YOU can't say Ruben Amorim didn't try something new.
But choosing a teenage 5ft 9ins holding midfielder to play up front for the first time did nothing to solve the goalscoring crisis at Manchester United.
Eyebrows were certainly raised when Kobbie Mainoo, 19, got the nod to lead the line for United as Crystal Palace visited Old Trafford.
Especially when the Portuguese manager named not one but two senior strikers on the bench.
Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee watched on as Mainoo took his place up top.
Safe to say, the experiment failed as Manchester United scored zero and Palace scored two on another miserable afternoon for Amorim.
Mainoo's role was not as an out-and-out No9 - instead dropping in as a No9 to get involved in the play.
It meant at times he was more of a No10, where he excelled in the Europa League win at FCSB on Thursday.
And his average position reflected that, only just in front of Bruno Fernandes with Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo further forward.
In Mainoo's defence, he is not responsible for the rogue tactic not paying off as he tried his best against a trio of towering Palace centre-halves.
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After all, he is not a striker and has six goals in his professional career - albeit memorable ones against Wolves and Manchester City last season before his maiden European goal on Thursday night, his first strike of the season.
Zirkzee has 47, Hojlund has 57 and Aston Villa-bound Marcus Rashford has 155 - a penny for his thoughts as a fellow academy graduate started up front...
But in fairness to Amorim, it wasn't all bad, either.
In fact, it started relatively brightly with Mainoo teeing up Garnacho well and also hitting the post.
But that chance with six minutes on the clock proved to be the youngster's only shot of the match.
In his 70 minutes on the field, Mainoo racked up 31 touches in all - three in the Eagles' penalty area - with 12 of his 15 passes successful.
He won three duels but lost nine and failed to complete a single dribble as he struggled to hold the ball up or stretch the Palace defence.
In the end, Mainoo was taken off with 20 minutes to go as Amorim sent on both Zirkzee and Hojlund - but neither of them offered much more.
And with that, Amorim is no closer to knowing where or who goals will come from in the second half of the season.
Diallo is United's top scorer in the Premier League on six - three of which came late on against Southampton - with Fernandes on five, three of which have been from the penalty spot.
Next is Rashford on four - despite him not making a league appearance since December 7.
The January transfer window shuts on Monday night and United do not appear to be bringing a striker in to follow defenders Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu into Old Trafford.
Amorim will be relieved to look at the fixture list and see it is Leicester in the FA Cup next.
The leaky Foxes defence have conceded 60 goals this season, including eight in two games away at Manchester United during their now-boss Ruud van Nistelrooy's brief stint in interim charge with the Red Devils.
But when attention returns to the Premier League away at Spurs in a fortnight before games against Everton, Ipswich and Arsenal, who can Amorim rely on to deliver the much-needed goals to secure much-needed wins and earn much-needed points to climb up from 13th in the table?
On today's evidence, it is not Mainoo - for Mainoo is a midfielder who chips in with the odd goal from time to time.
But is it Hojlund? Is it Zirkzee? Or does it need to be someone else?
Valzy109
0
How can you play false 9 ,when your strikers couldn’t even score?? And you then think playing without a striker at all will solve the problem???😂😂😂Amorim this one’s on you.
Sisamost
0
They need goals... they must bring Gyokeres.
If you can’t score you should be able to defend. Same system but chopping and changing positions of the players. Pathetic coach
Sisamost
0
Ratcliffe would be cursing his stars for hiring Amorim
cakbekmnpt
0
They need goals... they must bring Gyokeres.
zuaakotu
0
When I said amorin is a useless coach, you guys wanted to eat me up, how can you banish the best striker u have in your team in the name of not giving to standard, issue that can easily be resolve, u banish and loan my guy rashford to Aston Villa, no problem score goals and win match let me see you, useless coach, these is what they no how to do best at United I'm the boss they don't care about the results useless coach
Ronbdemruy
0
this guy his not a good coach useless coach,pls epl not use striker 5 defender three midfielder
mupaiklmnu
1
Amorim makes huge mistake for playing Maino 9 role..and if he still believe Onana United will fall
miguelbumba
0
Not true ,he cannot be sack as you think.Afterall, winning games without trophy is shameful
He said this past week that he's trying new things. Not the exact words but that is the idea. Don't say that he's unsackable.. He's an excellent coach but he's allowing issues and the environment to distract distract him. Pep is unsackable but Amorim isn't just yet..
lukikmnrsz
1
Ten Hag had a hair transplant and came back as Amorim.
