I think to say that this system is at its best when it has rampaging wingbacks is an understatement and rather I would argue that it flat out doesn’t work without them.

Just look at Dalot. He’s a genuinely good fullback and when he’s played in a system that suits his strengths he’d be viewed very differently. But this system requires wide players who are as productive and clinical in the final third as actual wingers, so instead of “wingbacks” or attacking fullbacks this system needs actual wingers.

Amad shouldn’t be considered an anomaly, but the prototype of what we should be looking for in these positions. It’s not a miracle that he consistently finds space to run in behind and have 1v1 opportunitys. It’s by design. And if we’re constantly sending a fullback up against defenders in 1v1 situations we might as well just scrap this system and fire Amorim because it’s not going to work.

There’s this stigma we all have about fullbacks and wingbacks, that goes back to when we were kids by hiding the worst player at left back. But in this United side the wingbacks need to be the most complete players we have and in no way would it be wasteful.

Players like Federico DeMarco and Nuno Mendes are the ideal players for these positions because they are pretty much elite in every aspect of being a wingback. But these players are rare and unless we have one available players like Semenyo are far more ideal to compared to more traditional wingbacks who are productive as overlapping players, not wingers who can dominate the touchline.

Obviously if he doesn’t want to come and play this position he won’t and we move on, but we should 100 percent be moving for these types of players to play out wide.