Manchester United left the pitch with Porto reflecting on another chaotic game of Erik ten Hag ball.
Manchester United’s players came through a tough tie with Porto with a point after a dramatic 3-3 draw.
The most unpredictable part of Erik ten Hag’s selection policy this season has been determining which wingers he might select.
Apart from the inevitability of Antony being on the bench, it has been tougher to work out which two of Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Amad will start.
Against Porto it was Rashford and Amad who got the nod, but neither lasted, with Rashford off at half-time and Amad taken off after 68 minutes.
How Amad played vs Porto
Marcus Rashford’s substitution was more contentious, after he had scored one goal and provided an assist.
Amad was back in the starting line-up after being benched against Tottenham and put in a controlled display, reflected by his numbers.
In 68 minutes on the pitch, Amad completed 100 per cent of his passes, 24 of 24 in total. He did this while creating three goalscoring chances.
Amad did not end up with an assist from his creativity, and is unfortunate to have just one this season.
He won three free-kicks for United, and won four of six duels he competed for. But his impact on the game ended there.
He was beginning to fade by time he was taken off for Antony, who provided some fresh energy, but the Brazilian failed to create any chances.
Amad must be more aggressive
Despite Amad’s clear quality, there is something missing. The 22-year-old needs to be a little more direct, more confident, and a bit more arrogant in his play.
Amad attempted only one shot at goal, which was blocked, and he needs to shoot more. He also needs his teammates to help him out.
There was one moment in the first half where he was perfectly positioned for a shot from inside the box, and Rashford chose not to pass, and take his own shot. It led to nothing.
Moments like this can come from consistency, and United’s consistent chopping and changing in attack do not help.
While Amad has played regularly, he has completed 90 minutes only once this season, and has played 145 minutes out of a possible 270 over the last three matches.
It feels at present as though Ten Hag has not quite got it right, and Amad could be back on the bench this weekend, with Garnacho and Rashford looking lively.
Amad needs to try and make his game more explosive. He has the ability, and we would like to see him take the next step.
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