Back-to-back 2-2 draws for United felt like back-to-back defeats when looking at how we ended up with those points.
After taking the lead in both of our last two matches, we would've hoped to have taken all 3 come the final whistle yet we're happy to walk away with a point.
4 points dropped and a chance at 2nd in the league gone. Utterly frustrating.
1. Dorgu > Dalot
I do want to start of with a bit of a positive and that is Amorim finally dropping Dalot 🙌. I know! I was as shocked as you were!
That in itself was an improvement but Dorgu came in and was one of our better players. He was constantly up and down the pitch, defended well and also provides us with that balance (a left-footer at LWB).
This is coming from someone who isn't the biggest Dorgu fan as I don't actually rate him that highly but in this match, I will give him his praise.
After this performance, it's clear that Amorim has to go with the Dane over his distant relation in Dalot.
2. Casemiro = undroppable
Unc still got it!
The Brazilian has seen a resurgence in form over the last month or so and has shown us what a difference a good midfielder can make to this team. We see that even more so when he's not on the field.
His performances are a positive and fair play to him for this upturn in form but it is kind of an issue when a 33-year-old, has been, past his prime player is your best midfielder.
As I said, when he is off the field, United seem to crumble as that midfield is a lot more open. The numbers back this up as well.
Out of the 20 goals conceded this season, we've let in just 5 whilst Casemiro was on the field. The other 15 came when he was on the bench. 2 of those were in this game as United were leading 1-0 before he was substituted for Ugarte.
I do believe that Casemiro's time is up at the highest level yet cannot deny that he is crucial to this team at the moment. What I admire about his recent form is how he's adapted his game. He knows that he isn't the quickest and in the PL, you have little time on the ball. He's made sure that he gets it moving quickly often taking a touch (if necessary) before playing the pass or passing it first time.
Playing in this quick manner is of benefit to the team because it gets us moving quickly and doesn't allow the opposition to be up his arse and win back possession. Others can learn from this adaptability of Casemiro's.
3. Lack of Intensity
Especially in the second half.
For some reason, United appear tired in the second 45. There seems to be quite the drop off in intensity as we often sit back and allow the opposition to dictate the play. This then gives them the opportunity to be on the front-foot, control proceedings and create chances.
This was how we let Forest score last week and if not for Lammens making a couple of good saves, we could've found ourselves in the same situation again.
We also offer nothing going forward as other than De Ligt's header, the Spurs goal was troubled very little. This is a dangerous game to play as you lose what momentum you had in the first half and is hard to pick up again especially when the opposition is coming at you.
We knew that Spurs would fly out of halftime all guns blazing due to losing the game so we needed to hang in there (which we did) but also show some intent going forward so as to try and hit Spurs with the sucker punch or at the least make an attempt to try and grab a potential second killer goal.
We didn't do that.
Post-match, De Ligt even came out and said that in the second half the team was tired.
How can we be tired when we have a week between matches?
When looking at the first versus second half tables, it would prove this point even further that United are a first half team compared to a second:
4. Amorim needs to be more proactive
I find that our manager is more reactive than proactive. He prefers to wait for things to happen and then make whatever changes he deems necessary. Unfortunately, those changes are questionable.
With the way the game was going in the second half, United couldn't string 5 passes together. As the manager, surely you'd want to see a little more composure from your team so as to calm things down and stem some of the momentum of Spurs?
He didn't really show any indication of this as we continued to struggle to create anything of note and let Spurs play the game they wanted. We kept giving it away cheaply, players took too long on the ball and it kept coming straight back at us to a point where they scored those 2 goals.
We were asking for it.
As United weren't creating opportunities in attack, I feel that Amorim might have thought about just going ultra defensive and make it even harder for Spurs to break us down. Make things tighter and hold on to our 1-0 lead and see the game out.
He didn't do that as the changes he made suggested staying as we were or perhaps being more attacking when Sesko came on for Mazraoui.
The manager's in-game management needs some serious work.
5. Constant changes
One of the major issues I've had with Amorim this season is his constant tinkering of his teams. We never get the same lineup in back-to-back games as the first time this was seen was Brighton followed by Forest. I honestly believe he picked the same side because Maguire wasn't fit for that trip the The City Ground.
As soon as he was available again though, he was in for Yoro, like at Spurs. This has been a regular switch by the manager as in almost every game, it's Yoro or Maguire who starts with the other coming on for them at some point.
Amorim was forced to substitute Maguire because of an injury but he would've probably taken him off anyway.
More than the personnel though, players end up moving into different positions to accommodate for these changes. Maguire started ahead of Yoro - change 1. The Englishman played as the central centre-back with De Ligt having to move to the right when he is usually central - change 2. Dorgu starting over Dalot - change 3. Mazraoui started at RWB instead of Amad - change 4. Amad moved to right no 10 - change 5. Mbeumo shifted over to the left - change 6. And Cunha played as the false 9 - change 7.
SEVEN changes to the lineup despite just three new players coming into the team.
I find that this disrupts rhythm and chemistry with certain players (although it thankfully, didn't affect Amad and Mbeumo's partnership too much) and it also causes the team to play in a different way. Each player brings their strengths and weaknesses meaning that the rest have to adapt.
Amorim has to find his best XI and stick to it.
Richarlison and Matthijs De Ligt during Spurs 2-2 Man Utd | Image via Manchester United official X (@ManUtd)