The new rules he introduced in pre-season training seem to work as Reuben Amorim continues his quest to breathe new life into Manchester United.
Reuben Amorim has introduced new rules for training at Manchester United. The loser will pick up all the equipment used that day.
The Portuguese manager’s debut campaign after taking over from Erik Ten Hag last November has proven to be a disaster. But things were looking for him before the season, and United won the Premier League summer series in the United States. They recorded victory at West Ham United and Bournemouth, drawing 2-2 with Everton.
Amorim didn’t cut corners in his quest to transform United, which has often been criticized last season. One of his methods is to bring competitiveness to the training drills to introduce a more intense environment. And one of the key factors is the use of forfeiture to lose a team. This usually involves requiring the team to pick up equipment from training that day.
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United Young Star Toby Collier commented specifically on the rule, telling Athletic:
Right-back Diogo Dalot also discussed how preseason standards were raised compared to the previous period. Portugal International said: “If you want to be at Manchester United, you need to match some criteria. If you can’t match them, that’s not the place for you. The message is really clear.”
It is alongside Amorim’s work to enhance his players’ understanding of his preferred 3-4-3 formation. The United boss refused to be upset from the early period of his favorite set up, even if his team had the lowest form. And now he’s doubled.
He sets his defender with his priority back five and an alternative defender stands behind his starter as he shifts his starter left and right by kicking the ball into certain areas of the pitch. It can be a time-consuming and laborious process, but Amorim is fully focused on the details.
Another area of the pitch where United were regularly outclassed was midfield. This season, Amorim believes his players can dominate the middle of the park.
When asked why he felt so confident, he said: “I think that’s the time to train. Even the certainty of the exercise can help players get faster if you think “jump and don’t jump.”
“We train when they need to jump. They already know. Sometimes it’s a meter, a second. That’s the tactical and physical aspects come together.”
United are facing an ominous start to their new Premier League campaign. On the first day of the season, they host Arsenal chasing the title at Old Trafford the following week, before a difficult trip to Fulham.
A home clash with newly promoted Burnley is followed by an away-away collision with Manchester City and another home match with Chelsea quickly. These games will be the biggest test of whether Amorim’s way has been absorbed by his players.
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