Internal solutions to Ruben Amorim's right-wing-back dilemma
Geovany Quenda seemed destined to follow Ruben Amorim from Lisbon to Manchester, but now appears Chelsea-bound. Jaydan Kamason and Bendito Mantato present as viable, cost-free alternatives.
Patrick Dorgu provided a blueprint for an Amorim wing-back on Thursday evening as Manchester United secured their progress to the quarter-finals of the Europa League, breezing past Spanish opposition Real Sociedad.
The Dane was a nuisance in the best sense, winning 9 of his 11 ground duels - more than any other player on the pitch. His authoritative occupation of the left-flank caused endless troubles for Sociedad, who struggled to contain his dynamism and aggression as he attacked the space vacated by the Spaniards’ high line.
His mere left-footedness goes a long way in providing balance to United’s attack, with the option should Dorgu choose, to take the ball on the outside and cut it back into the box from the byline - something you don’t get from a right footed left-wing-back, unless they possess exceptional ability to go on the outside - a ‘two-way’ winger.
Questions have been raised by fans and the media regarding the long-term efficacy of United’s deployment of wing-backs - a structural feature that feels foreign to a club whose most successful periods have seen traditional wingers championed as the cornerstone of their attacking exploits - but Dorgu’s early performances in red surely go some way in answering them.
The real question now is this:
Who can do Dorgu’s job on the opposite flank?
The currently injured Amad showed encouraging signs earlier in the season of being a viable option for the role, though many would argue his creative and technical qualities playing on the inside go somewhat to waste at wing-back.
Many fans had pinned their hopes on United signing 17-year-old Portuguese wonderkid Geovany Quenda from Sporting Lisbon - a young star with a pre-existing understanding of Ruben Amorim’s demands having made his debut under the Portuguese head coach at just 16 - though reports now suggest he’s Chelsea bound.
Even Mazraoui, who initially looked a fantastic addition to Ten Hag’s squad in a more traditional right-back role, now finds himself in a state of awkward limbo whereby no clear role in Amorim’s system plays directly to his strengths.
The Moroccan lacks the bullyish physicality and athleticism required to thrive as a wing-back, and his best performances since the arrival of Amorim have come from the right of United’s back three.
Elite-level pace, strength and stamina are requisite qualities for any Premier League wingback, especially one playing for Ruben Amorim.
Under the Portuguese head coach, wingbacks are expected to play high and wide, often looking to run the ball to the by-line with the support of their inside #10, and pick out unmarked teammates close to goal, though they must also be prepared to cover obscene amounts of ground when their side are without the ball.
It’s no job for the feint of heart - one that demands of you more running and physical toil than anyone else on the pitch. You need not only an engine fit for a spitfire, but an intuitive understanding of how to conserve and expend energy reserves without burning out prematurely.
A friendship has blossomed on the pitch this season as Jaydan Kamason and Bendito Mantato have linked up on the right flank for United’s youth sides to devastating effect.
The pair have developed an understanding of each other’s movement habits and combine well in the final third as a result. Despite neither profiling as a typical wing-back (if that really exists), I believe both suit Amorim’s vision for the role in different ways.
Jaydan Kamason, 18
Jaydan Kamason - a right-back by-trade - evidenced his capacity for the aforementioned physical demands against Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup in February, as he completed 130 minutes of gruelling football without visibly fatiguing. His 82nd minute wonder-strike to keep United in the tie was accompanied by an assured performance on and off the ball that stood him out well from his peers.