Yes, it's quite alarming that people don't understand the nuances of this. It's not that de Ligt and Maguire can't play in a 3 CB system or that Dalot or Dorgu can't play as wing backs, they absolutely 'can' as talented professional footballers; the issue is that under Amorim's coaching and team, they can't play it to a good enough standard and be competitive to opposition players, who are better in their respective positions (usually in a back 4). Now by 'can', I am not saying they can perform to the required standard that we need but it's not as simple as saying 'why can't they play in a different formation, when they are occupying the same areas and it's 11 vs 11 anyways?'.
I've already read some are saying the players' heat maps were similar when we've played in a back 4 or when it was 3 CBs and therefore there's no discernible difference to what the formation 'should' be. However, at this level, it's all about small percentages and details, platforming players' best attributes and reducing weaknesses. When people say 'Amad shouldn't play as a wing back', it's not 'he should never play there in that position because it's bad period', it's 'he shouldn't play there because we don't control midfield, have a deep defensive line and therefore, although he may operate in the same areas, his first contact with the ball is usually in (disadvantaged) situations where he has to be more involved in build up and defensive work'. The same can be said of all other players in this team and the issue with whatever bastard iteration of 3-4-3 Amorim wanted to play.
Martinez doesn't suddenly become a 'bad' player in isolation in a back 3 just because he now has to cover a wider 10-20 yards area of the pitch in the channels. No he's becomes a bad fit there because now he has to deal with wide players in the PL that have plied their entire professional life being speedy, dynamic demons.
Bruno doing a serviceable job at CM because he has lots of involvements on the ball, passing stats etc doesn't make him a 'bad' player now that he starts 10-20 yards deeper. No he's becomes a bad fit because now he has to seek the ball first from his defenders before he can affect the game and has to deal with CM players in the PL that plied their entire professional life being box-to-box demons, putting out fires and maintaining rhythm i.e the antithesis of Bruno's instinct.
Fletcher playing a back 4 isn't automatically going to elevate the players to a higher standard but it puts them 'back' in places that doesn't expose their weaknesses even more as it was under Amorim.
Desperate how you've all got into this thread quick smart to try and quell the inevitable.