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Rúben Amorim: What will Manchester United look like under new manager?
After 27 months in charge, 128 games played, 70 wins, 35 losses and many, many helter-skelter games, the reign of Erik ten Hag as Manchester United manager has finally come to an end.
Following a treacherous league campaign in 23/24, Ten Hag won the FA Cup against Manchester City deploying an excellent tactical plan to stifle City's central space.
It showed that he could beat one of the world's best teams using a possession-based attack.
It’s tempting to ponder whether if that win didn’t happen, Rúben Amorim would’ve been among the candidates new United owners INEOS would’ve spoken to in the summer and secured ahead of the season.
Instead, Ten Hag was given heavy investment in the transfer market and a chance to prove that previous poor results were down to the mountainous injuries United suffered - something he repeatedly mentioned in the media.
But the issues had been clear for some time.
Too easily manipulated by opposition manager’s changes, oceans of space in midfield and a constant change in tactics resulting in United being unable to hone one particular style.
Nine games into the season it was becoming abundantly clear Ten Hag had failed to address these issues and, unlike the speed in which he was removed, the current ownership haven't hesitated in finding his replacement.
The current Sporting CP manager who was previously courted by West Ham, Liverpool and Manchester City looks set to head to Old Trafford.
What is Rúben Amorim's style of play?
Almost religiously, Amorim's Sporting have played a 3-4-3 system, with three centre-backs deep in build-up, two wing-backs high and wide, two central midfielders and crucially two forwards in between a lone striker that tend to stay inside.
The full-backs are crucial to the attack.
When the ball is played wide to one of them, the opposing defender is pulled out to press, as this happens, a forward (Araujo) on the same side can make a run down the wing dragging a centre-back with him, opening up a gap in between the two centre-backs in defence.
This is a pattern of play seen time and time again under Amorim, resulting in many goals scored from cutbacks or crosses.
The aim is to utilise the half-space created by a forward and full-back combining, as the forward drops deep this time to link up, it drags a player with him so the wide full-back can make a pass into the half-space for a midfielder to dart into to receive and cross.
A full-back has to go out to Sporting's wing-back and either a midfielder or defender is attracted to the winger on the same side nearby.
As two players are dragged to one side, an advanced eight midfielder can latch on to the pass and cross where the box is flooded by a striker, winger and full-back.
Amorim’s teams are used to having a high amount of possession in an opponent’s half with the three centre-backs pushed up high waiting for the right moment to increase the speed of a move when players interchange as they get closer to goal.
When teams have pressed Sporting in build-up, the Portuguese champions have used this to their advantage.
One of the two forwards on either side of the central striker can drop deeper and receive from defence, dragging a player with him.
It leaves an extra player next to the two midfielders to receive and look how far up the field Trincão has dragged Tochi Chukwuani, creating the gap in behind.
As two defenders go to close down a striker in Viktor Gyökeres, he can be used in build-up to release a full-back wide.
Once again, the main aim is to create gaps in the opponent’s defence and get whichever player is wide to cross into players in the box.
How does that fit with the current United squad?
Though this current United squad has quite a few centre-backs, many of these players have never played for United in a system with three at the back.
Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt were signed in the summer and could line up next to Lisandro Martinez.
But with Yoro injured and having played no Premier League minutes, it means another one of United’s centre-backs has a chance to step up and cement a place in the starting eleven, be it Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelöf or even Jonny Evans.
With the games coming thick and fast, each centre-back will likely get a chance to prove themselves and, with Luke Shaw to come back from injury, the Englishman could also compete in the same position as he fulfilled the role under Ten Hag when required.
It’s likely though that he’ll be needed at full-back, as this is a crucial role in making Amorim attacks lethal, providing width as well as drawing players out wide to create space.
Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are sure to be the first-choice full-backs, but it may be alarming from a United perspective that the Red Devils are a little scant in this department.
With Shaw and Tyrell Malacia still sidelined, Lindelof and Martinez can fill in when needed (as we saw in the 5-2 win over Leicester) if Amorim is to use his favoured 3-4-3 system.
At Sporting, Amorim brought through many youth players and will likely turn to United’s flourishing academy department as many United managers have in the past.
With injuries at full-back, Harry Amass is a player hotly tipped to gain more first team minutes as he shone in pre-season with Shaw and Ten Hag mentioning the player's potential.
Another selection conundrum Amorim will have to deal with is if he is to play with five at the back an attacker would miss out.
With Bruno Fernandes likely to start next to a central striker as the team’s lynchpin, there will be a huge competition for places as United possess a plethora of attacking talent particularly wide wingers and one of Alejandro Garnacho, Amad Diallo or Marcus Rashford could miss out on a starting spot.
To compensate, we could see Fernandes deployed deeper in the midfield two, to make late runs into the box allowing Amorim to play two wingers next to a striker.
Equally, the Portuguese manager could use Rashford up front in the role where he scored the most goals in his career in 22/23.
While it’s good to have depth in attack, Amorim will have to ensure they don’t get disgruntled and each player receives enough minutes to make a difference.
Ten Hag failed at United because he changed his game plan too often. In Amorim, United will have a manager who has rigidly relied on a system that has given him success.
The Premier League is a completely different beast to Liga Portugal though - teams will often figure out an opponent’s weakness and exploit it.
Amorim may have a good squad to work with but he must strike a fine balance between adapting his tactics when needed and bedding in a recognisable style of play.
The United job is a poisoned chalice with unforgiving scrutiny and pressure, Ten Hag's appointment was also met with optimism before fizzling out into another post-Sir Alex Ferguson era failure.
Whether Amorim is finally the candidate to take United back to its glorious heights remains to be seen. For now, his credentials, charisma and success at Sporting prove that he’s worthy of the opportunity.
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