Ruben Amorim believes Patrick Dorgu may be struggling with the pressure of playing for Manchester United but says it is his job to understand why and help the left wing-back recreate his national team form.
Amorim admitted there is a feeling of “anxiety” when Dorgu gets on the ball, which made watching the Denmark international slot home what could have been a crucial equaliser against Scotland in November’s World Cup qualifier earlier this month all the more confusing for the United head coach.
In Amorim’s eyes, the £25.2million signing from Serie A side Lecce last January is still finding the confidence to play under the scrutiny at United but on the big stage for his country he capitalised despite the pressure. Amorim believes the 21-year-old still has time on his side and is hopeful he can improve.
“I think it’s the decision, he needs to be calmer playing the game,” said the Portuguese, about Dorgu’s performance in the 1-0 defeat by Everton on Monday. “You can feel the anxiety every time Patrick touched the ball. I can feel the anxiety.”
Amorim pointed to the goal Dorgu scored for Denmark during the international break before comparing it with a missed chance against Everton upon his return for United.
At a partisan Hampden Park with Scotland leading 2-1 and within touching distance of qualification, a ball was slid across the area to Dorgu with nine minutes to go. The left-sided defender showed calmness beyond his years to open his body and cleverly finish to put 10-man Denmark back in pole position for qualification. Late drama at the other end would turn it back in the hosts’ favour but Dorgu’s goal still showed he can be a player who can deliver in intense stress.
Dorgu delivered for Denmark in their World Cup qualifier against Scotland earlier this month (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Yet last Monday when United trailed 10-man Everton by a goal and a cross from Joshua Zirkzee made its way across the area and fell to Dorgu around the half hour mark, his first-time attempt was rushed and rose well over the bar.
“You remember the shot against Everton,” continued Amorim. “That was easier than the decision he had to make against the guys (for Denmark) from Scotland.
“He made a great decision, and I saw it when he played in Italy. But here is different, and sometimes the pressure is hard for them in the beginning, but he has time to improve.”
The answers from Amorim on Dorgu were prompted by a question to the United head coach ahead of Sunday’s visit to Crystal Palace about the effectiveness of United’s wing-backs with Diogo Dalot also used on the left side this season despite being naturally a right back and whether or not the position is an area they need to strengthen in January.
“We have time to think about that, I don’t know what is going to happen in January,” said Amorim. “What I feel, when I see them (Dorgu and Dalot) training, they are doing so much better than in games. Then Patrick when I see him playing for the national team, he scored a great goal against Scotland. The decision that he made under pressure was completely different to the decision that he is making in our team, so I just need to understand the context and try to help them.
“I think they are far from the best and they know it. Like a lot of players in our team, like myself, so I just look at them and I think they have so much more to give.”
Wing-backs are crucial to Amorim’s system: how has Dorgu performed?
For Amorim’s much-discussed formation to work, the wing-backs in the system have to be effective. Amad has shown on the right that he can link up well with Bryan Mbeumo and has four goal involvements so far this season.
But Dorgu has just a solitary assist in seven starts and four substitute appearances in the Premier League this term. That was an impressive piece of attacking play to head down to Bruno Fernandes for the opener in September’s 2-1 win over Chelsea but United need more.
After arriving in January, he didn’t have a single goal involvement in 12 Premier League appearances last season.
By contrast Dorgu has three goals and an assist in a little over 600 minutes of international football since making his Denmark debut last September.
Dorgu has taken just seven shots for United so far in this campaign and produced no goals. The xG for those attempts are 0.7, suggesting he is not getting into areas he can really threaten, as the chart above shows. Last year at Lecce, even in half a season, he had 36 attempts at goal, from varying positions, scoring three times.
Amorim could have the option of utilising Luke Shaw as the left wing-back now Lisandro Martinez is nearing a return to full fitness.
Harry Amass is on loan at Sheffield Wednesday with a January break clause, and they also signed Diego Leon from Paraguay in the summer but he has been playing for the U21 side. Both teenagers occupy that left side.
United need to get their left-sided wing-back impacting games if Amorim’s way of playing is going to succeed and Dorgu remains, for now, the player in the position who needs to step up.