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thedevilsdna.bsky.social
The Devil's DNA
@thedevilsdna.bsky.social
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👔: Football Tactical Analysis / Data Viz / Writer 🔍: Manchester United / EPL / Europe's top 5 leagues 🌐: www.thedevilsdna.com 🐦: @TheDevilsDNA ✉️: [email protected] ✍️: Analytics FC, Goalkeeper xG, UtdDistrict 🎙️: GetFootball Tactics Podcast
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Amorim’s Manchester United Blueprint

In this in-depth analysis, I break down Amorim's tactical philosophy, detail each role in his system & assess Man Utd’s squad fit for each position. I also predict potential ins & outs. RTs appreciated!
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Ruben Amorim's Manchester United Blueprint - thedevilsdna.com
This article will cover Amorim’s tactical philosophy, analyzing his principles and key patterns, a breakdown of each role in his ideal starting XI and how the current Manchester United squad fits Amor...
thedevilsdna.com
This week's episode is about AC Milan. We discussed in detail why Fonseca was fired & what was good & bad about his stint, but also zoomed out to figure out where Milan are headed in terms of 2 managerial hires in quick succession & Conceicao's tactics.
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Get Football: The Tactics Podcast | Pioli to Fonseca to Conceicao: Are Milan on the Right Track?
In this episode of the Get Football Tactics Podcast, Neel, Varun and Alex discuss Milan's recent coaching changes. After analysing the circumstances around Paulo Fonseca's arrival at the start of t...
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Overall, I still stand by the idea that Hojlund can become an elite CF at his peak. His physical & technical profile enables him to be a good mover & efficient shooter. If he can scale up his shot numbers as United improve under Amorim, he can enjoy a great peak. That's the hope
3) Coaching: Hojlund's ability to generate shots can improve. Some potentia areas:
- Right foot usage
- Shots from non comfort zone positions (RHS, distance)
- Use of (his good) carrying to create separation for shot
- Aerial threat (Hojlund's run-and-jump timing can be better)
2) Tactical: Team not being able to generate space & enter final 3rd with patience has been a long-standing issue. Service & more importantly right type of service impacts CF the most. As we progress as a team & work more on final 3rd, that should improve
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2 reasons for Man Utd's box attacking issues

Below are typical Sporting box moments in final ball situations (usually from WB/AM). They were good at loading box in a timely & positional way (who attacks which part of box & when). It's not a formation/tactic issue IMO.

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With Rashford's (& maybe Zirkzee's) future in doubt, it would be wise to recruit an off-ball threat SS type profile who can play both AM & CF. Would help Hojlund when both are on pitch & rotate at CF to reduce goal burden. Would compliment Bruno, Amad, Mount & Garnacho too.
Hojlund had this with Lookman, who profiles close to Rashford. Even as AM Lookman would make opposing channel & box runs to Hojlund so that one of them could be the foil to the other at a given time. Rashford was being played RAM before the exile & I think LF-RF split was idea.
So, what are the solutions?

1) Team building: Amorim's ideal 3-4-3 has 1 AM who joins CF like a SS often forming a front 2 & splitting striker runs (like far post & near post). My hope was Rashford could split run-and-finish work with Hojlund, but his exile has hurt this plan.
In a sense, he's gone further into his comfort zones instead of breaking out of them. The ideal development was for him to add variety in shooting & find more ways to generate shots. We rarely see awkward or odd-position or dirty shots from Hojlund - a trait good scorers have.
Left-side bias in shooting that @jakeent.bsky.social mentions was something I noticed at Atalanta too. And with shot opportunities reducing due to poor creation at Man Utd, both volume & bias issues have become worse - he takes much lesser shots & much more from preferred left-side.
In fact, it can be argued that shooting a lot with avg or slightly above avg conversion rates is probably better than shooting less with high conversion rate. You'd rather be an elite shot-generator than have elite efficiency. In the long run, CFs who shoot a lot score a lot.
Firstly, point on shooting less is valid. I hyped his shooting efficiency & goals/shot from Atalanta time. He was scoring a goal every 6 shots & only an in-form Osimhen fared better. But that came while shooting less. Trend of high conversion but low volume continues at Man Utd.
Hojlund's next steps to evolve - THREAD

Great piece below on Hojlund. Nuanced & insightful. Matches my thoughts from the article I did on him + threads on him since move to Man Utd. Have comments on issues raised & solutions to help him evolve & reach his potential.
Short 🧵
No, we were just losing more when palying with FBs and taking aggressive shots against teams sitting back with a lead. Our shot quality was worse.
Not that I've seen. We pass and shoot more but thats mainly because we've been trailing more so have more of the ball and take more desperate shots. There is no negative impact on open play defence.
ttx
[Impact of winger at wingback, Amorim's first 7 Manchester United games, EPL 24/25]

When a winger plays WB, team has ~2x carries & 30% more progressive carries & carries into final 3rd. This leads to better shots within box, resulting in 9 goals compared to 0 when FBs play WBs.
Amad main reason but his vertical threat also creates space for opposite WB/AM to execute more carries into final 3rd. Notice we take shots closer to goal in winger scenario.

My suggestions:
- Always start Amad/Antony at RWB
- Try Garnacho at LWB (my Amorim article hot take)
[Impact of winger at wingback, Amorim's first 7 Manchester United games, EPL 24/25]

When a winger plays WB, team has ~2x carries & 30% more progressive carries & carries into final 3rd. This leads to better shots within box, resulting in 9 goals compared to 0 when FBs play WBs.