Ruben Amorim’s meteoric success at Sporting Lisbon has led to him being linked with many Premier League clubs.

Manchester United, who are looking for a replacement for Erik ten Hag after the Dutchman left the club on Monday, are the latest.

Coaches’ Voice took a look at the Portuguese coach’s tactics and what makes him so popular.

The beginning of Amorim

In just a few years in management, Ruben Amorim has become one of the most highly regarded and sought-after young coaches in football. After starting at Casa Pia in the Portuguese third tier in 2018, Amorim got his first chance at a big club when Braga appointed him as reserve team manager.

Just three months later, after Ricardo Sa Pinto was fired, Amorim took over at Braga. At the age of 34, he became manager of a club team that participated in a major European competition.

Amorim impressed so much in his thirteen games in charge – ten of which he won – that Sporting Lisbon came calling, and in March 2020 they paid a significant fee to buy Amorim out of his Braga contract.

Then, remarkably, in his first full season at the club, Amorim guided Sporting to a domestic double, including their first league title in 19 years. Sporting suffered just one league defeat all season, and that defeat came in the 33rd of 34 games – and after the title had already been wrapped up.

Amorim’s distinctive and effective brand of football has delivered rapid results and led to many links with Europe’s biggest teams. He is unlikely to think his job at Sporting is done yet, but he will also be well aware of the teams he has been linked with and may have ambitions of one day becoming a manager in the Premier League.

Here we take a look at the type of football Amorim likes to play through its teams.

Adjustable back three

Amorim has tended to prefer a back-three structure at Sporting and during his time in charge, his side has played a possession-based game. During their deep build-up play, Amorim wants his three central defenders to break the first line through the center of the field as often as possible.

With the double pivot midfield dropping deep, centre-backs Sebastian Coates, Goncalo Inacio and converted left-back Matheus Reis attempt to play forward passes into the feet of the double pivot. They then look to turn and find the attackers between the lines. If they can’t turn, the midfielders bounce the ball wide to the wing-ridges.

Amorim will also adjust the shape of his side, with the middle centre-back – usually Coates – positioned slightly higher (below). This means that the two pivots become wider and closer to the full-backs.

This can also open up more passing lines for direct and incisive forward passes from the wider centre-backs – now short in duos – to attackers higher up the pitch. These passes often bypass the nearest options and instead find an attacker attacking through the inside channels.

The highest of the three central defenders then operates between the two pivots, and can create a numerical overload in the central areas to beat the opponent’s high pressing. This means that Amorim’s backline players can remain focused on breaking lines to central teammates, and only use the wing-backs during the deeper build-up when absolutely necessary.

When the wide centre-backs cannot play directly into the double pivot, the reverse of the previous pattern is used: the full-back bounces the ball back inside to find the pivots in a forward-facing position.

Inside channels

Higher up the pitch, Amorim likes his teams to attack with a fluid frontline three that rotate to find space between the lines. For the most part, the full-backs maintain the width, while the two wide attackers then move inside, regardless of whether the team is in possession or not.

Sporting’s wide forwards in recent seasons – the likes of Marcus Edwards, Pedro Goncalves, Francisco Trincao, Pablo Sarabia and Bruno Tabata – have all provided a consistent goal threat by working both inside and outside the central forward position and wanting to explore the spaces up front dominate. the inner channels.

Amorim has deployed Paulinho, a more traditional centre-forward, in the middle of the three. But he has gradually moved to a more fluid frontline, with players who can attack from wide positions as well as rotate into a central position. This has allowed further rotations to get players between the lines, and important overloads in the inside channels.

Because the full-backs provide the width, Amorim often wants two of the front three in one inside channel. The third and final attacker then shrinks and becomes a central threat, with the full-back on the other side available for one switch games (above).

This strategy overloads one side of the field; Amorim recruits and selects players who can play close combinations in one inside channel to lure the opponent to that side of the field. If they can’t get through the inside channel, this also provides the opportunity to switch plays and isolate a defender on the other side of the pitch.

Nuno Santos has been converted from an attacking role and deployed as a left wing-back, adding an extra attacking presence in the final third from wide left. This is similar to how Graham Potter sometimes wingers played as full-backs Brighton & Hove Albionleaving a dangerous attacking player available for a change of play.

For Sporting, this led to overload in the right inner channel, with Santos, who attacks comfortably 1v1, being free on the left. After a change of play, the players who had previously overloaded the right inside channel make runs to attack the penalty area, allowing Santos to deliver crosses or cuts.

The double pivot provides cover under the ball, allowing the full-backs to push forward at the same time. Amorim likes his teams to attack with five players, and usually keeps five players under the ball.

Press

Without possession, Amorim’s Sporting are one of the most intense teams in Portugal. Pressing high up the pitch narrows the front three to prioritize protecting the central spaces. Just like when his team is in possession, Amorim’s first thought is to occupy central areas.

Once committed to a press, the forwards look to force play outside, with the wide forwards bending their press from inside to outside. The double pivot moves with the ball, often changing positioning, with the nearest one ready to burst forward under the centre-forward.

The positioning of the higher member of the double pivot between opponents allows them to defend just in front of the nearest full-back and make a decision on who to press depending on where the opponent plays their next pass (below). The full-backs will press aggressively if the opposition breaks past the first line and finds an opponent wide.

The second pivot will cover the central lanes, ready to drop between the centre-backs – especially if one of the wider centre-backs is pulled across the pitch as the full-back lunges forward to apply pressure.

The full-back on the other side becomes narrower, creating more protection in front of the centre-backs in the central spaces. This also encourages the double turn to be more aggressive with their spread positioning and in their decisions to move out and press the ball.

Wide traps

When the opposition establish possession and it is not possible for Amorim’s team to push high, they usually fall into a 5-2-3 shape, although occasionally a 5-4-1 is used. His side still prioritize protecting the center of the pitch, with their 5-2-3 block naturally forcing wide play. Here the Amorim team deploys a key pressure drop.

While the front line forces the ball wide, the fullback jumps out of the back line of five. The full-back on the other side stays in a back line of four to protect the far post (below). The double twist moves aggressively across the field to keep the game locked to one side.

They are less likely to spread their positioning in the second line in these situations, with their focus now on preventing the opponent from playing inside again. The full-back stops the pass along the touchline and the nearest centre-back remains ready to follow any wide runner. The rest of the back line is positioned to compete for any aerial duels or game changes.

The front line still works to press the ball – especially the two wide forwards – with the nearest striker pressing the ball from behind to lock the play out wide. The centre-forward will hold his position to prevent passes from penetrating the center of the block, and the attacker on the other side will adjust his position depending on the opponent’s strengths.

If they are good at switching plays, the player on the far side will return to the second line. If Amorim thinks it’s worth taking more risk, this player will stay high, ready to do so transition fast or press high when an opponent plays a trigger pass.

Amorim’s proactive football has led to many positive conversations about his future. It will be interesting to see how high he ends up in football’s elite.

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