The arrival of Rúben Amorim at Manchester United in the middle of the 2024/2025 campaign was met with cautious optimism.
Yet, the reality of his early tenure underscored the magnitude of the task he had inherited.
Succeeding Erik ten Hag, Amorim stepped into a squad burdened with inconsistency, tactical disorganisation, and a loss of identity on the pitch.
By the end of the season, United had slumped to 15th in the Premier League, their lowest finish in the modern era.
This reflected deep-rooted structural issues rather than the shortcomings of a single coach.
The side struggled to sustain effective possession phases, pressing often appeared disjointed, and finishing was alarmingly wasteful, contributing to several heavy and demoralising defeats.
However, within the chaos, there were flickers of potential.
The underlying metrics suggested that United created a respectable volume of chances, with expected goals (xG) figures significantly higher than their actual goal return.
This mismatch exposed the squads acute lack of clinical edge, forcing the club to address the problem decisively in the summer transfer market.
The acquisitions of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha reflect a clear strategic attempt to enhance the finishing quality of the attack.
At the same time, homegrown talent Amad Diallo emerged as a rare positive, delivering an exceptional campaign despite the team’s collective underperformance.
In this Manchester United data analysis, we will examine the key reasons behind United’s struggles under Amorim from his first matches in charge through to the opening fixtures of the 2025/2026 season.
We will focus on build-up patterns, pressing efficiency, chance creation, and finishing output.
The aim of this tactical analysis is to identify both the weaknesses that undermined performances and the tactical adjustments that might offer a path forward.
Manchester United Attacking Tactical Problems & Finishing Inefficiency
When analysing Manchester United’s offensive performance under Rúben Amorim, it becomes evident that results alone can be deeply misleading.
For many years, coaching in football was often reduced to defensive organisation, pressing structures, and transition play, while attacking output was largely left to the flair and creativity of individual talents.
However, in today’s game, where creative quality is less abundant and defences are better organised than ever, structured attacking schemes are a defining characteristic of successful managers.
Amorim’s early months at Old Trafford highlight this evolution: the data portrays a side capable of generating opportunities through clear tactical mechanisms, even if the scoreboard suggests otherwise.
Manchester United Attacking Radar 2024/2025
The numbers emphasise this paradox.
United averaged 1.83 expected goals (xG) per match, yet converted only 1.67 actual goals.
Ov
Subscribe To TFA To Unlock All Posts - Free 7 Day Trial
Try TFA Free For 7 Days
Gain access to all of TFA's premium contents.More than 12,000+ articles.
