
Lyon Star Blames Ruben Amorim for Alejandro Garnacho’s Man Utd Struggles
In a candid interview, Lyon’s Nicolas Tagliafico has pointed the finger at Manchester United’s manager Ruben Amorim for the struggles of Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho, highlighting a lack of support and poor communication as factors contributing to the 20-year-old’s alarming drop in form.
Garnacho, once considered one of the brightest young prospects in European football, has struggled to recapture his best form under Ruben Amorim, and this season, his performances have been far from what United fans had come to expect from him.
Garnacho’s Decline: A Struggling Forward
Alejandro Garnacho was once heralded as the next big thing at Manchester United. Bursting onto the scene with exciting performances and quick bursts of skill, the Argentine quickly became a fan favourite. However, his last 27 appearances for United have painted a different picture—one of frustration, missed opportunities, and an alarming inability to score.
The young forward has managed just a single goal in those 27 games, and his performances have left United supporters wondering what has gone wrong. While Garnacho has shown flashes of his talent, he has not been able to consistently deliver at the highest level, and many have begun to question whether his future at Old Trafford is in jeopardy. His struggles have become even more pronounced since the arrival of Ruben Amorim, who has implemented a tactical shift that does not seem to suit Garnacho’s natural abilities.
Ruben Amorim’s Arrival: Tactical Shift and Uncertainty
The arrival of Ruben Amorim at Manchester United marked a significant change in the team’s tactical setup. Ruben Amorim, who was brought in to replace Erik ten Hag, is known for his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation, a system that focuses on a compact defensive shape and the ability to transition quickly on the counter-attack. While this system has worked wonders for some players, it has left others, including Garnacho, struggling to find their best positions.
In Ruben Amorim’s system, Garnacho has often found himself playing as an inside forward rather than his traditional wide winger role. The shift has forced the young attacker into the heart of the action, where he has been crowded out by defenders and struggled to make the most of his natural speed and flair. Playing as a winger in a more traditional system allowed Garnacho to stretch the opposition, create space, and use his blistering pace to devastating effect. In his current role under Amorim, however, those opportunities have been fewer and farther between.
Garnacho’s Statistics Under Ruben Amorim
The statistics speak for themselves. Since Ruben Amorim took charge, Garnacho has scored just two goals in 20 appearances, a far cry from the prolific form he showed under previous manager Erik ten Hag. Under Ten Hag, Garnacho averaged 0.32 goals per 90 minutes, contributing 20 goals in 98 appearances. Under Ruben Amorim, however, his average has plummeted to just 0.10 goals per 90 minutes, with only two goals in 20 games.
While Garnacho’s assist numbers under Amorim have remained relatively decent (4 assists in 20 matches), his overall contribution to the team has been less than stellar. His drop in goal-scoring form is one of the most striking aspects of his decline, and it seems clear that Ruben Amorim’s system has not allowed Garnacho to play to his strengths. The young forward has become a shadow of the exciting talent that lit up Old Trafford during Ten Hag’s tenure.
Tagliafico’s Thoughts: Lack of Support and Communication
Nicolas Tagliafico, who plays with Garnacho at international level with Argentina, has offered a unique insight into the situation. The Lyon full-back, who has faced Garnacho both as a teammate and as an opponent, believes that Ruben Amorim’s tactics and the lack of support from his teammates have played a significant role in the winger’s struggles.
Tagliafico highlighted that Garnacho has the raw talent to be a top player but needs the right environment and support to thrive. “I saw good qualities when he first stepped into the team but with a new coach and different styles, he has maybe lost a bit of confidence,” Tagliafico told The Daily Mail. “When you miss this as a winger and at a club like United, it’s not easy.”
According to Tagliafico, Garnacho’s struggles are not just down to Ruben Amorim’s tactical setup, but also to the lack of communication and support from his teammates. As a full-back, Tagliafico understands the importance of strong communication between players, particularly when a winger is in a dangerous position. “When a winger plays in front of me, I like to talk to him. Encourage him to take on one-on-one more or say when to tuck in,” he said. “He is still very young. Maybe that’s what he needs more at United.”
Tagliafico’s comments suggest that Garnacho’s struggles could partly be a result of the team’s failure to integrate him into their game plan and give him the necessary encouragement to perform at his best. The young winger has all the attributes to succeed, but without proper guidance and support, his progress at United has been stunted.
Is Ruben Amorim to Blame?
The question that remains is whether Ruben Amorim can be held fully accountable for Garnacho’s struggles. There is no denying that the shift in tactics has affected the winger’s output, but the responsibility also lies with the player himself and his ability to adapt to the new system. Football is a team game, and Garnacho cannot entirely blame his manager or teammates for his lack of form. Ultimately, it’s up to the player to find ways to make the most of the opportunities he is given.
That being said, Ruben Amorim’s system does seem to be an ill fit for Garnacho’s style of play. The 3-4-2-1 formation has left him with limited space and fewer chances to get in behind the opposition’s defence, where he is at his most dangerous. Amorim will need to find a way to integrate Garnacho into his tactical framework, or the player’s future at United could be in jeopardy.
Garnacho’s Future at Manchester United
Alejandro Garnacho’s future at Manchester United is now a topic of much debate. His once-promising career at Old Trafford has been thrown into doubt by a combination of factors, including his struggles under Ruben Amorim, the tactical shift in the team, and the lack of support from his teammates. The young Argentine has the talent to be a star, but he needs to find his rhythm once again and rediscover the form that made him one of the most exciting young talents in Europe.
As for Ruben Amorim, he will need to find a way to get the best out of Garnacho, or risk losing one of the most promising players in his squad. For now, the focus will be on whether Garnacho can turn his fortunes around and prove that he is still a key player for Manchester United in the years to come.
In the coming months, the pressure will be on both Garnacho and Ruben Amorim to find a way to resolve the winger’s struggles and get him back to the scintillating form that United fans had come to expect from him. Whether or not they succeed could determine both Garnacho’s future at United and the trajectory of Ruben Amorim’s tenure as head coach.
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