Manchester United suffered a shocking League Cup exit at the hands of Grimsby Town after a penalty shootout. New signings haven’t translated into success, tactical approaches are questioned, and defensive frailties are exposed, putting manager Ruben Amorim under pressure. The team rallied late but ultimately lost, highlighting issues to address for the season.
Manchester United's early season woes deepened as they suffered a shocking League Cup exit at the hands of fourth-tier Grimsby Town. The Red Devils, managed by Ruben Amorim, fell to a penalty shootout defeat after Bryan Mbeumo's crucial miss, adding to the pressure already mounting on the Portuguese coach.
The narrative surrounding Amorim's arrival at Old Trafford had been one of a talented tactician needing the right players to implement his vision. A summer spending spree of around £200 million brought in promising talents like Slovenian forward Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig, Brazilian attacker Matheus Cunha from Wolves, and French winger Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford. However, these additions have yet to translate into on-field success, as evidenced by the embarrassing loss at Blundell Park, Grimsby's home ground where the River Humber meets the North Sea.
The match against Grimsby was a disaster from the start. United found themselves trailing 0–2 at half-time, a scoreline that sent shockwaves through the club's fanbase. This defeat compounded the disappointment of Amorim's failure to win his first league game at Old Trafford, a 0–1 loss to Arsenal. That game saw Italian left-back Riccardo Calafiori head home after new goalkeeper Altay Bayındır, preferred over André Onana, could only parry Declan Rice's corner.
Prior to the League Cup humiliation, United had managed just one point from their opening two Premier League fixtures. Against Fulham, they took the lead courtesy of a Rodrigo Muniz own goal, although Leny Yoro appeared to get the final touch. However, Fulham equalized when Alex Iwobi's cross found Emile Smith Rowe, who finished past Bayındır to secure a draw. The defensive frailties exposed in that match highlighted a key area of concern for Amorim.
Amorim's tactical approach has come under scrutiny. His preference for a back three, reminiscent of the 1968 European Cup-winning side, hasn't yielded the desired results. The system relies on ball-playing defenders capable of initiating attacks from the back, but the current crop of United centre-backs haven't demonstrated that ability consistently. This has led to a stagnant build-up play and vulnerability to counter-attacks.
Substitutions have also been a point of contention. The decision to replace Marcus Rashford with Mason Mount in the Arsenal game raised eyebrows, while the deployment of Amad Diallo, a natural winger, as a right wing-back seemed more like a punitive measure than a strategic one. Against Arsenal, Amorim replaced Dalot with Diallo after going 1-0 down, and later brought on Harry Maguire for Shaw, forming a trio of centre-backs, in what appeared to be an attempt to compensate for Amad's attacking tendencies.
The core defensive problem lies in the team's lack of compactness and the tendency to defend "square". Centre-backs aligned in a straight line are easily exposed by through-balls, whereas specialist full-backs defend in zones and on the half-turn. This tactical inflexibility has made United predictable and vulnerable at the back.
The League Cup match against Grimsby followed a similar pattern. Tyler Fredricson, Harry Maguire, and Ayden Heaven formed a flat back three, with Dalot at right wing-back and Diallo as an inverted inside-right. Grimsby took advantage of United's inexperience and formation to score two early goals. Charles Vernam's low drive and Tyrell Warren's tap-in exposed the defensive vulnerabilities of the system.
United managed to rally late in the game, with Mbeumo curling in a low shot and Maguire heading in a late equalizer. However, Cunha missed the chance to win the shootout, and Mbeumo's subsequent penalty miss sealed United's fate. The defeat leaves Amorim under immense pressure to find solutions to United's early season struggles. The team must address their defensive issues and find a way to integrate the new signings into a cohesive unit if they are to salvage their season.