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 the club’s sixth permanent manager since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, you’d expect this to be familiar territory, except now it’s different. Jim Ratcliffe is in town. Ratcliffe, Britain’s richest man, now owns 25% of the club and is in charge of footballing operations. He’s hired Dave Brailsford as a director and Dan Ashworth from Newcastle to be his new Sporting Director, both very good appointments.
They’ve started well, Ashworth’s made some great signings so far. They didn’t shy away from picking ETH’s successor either. Only four days after Ten Hag’s sacking the club announced they’d agreed to pay €10m to sign the hottest managerial prospect in Portugal: Ruben Amorim.
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At 39, Amorim’s career so far is a testament to his genius. The former Portugal international spent most of his career at Benfica, winning ten trophies as a member of As Águias before retiring in 2017. After getting his coaching badges, Amorim joined 3rd division side Casa Pia, adopting his 3-4-3 formation, before being given the reserve team role at Braga in September 2019.
By December, he was managing the first team. Braga were stuck in 8th and needed a miracle, he supplied it. He won 10 of his 13 games in charge, securing the domestic cup, the clubs first away win at Benfica in 65 years and finishing 3rd. This attracted Sporting who signed Amorim on 4th March 2020, paying €10m to do so, making him the 2nd-most expensive manager ever. It was worth it.
He went 32 games unbeaten in his first season, won Sporting their first league title in 19 years and followed up with another domestic cup and league title over the next 3 years. And so, to Manchester. On 1st November, the Red Devils announced they’d paid Amorim’s release clause. He was now in charge of football’s biggest, longest rebuild.
To make it work, he’ll bring his guiding philosophy from Portugal, spectacular, offensive football that dominates the opposition. The vehicle to achieve that? His beloved 3-4-3.
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Out of Possession
Amorim has one rule, press relentlessly. He sets the team up with a high defensive line and adopts a 5-2-2-1 formation in which the wing backs join the back 3, the striker/advanced midfielders press the ball carrier while the central midfielders cover the middle of the field.
If the opposition beats the press, players will attack the ball to give everyone time to get back in position. Then it’s business as usual, the closest players aggressively press the ball carrier while other players block passing lanes, forcing opposition mistakes and creating opportunities for transitions, something they’re lethal at.
In Possession
Amorim’s best attacking quality is his adaptability. While he’s as happy using short passes as he is being direct, the patterns of play stay the same. When attacks start, Sporting adopt a 2-4-2-2 formation. The central CB and wing backs join the midfield while one central midfielder joins the front 3 to create a box shape. The wide centre backs then progress the ball, using either short or long line breaking passes.
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When the ball advances, the back 3 and double pivot adopt a high line, the wing backs join the front 3 out wide and the two advanced midfielders occupy the half spaces on each side of the field. This creates a 3-2-5 shape that protects against counter attacks, pins the opposition in their own half and generates a huge number of chances, either via crosses from wing backs or short, quick passes into the number 9.
Either way, it usually results in a goal. It’s a great system that’s taken Sporting to the top, but it has some holes. The high press leaves the double pivot exposed and Premier League teams will find the space it leaves easier to exploit. To fix that, Amorim needs to be pragmatic and make sure he gets his selections right.
His biggest headache? Centre Back
United currently have four first team centre backs: Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, and Lisandro Martinez. Each has their own issues and only Maguire has significant experience in a back three.
Given this, he’s likely going to be given the central role, at least while Yoro recovers from injury. Martinez is left footed and defends well one on one, so he’s the obvious choice for LCB provided he calms down. That leaves De Ligt to play on the right, something Amorim will have to pay attention to given he struggled to play in a back three at Bayern.
Reunited with Ugarte
United are a bit better equipped in central midfield. They need two types of player, one to break up opposition attacks and one to start them. Manuel Ugarte must be jumping for joy. The Uruguayan has struggled to adapt to the Premier League, not helped by the disconnect created when United’s forwards press & their defenders drop deep in possession.
Thankfully, Amorim should change all that and Ugarte can go back to his favoured role of destroyer. In his last season at Sporting he topped the league in tackles & interceptions (178). Ugarte’s partner will most likely be Kobbie Mainoo or Mason Mount (if he can stay fit), the only other established central midfielders under 30. Out wide, Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui look set to be the starting wing backs, given the attacking nature of the roles, we might even see an Amad Diallo cameo.
The Fernandes conundrum
Since Amorim is the man who unleashed Viktor Gyökeres on the world, Rasmus Højlund will be rubbing his hands. Behind him, the two advanced players are expected to be direct runners, capable of progressing the ball into dangerous areas. This is most likely to be Marcus Rashford & Alejandro Garnacho, two players that are happy with the ball at their feet and unafraid to shoot.
One man who might struggle here is Bruno Fernandes. He’s none of those things and unless the free roaming Portuguese can reinvent himself, he’ll be on the bench. Overall, I think this will be the starting 11.
Potential lineup
It’s a good team, but it’ll need to be reinforced, these will be the priorities:
- Centre Back – At least one starting centre back and as many as three if De Ligt and Martinez can’t adapt. Then some depth.
- Central midfield – Ugarte, Mainoo and Mount are the only players under the age of 30 that aren’t academy graduates. If they’re not good enough the club needs at least one starting CM.
- Left Back – Malacia and Shaw can’t stay fit, if that doesn’t change then United will need to reinforce.
- Right Wing – United are set on the left, but their backup RW is Antony, can Amorim work a miracle?
Excellent, but after all that will it work?
Overall, I think it will. There’ll be teething problems, and it’ll take a lot of money to change the squad/get rid of the dead wood, but Amorim is a great communicator who develops players well and his system is proven both in Portugal and in Europe, most recently against Manchester City. It’s just a question of how long it takes, does Ratcliffe have the patience?
By: Kieran Alder / @The_Own_Goal
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Ash Donelon / Man United