When Manchester United pulled the trigger on Erik ten Hag last year, they immediately moved to install Ruben Amorim as his replacement.
It was seen as a statement from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Jason Wilcox and Co. They were getting one of Europe's brightest managerial prospects before their rivals could. Amorim, after all, had previously been seen as one of the main candidates to replace Pep Guardiola one day at Manchester City.
Fast-forward to now, however, and the gamble has backfired.
United look as far away from winning the Premier League title than at any other point in the years since Sir Alex Ferguson's emotional, era-ending retirement in 2013.
And with the Red Devils outplayed by Brentford in Saturday's 3-1 defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium, one thing is absolutely clear: Amorim, quite simply, isn't up to the job.
It's something he himself seems to know. The Portuguese often spends matches looking frustrated, angry and exhausted. His black hair is starting to grey. The smile he wears in pre-match press conferences is nowhere to be seen as well.
Amorim hasn't strung two Premier League victories together in succession since taking over from Ten Hag. Why bother with his ludicrous experiment? It's clear as day it isn't working and, barring a miracle, won't ever work either.
Ruben Amorim has been living a nightmare ever since taking charge of Manchester United
|GETTY
Usually, teams get some sort of bounce when a new man comes in the door. United certainly did in 2018 when they sacked Jose Mourinho and brought Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the hero of their treble-winning side in 1999, back to Old Trafford.
But Amorim hasn't even had that. With each passing match United continue to drift towards mediocrity. If they drift any further, they'll find themselves well and truly in the footballing abyss.
There isn't a single player he's improved. Not one.
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Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim saw Bruno Fernandes miss a penalty against Brentford on Saturday
|REUTERS
That's damning after 10 months of hard work. Even new recruits - such as Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, both of which started against Brighton - seem to be suffering with the same disease that has rotted the club's empire away.
Bruno Fernandes was, even under Ten Hag, a superstar.
Yet even the Portugal international has lost his sparkle. United's best player, and their main goal threat, is being played out of position to operate in a system that isn't working. That speaks volumes.
Luke Shaw, a left-back by trade, is forced to play in a back three. Kobbie Mainoo, a gem from their academy, is often benched because Manuel Ugarte is ahead of him in the pecking order.
Given how dire Ugarte has been, that represents quite the snub. No wonder Mainoo pushed to leave back in the summer.
It can't go on like this. If it does, there's a genuine risk that a relegation dogfight will be on the cards. Brentford, a team widely tipped for the drop at the start of the campaign, were levels above them today.
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Ruben Amorim is a dead man walking, with the Manchester United boss set for the sack following their defeat to Brentford
|REUTERS
Biting the bullet would be tough for Ratcliffe. He likes Amorim, having spoken well of him publicly. He knows the 40-year-old has inherited a mess, having had no choice but to pick up the pieces of the Ten Hag era.
But there is literally nothing to indicate that better and brighter days lie ahead.
With six matches now played, United find themselves a long way off the top of the league.
Amorim, as things stand, looks unlikely to last until the summer. Why wait until then? The writing is on the wall. And, for the former Sporting Lisbon boss, it certainly doesn't make for pleasant reading.