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Amorim’s United Blueprint: Part 2: The Audit: Planning out the Squad
In this second chapter of this three-part series looking at how Rúben Amorim ‘s appointment as Manchester United manager, we will look at how each role and position fits into Amorim’s tactical philosophy which we covered in the first part of the series. We will be going in depth on what each position and role…
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Amorim’s United Blueprint — Part 1: The Vision: Implementing a New Tactical Identity
With Rúben Amorim set to take charge of his first game in just over a week and scheduled to lead his first training session on Monday morning, the Portuguese manager has likely spent the past week doing the same thing as us football fans: planning. He will be mapping out his best starting eleven, determining…
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Osasuna: Analyzing the Biggest Surprise of the 2024/25 LaLiga Season’s Opening Weeks
After a 2023/24 season that saw them regress from seventh to 11th in the table, Osasuna parted ways with Jagoba Arrasate after a six-year spell. Arrasate left the 2022/23 Copa del Rey finalists for the 2023/24 Copa del Rey finalists in Mallorca, with Osasuna appointing ex-Mallorca manager Vicente Moreno. Bryan Zaragoza: Analyzing Osasuna’s New…
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Another Failure, or the New Special One? A Deep Dive into Ruben Amorim’s Move to Manchester United
Manchester United announced the sacking of Erik ten Hag as manager on October 28. It started with a bang, a 3rd place finish and EFL Cup. Sadly, it finished with a whimper, ETH left United adrift in 14th, having scored the 3rd fewest goals in the league and frankly looking lost. Given ETH was…
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The Phoenix and the Theatre: Ruben Amorim’s Quest to Revive United’s Soul
What does it mean to play for Manchester United? In truth, the answer is a story, not a statement. It’s a story rooted in ideals of resilience and ambition, held together by the memories of triumph and tragedy. It’s something woven into the identity of the club itself—a spirit that has persisted through eras of…
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Two World Wars, One World Cup, and a German to Save England: Why Thomas Tuchel is Exactly What the Three Lions Need
It’s the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and an Englishman, in an MTN commercial, is teaching his son the proudest anthem of them all, “Two World Wars and one World Cup, England, England!” with the kind of gusto only the English can muster. Then, just as they step into an elevator filled with…
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Why Manchester United Continue to Struggle Under Ten Hag
In the summer, Manchester United’s new sporting management renewed Erik ten Hag’s contract until 2026 and showed their faith in the specialist by spending more than €200 million on new players. But United still do not show a stable game, and currently find themselves in 14th place. After the games against Porto and Aston…
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Reims’ Fast Start: The Stats and Tactics Fueling Their Ligue 1 Form
Luka Elsner’s appointment as Reims manager after Will Still’s departure was a clever move by the club hierarchy. The young Franco-Slovenian coach had an impressive stint at Le Havre. Before his first season there, the French club had finished the 2021/22 Ligue 2 campaign in 8th place. More generally, Le Havre had been stuck…
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The Lost Art of Dribbling: Rediscovering Football’s Forgotten Dialogue of Time, Space and the Individual
Football, in its purest form, is a fellowship of space and time. Each pass, each run, and each touch is a rhythmic dialogue between the player and the game itself. But amidst the tactics, the data-driven approaches, and the calculated movements, one art form seems to be fading from the spotlight: the dribble. Once the…
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Analyzing Bayern Munich’s Start to the Vincent Kompany Era
Many eyes were raised when Bayern Munich announced the signing of Vincent Kompany as their new head coach. Many fans and pundits were stunned that Bayern had chosen the Belgian to lead them, considering he got relegated with Burnley last season. How Burnley Returned to the Promised Land Under Vincent Kompany However, Kompany…
