Ruben Amorim has faced criticism for insisting on playing in a certain formation in his Manchester United squad, but believes he will have no problem setting up his summer signing.
Matheus Cunha would be happy to play in any role Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim gives him. The Portuguese coach has come under fire for refusing to change his tactical approach amid a string of disappointing results.
Since Amorim arrived in Manchester, he has made it abundantly clear that the 3-4-3 system with wing-backs is here to stay and will not change. Through a disastrous season last season and a difficult start to the season with three losses in seven games, he has been under relentless pressure to change the team’s set-up.
Team members have reportedly begun to question the formation, with much of the criticism focusing on how captain Bruno Fernandes is positioned in an inappropriate deep midfield position. Nevertheless, Amorim claims that even the Pope could not persuade him to change his tactics.
It has been suggested that many of United’s players are unimpressed with this attitude, but Cunha, who joined from Wolves in a £62.5m deal this summer, has no concerns about his positioning and rejects the idea that the manager should modify his approach.
“I play for Manchester United and I think people understand my play better because they follow me more on the pitch,” Cunha told Globo.
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“I think that’s part of having that weight, and it’s a privilege. That’s the weight that I came to after the Tokyo Olympics (Brazil 2021). And I think it’s worth putting up with some confusion about where (I’m going to) play if it means being a champion at that weight.”
“I came to the national team with the stereotype of being a number 9. I played the whole home field as a midfielder and after turning professional I encountered this 4-3-3 world. It seems I have to adapt, either playing as a centre-forward, a winger or a ‘number 8’.
“They have abolished the midfielder position, so we have to adapt to that. But I look at it positively, because it gives me experience, gives me more positions, and even more so in short tournaments with the national team. Having versatile players is a big help for any manager.”
“Little by little, I am finding what I was looking for above all as a human being. It is human nature to always want to improve, but I can’t help but stop and enjoy this moment.
“I feel honored to wear the jersey of one of the best clubs in the world… It’s a great moment for me personally. I have a wonderful family and now we have another little girl. We are all fit and healthy. I am enjoying all this in a positive way.”
Cunha has indicated that Amorim’s potentially stubborn refusal to modify his tactical approach does not bother him and that he is ready to play anywhere in the attacking line if required, Manchester Evening News reported.
Amorim himself responded passionately to the criticism last month as his team languished in the lower reaches of the Premier League. “No, no, no,” he told reporters. “No, no, no. Not even the pope (who could change the formation).”
“This is my job. This is my responsibility. This is my life. There will be an evolution, but we need to take all the good steps. If I were a player and a coach who was under a lot of pressure, whether he was in the world or not, said: ‘We need to change the system.’ And I will change. In this moment, they will look at me differently.”
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