Rubén Amorim has clarified his comments following Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat to Brighton, in which he described his team as “perhaps the worst” in the club’s history.
Amorim’s comments came after watching them suffer a sixth home league defeat in 12 this season, and his focus was squarely on the collective rather than the individual.
A defeat that leaves United 13th in the Premier League table has United fans wondering how much longer it will take them to see the benefits of the system Amorim is trying to install, with United’s players still looking deeply uncertain in several areas.
Amorim said before the Liverpool game earlier this month that his players were playing with fear. The 2-2 draw at Anfield and the penalty shoot-out victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup that followed should have boosted confidence.
Instead, Amorim said his players were still “really nervous” as Brighton claimed a third straight win in as many seasons at Old Trafford, days after an unconvincing home win over Southampton.
Ahead of Thursday’s Europa League match at home against Rangers, the Portuguese has sought to address the consequences of his words following the Seagulls’ setback.
“Firstly, I want to talk about that (his comment about this Manchester United possibly being the worst team in the club’s history),” he began.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Brighton’s Premier League win over Manchester United
“I talked more about myself than about my players, because you have to find a coach who starts a job and loses seven games in the first 10. So it’s more for me, I was talking more about myself than about the players.
“I also said in the same answer that I was not helping my players. And if you look around you, every time I talk, and I talk a lot, every time you insist that the players are not good enough, I never put the point” . about my players. So I get it, I gave you that headline.
“And sometimes I feel frustrated. And sometimes I shouldn’t say that in those terms, but it is what it is. And that’s it.
“Sometimes it is very difficult to hide the frustration at some moments. But the good thing is that five minutes before I said the same things in a different way in the locker room. So the response was quite normal, because I am very direct with my players.
“And they trained well, they are ready for this game and we will see tomorrow.”
Amorim: I am very direct, we are doing it very badly
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Kris Boyd believes Rangers will still face a tough challenge against Manchester United despite Amorim’s side’s recent struggles.
United have won just three of their 11 league games since Amorim took over as successor to the sacked Erik ten Hag, losing six of them.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher dismissed the majority of current United as a “joke” but insisted Amorim’s comments could get him into trouble.
speaking in monday night football, Carragher said: “I have no time for this Manchester United team. I don’t feel the players or their confidence, half of them are a joke anyway.
“But I would be very surprised if the powers above him didn’t have a very strong word. You don’t talk like that as a Manchester United manager… when you are in a very bad situation, don’t put gasoline on the fire.”
So the comments were designed to bring life to your players?
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Amorim passionately explains that he is not nervous but frustrated by Manchester United’s recent problems.
“I didn’t think about it, that’s why,” Amorim responded Wednesday, apologizing. “I’m a young boy and sometimes I can make mistakes. That’s why I don’t like to talk after the game.
“I had to speak and maybe it was a mistake. And then I get more nervous and I go to the conference very nervous. And then you said things that you shouldn’t say.
“And that’s it. Sometimes you’re a young guy and you make mistakes. And you get better. I can’t promise you I won’t do it again. I don’t know. So I’ll try to get better.”
Amorim insists that it is a collective responsibility to change the bad start to his mandate.
“I don’t take responsibility for the players,” he continued. “What I’m saying is that the message you showed was that I was transmitting it to the players.
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Jamie Carragher questions the thinking behind Amorim’s comments and what they can do for trust and faith for the rest of the season.
“What I was saying is that you have to look very hard to find a team like Manchester United in 10 games that loses seven games. And that depends on me. Because they are the same players who do worse with a new coach.
“That’s my only concern right now. But I’m not taking anything away from the players. What I’m saying is that we have to improve in the details, and I explained that to them.
“The way we play, we are too nervous with the ball. Too nervous, too anxious. And then, if you have a little experience in this game, when you fall into this kind of context, it is very difficult to come back.” .
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Sam Blitz analyzes whether Amorim was right when he said that the current Manchester United team is possibly the worst in the club’s history.
“Especially when you’re at a huge club. So that was my only point. Was it the best time to do it after that loss, the way I do it?
“Maybe not, but it is what it is. And I’m like that all the time. So I don’t take responsibility for the players.
“What I’m saying is that I’m very, very direct about things. What I’m saying is that right now we are performing very poorly. And our results are really bad right now.”
“So it’s everything, everything together. The players, the staff, the coaching staff. So I take responsibility.
“I’m just saying that I am the most responsible for the performance and the results, because I am the coach and I have that responsibility.”
Amorim: It is increasingly difficult to play at Old Trafford
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Amorim insists he will not change and that his team needs time, despite two wins in their last 10 Premier League games.
The defeat to Brighton was United’s sixth at Old Trafford this season, notably the most in their first 12 home league games since the 1893-94 season.
United were relegated on that occasion after finishing last in the First Division, one of the few seasons that means that their current team is not, at least statistically, the worst in its entire history.
Amorim believes his team is suffering especially at the moment when playing in front of their own fans at Old Trafford.
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Sky Sports’ Anton Toloui and Adam Bate discuss Manchester United’s 3-1 home defeat to Brighton and whether Amorim is asking for more trouble by not changing his approach, despite his poor form.
“I think it’s clear. I could say different things and say, no, no, it’s the same. We have the support of the fans. No, we are more nervous playing at home than away, because we lost a lot of games.” games, like four out of five.
“So it’s getting harder and harder. But we can improve. I think if we don’t concede the first goal, like in the fourth minute, and I remember, it’s the fourth minute, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and then it’s very difficult to calm down. down the team.
“So the first thing in my mind is that they can’t score. We need to score first. If we score first, I think that will change and we will play better at home at the beginning.
“So that’s it. I think it’s very clear. We are very eager to play, especially at home.”
“And we concede goals and then it is very difficult. So I think it is clear to everyone that it is increasingly difficult to play at Old Trafford.”
Maguire: Conceding first is about not being mentally focused
Amorim sat alongside former captain Harry Maguire at Wednesday’s press conference ahead of the Europa League clash against Rangers.
Maguire said he had no complaints about his manager’s approach and said it was up to the team to take responsibility for United’s situation.
There is no lack of experience or caliber in the United squad, but that is not noticeable in a team struggling to adapt to Amorim’s system.
There was a feeling they were making progress after the 2-2 draw against Liverpool and the FA Cup penalty shootout win over Arsenal, but that largely disappeared after a poor home performance against Southampton, rescued for Amad Diallo’s last goal. -trick – before the defeat against Brighton.
“If I could explain it, I think we would change it straight away,” Maguire said of United’s problems. “We have players who have played numerous matches at international level and have won many trophies in club football.
“But at the moment we are not playing well enough as a team and the league table shows it. So I can only continue talking about it. We have to take responsibility as players.”
But in particular, discussing why United have conceded the first goal so many times at home, the 31-year-old said: “You have to go into the game and be focused and mentally prepared to go and win a football match.
“Football games are sometimes defined by small margins and at the moment we are not achieving those small margins because we are not mentally focused enough to make sure they go the way we want.”
