Rasmus Hojlund hasn’t scored in 17 games. (Image: GETTY/TNT SPORTS)
admits the lack of characteristics in the squad that suit his desired playing style is a “big issue” that he plans to address in the transfer market. Joshua Zirkzee and three of his team-mates are among the players who don’t fit in Amorim’s long-term vision, according to Rio Ferdinand.
United survived a dramatic encounter with relegation-bound Ipswich Town on Wednesday night, edging their fellow strugglers 3-2 at Old Trafford.
Jaden Philogene profited from two mistakes to find the net on either side of Sam Morsy’s own goal and ‘s strike in the first half.
Patrick Dorgu saw red for a reckless challenge, leaving United with 10 men for the entirety of the second half, but the hosts dug deep, and Harry Maguire headed in the winner shortly after the break.
The Red Devils have found convincing wins hard to come by under Amorim, and Ferdinand believes it comes down to a lack of profiles that the Portuguese head coach had at his disposal at Sporting.
“I watched Sporting a few times, in Europe especially. They were an athletic, dynamic team,” Ferdinand explained on TNT Sports.
“That was one of the staples of that team, the hallmarks of that good team that was winning things. This team aren’t a mobile, dynamic team.
“If you look through the heartbeat of this team, they have other qualities, but being physical, having the ability to overrun teams physically – they don’t have that capacity.”
Rio Ferdinand doesn’t think Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire fit. (Image: Getty)
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When asked whether Zirkzee suits Amorim’s playing style, Ferdinand added: “No… De Ligt, Maguire, Hojlund, it’s not their game.
“So I think he needs to find those types of players with the capabilities of carrying out not only tactically what he wants, but the physicality is equally important.”
Despite achieving his first Premier League victory in a month, Amorim made no mistake of acknowledging how much his team had to improve.
The United boss suggested that the only way to do this would be to recruit players who fit his playing style.
“We have to improve in every aspect. We lack some characteristics in our squad to play in the different way,” Amorim explained after full-time.
“We need to have more possession, and I felt that today, we were more calm with the ball, especially in the beginning and especially after we suffered the first goal. I think Bruno was really important in that.
“Sometimes we want Bruno higher in the pitch to be near the goal, but sometimes we need Bruno also building up, and I think he was really good on that today because he’s really confident with the ball no matter what the context.
“We clearly need to create more chances, and especially, we need to score goals. I think that is a big issue in our team, and when we think in the future, we need to address that.”