Manchester United will return to Premier League action against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon
Mikel Arteta admitted he changed his tactics based on the players he has at his disposal as Ruben Amorim continues to struggle to cement his ideas at Manchester United.
The Portuguese boss, who replaced Erik ten Hag in November, has tried to implement his preferred 3-4-3 formation at Old Trafford. However, as his squad have struggled to adapt, Amorim has been criticised and calls for a change has been made.
Many pundits have questioned his formation. “It is a peculiar system,” said Gary Neville while Stephen Warnock added: “I don’t like the system. I don’t think it works.” Jamie O’Hara meanwhile, believes it’s not suited to work at United, saying: “I don’t think it will ever work. I just don’t think that formation works in the Premier League.”
Arteta meanwhile, also had a tough start at the Emirates and his job was under threat by December 2020 following a poor run of form. His tactics have changed over the years, and he sees it as a ‘main thing’ for a coach to set up in a way which favours his players.
“Tell me the players that you have and I tell you how we have to play,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “Then what the opposition allows you to do because there’s what you want to do and what the opposition allows you to do as well.
“I always believe that you have to put the players in their strengths, in their abilities as often as possible. That’s the main thing, in my opinion, as a coach to maximise the resources that we have. The first year and the second one. There are certain things, especially without the ball, against man-to-man, the last line we could not do.”
Arteta’s view is the complete opposite to Amorim, as the sides prepare to face each other at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. Explaining his decision to stick with his tactics, Amorim said: “I cannot change my idea in one day because we will lose much more now.
“So I will try to do it the way I am trying to do it. I adapt for every game – the positioning, the way the players are trying to cope without training. So it’s really hard for them. But I maintain my idea, I want to play a certain way until the end. If I change everything now, we are going to lose everything. Like I said, you cannot go back. I was here because of my idea and I will continue to do my idea until the end.”
2025-03-08 20:30:00
