{"id":162930,"date":"2025-02-16T21:05:47","date_gmt":"2025-02-16T21:05:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/16\/amorims-sixth-form-bench-deserved-chance-with-manner-of-defeat-a-major-concern\/"},"modified":"2025-02-16T21:05:47","modified_gmt":"2025-02-16T21:05:47","slug":"amorims-sixth-form-bench-deserved-chance-with-manner-of-defeat-a-major-concern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/16\/amorims-sixth-form-bench-deserved-chance-with-manner-of-defeat-a-major-concern\/","title":{"rendered":"Amorim’s sixth form bench deserved chance with manner of defeat a major concern"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

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Sometimes games just come down to raw qualities like hunger.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes it just comes down to who wants a 50-50 more, a loose ball more, the game more. <\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n

9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

Tottenham claimed their first win at home in the Premier League since November<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

The manner of Man United’s defeat will be of huge concern<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tottenham\u2019s players won more of their duels with a disappointing Manchester United and deservedly won this Premier League game.<\/p>\n

Djed Spence, the player of the match, was too quick and determined for Bruno Fernandes with a couple of runs down the left. <\/p>\n

Lucas Bergvall, outstanding for an hour from box to box, ghosted past Joshua Kirkzee. <\/p>\n

James Maddison ran back and slid in on Rasmus Hojlund, reclaiming possession, and triggering roars of approval from Spurs fans and sighs amongst the long-suffering United support. <\/p>\n

Ben Davies comfortably won a 50-50 with Zirkzee. Pedro Porro muscled Bruno far too easily off the ball late on. <\/p>\n

Spurs won because more of their players stood up to be counted than United\u2019s did.<\/p>\n

And when Spurs looked to be flagging, their supporters sensed the danger and lifted them over the finishing line with long bellows of encouragement. <\/p>\n

Ange Postecoglou was also able to freshen the team up with a raft of subs. <\/p>\n

Tottenham\u2019s head coach has been saying for months that he and his team can be properly judged only when he has more of his A-listers fit, and they looked so much the better with Guglielmo Vicario back in goal, making three good saves, and Maddison back in midfield, always positive, always looking to pass forward and scoring a poor game\u2019s only goal. <\/p>\n

Postecoglou was even smiling afterwards.<\/p>\n

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\"Spurs<\/a><\/p>\n

9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

Spurs are up to 12th with their hard-fought win<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"But<\/a><\/p>\n

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But the Spurs fans are still not happy with what they’re seeing<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The only negative for him was the sight of Rodrigo Bentancur icing his knee afterwards. The only other negative for the club was the sizeable protest outside the ground before kick-off of fans voicing their anger with the chairman, Daniel Levy. <\/p>\n

There were sporadic chants against him during the game and also two more banners held up in the South Stand and East Stand after the final whistle.<\/p>\n

In front of them, the advertising hoardings promoted six concerts being hosted at the stadium by Beyonce. It rather reinforced the Spurs fans\u2019 point that their magnificent stadium has become as much about gigs as football. <\/p>\n

If Beyonce generates fortunes for the club, according to Levy sympathisers, then the football and team benefit. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a flawless argument as Spurs fans demand more substantial investment in the squad. Injuries leave them exposed.<\/p>\n

Another advertisement rolling across the pitchside boards was for INEOS, Sir Jim Ratcliffe\u2019s petro-chemical company who co-own United. <\/p>\n

His head coach, Ruben Amorim, could point to his lack of options with players sold, loaned or injured, and the latest loss of Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo is particularly frustrating for United\u2019s head coach.<\/p>\n

Diallo has been Amorim\u2019s best player. Mainoo is a vital part of their future.<\/p>\n

The two rows behind Amorim resembled a sixth-form college and a supply teacher from Sweden. Eight teenagers and Victor Lindelof.<\/p>\n

Given United\u2019s travails, why not give some of them a chance? Would 19-year-old Sekou Kone have been less of a presence in deep midfield than Casemiro, a shadow of his former athletic self? <\/p>\n

Would Chido Obi-Martin, the 17-year-old Danish forward, have done less than Hojlund? <\/p>\n

You won\u2019t win anything with kids? History has shown that\u2019s debateable and they would certainly show some more fight.<\/p>\n

\n
\"There<\/a><\/p>\n

9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

There were a number of unfamiliar names, and Victor Lindelof, on Man United’s bench<\/span>Credit: Sky Sports<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maybe Amorim simply didn\u2019t want to throw youngsters into a confidence-free, losing team but the history of United is about backing youth, albeit usually with stronger characters around them.<\/p>\n

Maybe Amorim was simply making the point about the need for as much investment as PSR permits in the summer.<\/p>\n

talkSPORT reacts to James Maddison celebration which is potentially aimed at Manchester United Roy Keane<\/span><\/div>\n

His one addition to date, Patrick Dorgu, began at left wing-back, where he is far more at home than on the right where Amorim had tried him out. <\/p>\n

Dorgu did okay, was quick and mobile, willing to overlap although his runs were ignored a couple of times by Alejandro Garnacho. <\/p>\n

But Dorgu was caught out when Spurs, having been grateful to Vicario for denying Hojlund and Garnacho, raided upfield after 13 minutes.<\/p>\n

Porro sent Bentancur down the right, and the Uruguayan holding midfielder\u2019s appearance wide startled Dorgu. Bentancur\u2019s cross reached Heung-Min Son, who picked out Bergvall. Andre Onana couldn\u2019t hold the stinging drive, and Maddison played the poacher and then the darts-thrower. <\/p>\n

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\"This<\/a><\/p>\n

9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

This goal on the rebound from Maddison in the 13th minute proved to be the decisive moment<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"And<\/a><\/p>\n

9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

And Maddison sent a not-so subtle message to his critics when celebrating the goal<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

His usual celebration was a poignant dart back at those who\u2019d criticised him.<\/p>\n

United\u2019s defending was poor. Matthijs de Ligt didn\u2019t react, partly because Maddison ran from deep, and also because he was now playing left of the back-three with Lisandro Martinez injured.<\/p>\n

Up front, United had no cutting edge. Garnacho shot over, Hojlund spent too much of the game playing with his back to goal, not turning and running in behind, and he had the pace to beat Davies. <\/p>\n

A stretching Zirkzee headed wide when Hojlund was better placed, which summed up United\u2019s lack of composure and communication.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Man<\/a><\/p>\n

9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

Man United have won just four league matches since Amorim took over three months ago<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

The table makes for grim reading for all those associated with Man United<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Amorim finally gave Obi-Martin three minutes of added time. Like Obi-Martin, Amorim himself deserves more time, for all the critical headlines. <\/p>\n

But United are a hard watch at the moment, appearing to lack belief in their manager\u2019s system. <\/p>\n

Lacking hunger is their responsibility, and they failed to match Spurs\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes games just come down to raw qualities like hunger. Sometimes it just comes down to who wants a 50-50 more, a loose ball more, the game more. 9 Tottenham claimed their first win at home in the Premier League since NovemberCredit: Getty 9 The manner of Man United’s defeat will be of huge concernCredit: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":162931,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[38774,1828,110,854,37541,849],"class_list":{"0":"post-162930","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-henry-winter","9":"tag-man-united","10":"tag-manchester-united","11":"tag-premier-league","12":"tag-ruben-amorim","13":"tag-tottenham"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162930","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=162930"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162930\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/162931"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=162930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=162930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=162930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}