Mimbdeknt
1
OK
Kizbelmpru
0
Amorim is the worst coach in the history of Man. Utd. For more than three months, he has NO starting 11 and he plays players out of position throughout the period. I am highly disappointed by him.
Amazing2020
0
Manchester United is a Joke of a football club right now and Armorin is mocking them
GaddafiJamal
0
How will you start a macth without a tipica striker and you expect a goal? Amorin should be very careful he is joking with the supporters heart
😂😂😂😂💔🤦♂️
GaddafiJamal
0
mainoo in face 9 ten hang is far better than this amorin
😂😂😂💔🤦♂️
Kedanruz
3
he like to demean the players but won't accept that calling them the worst team in man u history and then expecting them to go out there and play like the best when he plays them outta position, bench them outta spite and attempt to destroy their careers outta arrogance becoz he doesn't know wtf he's doing
dabbilnosu
0
How will you start a macth without a tipica striker and you expect a goal? Amorin should be very careful he is joking with the supporters heart
🤣🤣🤣
Jtikol10
1
Experiments are not for EPL, coach is a joke to the team now
Jtikol10
2
Coach is decisionless. He hyped instead of playing the kid 10 and have a striker.
dupcdelopz
5
I thought Eric ten hag is the worst coach ever in the whole world not knowing that he is number 99 while Amorim is 💯
Nehbdnsuyz
3
Chelsea's coach Enzo Maresca is USELESS but Man Utd coach Ruben Amorim, I don't know what to call him. Mainoo false 9? What kind of coaches are we having now? You can even try this experiment in lesser known competitions but in epl. No wonder Pep has dominated in football as coach or manager.
rozabcdnpt
1
amorim guy is not taking this club anywhere. he is busy leading man u to relegation. he should have been sacked yesterday. why keep such a failure
dabbilnosu
1
mainoo in face 9 ten hang is far better than this amorin
Gberto
0
I just hope throw Rashford under the bus is not a mistake. He would have been encouraged and helped
jukbeprtu
1
SHAME unto you! AMORIM
gigi07
0
This kind of selection of players and tactics can work in the English premier league. Amorim can succeed in Portugal but not in England. He's incompetent.
exactly
jukbeprtu
2
This kind of selection of players and tactics can work in the English premier league. Amorim can succeed in Portugal but not in England. He's incompetent.
jukbeprtu
2
How come? Amorim is not the right person to resurrect Man utd. Where Jose Mourinho have failed, I don't believe Amorim can do better.
ceoaeruyz
3
can understand why some Manager's fool sometimes
hezbdopty
3
Mainoo is not a striker.He is very very slow.
Bokabcktuz
4
How will you start a macth without a tipica striker and you expect a goal? Amorin should be very careful he is joking with the supporters heart
Tudbdklntz
0
kkkkkkkkkk
Ripbdorsty
1
fuck of this linup and this who are you play epl without striker bullshit hungry team we are relegating
GunnArs
1
very soon amorin has tried every player in different positions but the only thing he’s sticking with is his 343 system. 🤷♂️ maybe sometimes you have to adapt your system to the players you have instead of confusing them (even more). we will see how long it takes until we see proper successful amorin football at man utd… if when…
nuzamoprs
1
God will show the way
yocailz
3
We need results not trials
mitaikopu
2
he like experimenting
yocailz
1
Amorim is not a good coach the bad players are still playing and having problems with rashford no sense
Beadiklrsz
0
Ruben is busy experimenting with possible solutions instead of actually coaching. He's going to get himself sacked before he knows..
Not true ,he cannot be sack as you think.Afterall, winning games without trophy is shameful
mitaikopu
4
We have manager who is full of drama
Beadiklrsz
2
He really did try stupidity because he claimed after last game that mainoo will be good for number 10 position,then why trying him as false 9?. This is not time for trial and error.Let him force the management to sign a real striker 9 for him
miguelbumba
2
Ruben is busy experimenting with possible solutions instead of actually coaching. He's going to get himself sacked before he knows..
Kingchala20
4
the coach experiment failed today. he's to be blamed for today's loss.
Mopbkopsuy
2
am not understand this coach, aaaaaaa