorim To Make Manchester United Players ‘Uncomfortable’
Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents on his YouTube Channel, he said Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim shouldn’t change his approach to go with what the players are more comfortable with.
He said: “If he changes and goes back to what they were doing before, it’s not like they were winning. So why would he go back to what the players are more comfortable with?
“‘I think his whole thinking – and I’ve got to agree with him – is that, if this team were trained and understood the system, then I think they have a chance of being able to carry out what he wants.
“I don’t think we can expect Amorim to go back to type, to what they were playing before, to try and steady the ship. Because it wasn’t a steady ship anyway.
“I genuinely believe he has to keep doing what he’s doing. He said there’s going to be teething problems – maybe not as much as what we’re getting now – but I don’t think he understood what he was getting into.
“The scars that a lot of the players have as individuals – and as a team – are so big and so deep, it’s going to take a lot of time to get back.”
Amorim himself said that he would not change his style despite United’s poor recent form.
“I have to sell my idea,” he told reporters after the defeat to Newcastle. “If I change all the time it is going to be even worse.
“I understand they have a lot of difficulties because they spent two years playing one way and now they are playing another. With a lot of losses, it is really tough on them. You can feel it, during the game I can feel it but I have to sell my idea because I don’t have another one.
“When you have a change of coach, especially in this type of club, it is because they were not winning. They played in the system they were bought for and were chosen perfectly for that system. After two years, working in pre-season, they were losing.
“So am I going to change to that system to something that I don’t believe in? That doesn’t make sense.”
Ferdinand Picks Out Two Players For Criticism
Rio Ferdinand pointed out Casemiro and Christian Eriksen for criticism after their struggles against Newcastle.
The duo lacked energy against an impressive Newcastle midfield consisting of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton.
Ferdinand said: “I think we’re looking at two players in this team who came under a lot of criticism after yesterday; Casemiro and Eriksen.
‘One of the key elements to this system is that it needs legs and it needs physicality. And Eriksen and Casemiro, that’s probably two of the weakest parts of their games, so that doesn’t help.
‘But I would still argue that if they were able to train and he was able to implement his philosophies, then those two players wouldn’t look so out of place.
‘So I don’t think it’s as simple as ‘Let’s get two more mobile players in there and it’ll all be better’. I still think we’ll have the same issues’.
