### **Familiar Frailties
Haunt Manchester
A new manager, over £200
million spent in the summer transfer window, and a fresh season brimming with
hope. Yet for Manchester United, the story remains hauntingly familiar. The
uninspired 1-1 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage has quickly extinguished
the cautious optimism that followed their opening-day performance against
Arsenal, revealing that the team's deep-rooted issues are far from resolved
under new boss Rúben Amorim.
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| ### **Familiar Frailties Haunt Manchester United as Fulham Draw Exposes Amorim's Midfield Conundrum** |
### **Familiar Frailties Haunt Manchester United as Fulham Draw Exposes Amorim's Midfield Conundrum**
- Despite a significant financial outlay and a change in the dugout, United's
- performance was a worrying echo of the inconsistent and structurally flawed
- displays that plagued them last season. The result leaves them with just one
- point from their opening two Premier League fixtures and raises critical
- questions about the team's tactical direction and, most pressingly, its
- dysfunctional midfield.
#### **A £200m Overhaul, Yet the Same Old Story**
Manchester United entered the
2025-26 season with prominent new signings intended to reshape the squad's
spine. However, against a resilient Fulham side, the team looked disjointed and
bereft of a coherent game plan. What could have been an acceptable point on the
road for many top clubs felt like another significant setback for Amorim's
project.
- The match statistics tell a grim tale. Bruno Fernandes squandered a golden
- opportunity by sending a penalty over the crossbar, while new forward
- Matheus Cunha was left frustrated after hitting the post and missing another
- clear chance. More alarmingly
United's
only goal across two matches was a fortuitous one—a Leny Yoro header from a
chaotic corner that deflected off Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz and into the net. This
lack of cutting edge in open play, combined with persistent defensive
vulnerabilities, points to a fundamental flaw in the team's structure.
#### **The Core Problem: A Complete Lack of Control**
The central issue that overshadows all others is Manchester United's chronic inability to control football matches. Under Amorim, the team seems incapable of dictating tempo or asserting dominance, especially in the midfield engine room.
- The match at Craven Cottage began with a flurry of energetic passing and
- movement, but this promising start quickly fizzled out. United’s best
- opportunities arose not from well-drilled tactical patterns but from random
- moments of individual brilliance or chaotic scrambles.
Fulham manager Marco Silva identified this weakness in his post-match press conference, noting that his team "began to control the game with the ball" after the first 20 minutes.
United were repeatedly pushed back, unable to sustain pressure or even
play their way out of their own half. This midfield void leaves the defense, including
new arrivals Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt, constantly exposed and forced into last-ditch
challenges.
- The equalizing goal was a perfect illustration of this problem. Emile Smith
- Rowe was allowed to ghost between United’s central defenders and calmly
- finish past the goalkeeper—a goal that seemed inevitable as Fulham’s
- pressure mounted and United retreated deeper into their shell.
#### **System vs. Personnel: Amorim's Tactical Dilemma**
This recurring pattern raises
a crucial question: does the fault lie with Amorim’s tactical system or the
players tasked with executing it? The manager's philosophy often relies on high-intensity
transitions, but this approach appears to be creating a chaotic, end-to-end
style of play where United are just as likely to concede chances as they are to
create them.
- The inability to maintain possession and build structured attacks is creating
- palpable frustration. In the 85th minute, the traveling United fans could be
- heard chanting "Attack, attack, attack!"—a clear indictment of the team's
- passive and reactive performance after taking the lead.
With the transfer window
still open, the pressure is mounting to find a solution. The club has been
linked with a new midfielder, and recent performances suggest that signing a
player in the mould of a "new N'Golo Kanté"—a dynamic ball-winner who
can shield the defense and impose order—is not a luxury but an absolute
necessity.
Until this midfield puzzle is solved, whether through tactical adjustments, new personnel, or both, Manchester United will likely remain a team of moments, not mastery. They will continue to create few chances while conceding many, leading to more disappointing results.
Time is on Rúben Amorim’s side for now, but after a full pre-season and a £200 million
investment, the questions will only get louder and more difficult to answer.
