One week out from a Premier League trip to Ipswich Town, Ruben Amorim is relishing the opportunity to begin his tactical metamorphosis with Manchester United.
The Portuguese strategist assumes control of a squad that began the season working under Erik ten Hag before inheriting the interim guidance of fan-favourite Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Despite ending the previous campaign with an FA Cup Wembley masterclass against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, the 20-time English champions have appeared to lack structure, ideas and a clear understanding of their manager’s philosophy from the season opener against Fulham.
As a result, a disjointed group of superstars occupy a disappointing 13th position in England’s top tier with a zero-goal difference after 11 outings.
However, the arrival of Amorim has inspired confidence in the ranks of the Old Trafford faithful, with aspirations for the 39-year-old to construct an image similar to that of his Sporting masterpiece.
Naturally, this will not occur overnight, and supporters must allow time and patience. The new head coach aims to implement his favoured 343 tactical philosophy from the off, and that alone is enough to arouse excitement in the North West.
While many understand the basic concept of three central defenders, few have indulged in the framework that provided such domestic dominance in Portugal. With such, we have unwrapped a unique structure that has the potential to return this sleeping giant to the head of the football table.
Goals win games, and Ruben wants as many as he can get
I know many of us enjoy overcomplicating the game with tactical jibberish and confusing structures, but when you strip it all back, it genuinely is fascinating.
Inevitably, goals win games, and whether you get there via a Guardiola-style majesty or a Sean Dyche ‘Garryowen’ application, the aim is to put the ball in the back of the net.
But, as simple as this may seem, Manchester United have proven how difficult it can be to convert your opportunities. In contrast, Amorim transformed his Sporting side into a team that routinely battered the opposition into submission.
He created a system that consistently resulted in five or six attacking players remaining on their opponent’s defensive line, highlighting high levels of interchangeability and versatility to accommodate attacking transitions.
Following his departure with a 4-2 comeback victory against Braga, Leoes averaged 3.6 goals per game from 11 fixtures and maintained the best defensive record with only five conceded and maximum points gained.
The reigning champions hold a six-point lead on second-placed Porto, but they have also generated a colossal goal difference of 34, a staggering 14 more than their fierce rivals.
Impressively, this is not an anomaly.
The all-conquering side of 2023-24 saw off Benfica by ten points, scoring 96 goals in 34 fixtures and suffering defeat on only two occasions.
But what has formed the catalyst for this undeniable success, and how will this convert a struggling United into an aesthetically pleasing team that can solidify an understandable way of playing the beautiful game?
It is not as straightforward as 343
While on paper, Amorim deploys a well-known 343 tactical philosophy – in truth, much more is playing out behind the scenes.
The offensive shape alters regularly depending on the build-up stage, with the defensive structure dictating the play ahead. By and large, the dominant rotation in his arsenal begins with a back five to offer ample passing lanes and tempt the opposition forward.
From here, we often see the technically dominant central defender advance to create a three-player central pivot, forming multiple options for the back four and goalkeeper to play out of the press and force the opposition to close the space.
However, the genius of this structure is highlighted by the positional line of the attacking trio.
The duo sitting behind the striker drop slightly deeper and supplies a mid-range option to bypass an often decoyed central line, maximising the space created from the initial build-up.
Furthermore, the wing-backs will offer a consistent option to spread the play wide, inadvertently creating endless space through Louis van Gaal-style triangles.
The result is short-range options from defence to a central-three pivot or the wing-backs, with a medium-range option to bypass the opposition press and target the deeper attacking midfielders in space.
However, as we know, one approach is not enough to dominate in football, and the ability to deviate a tactical philosophy based on the opponent or the players at your disposal is a fundamental requirement.
Amorim has also utilised a second build-up structure that presents mirrored lines within the channels, ultimately committing more players forward to alter the strength of an attacking phase.
One of the midfield players pushes further upfield while an attacking midfielder moves closer to the striker.
In essence, we see identical blocks, with anywhere from six to eight players joining attacking phases while the wing-backs consistently alter the dynamic of the play.
The goal of these intricate manoeuvres is to create space. In achieving this, Amorim instructs his players to move at speed into the opposition half. From here, the magnificence of his attacking philosophies is played out with devastating results.
In Layman’s terms, the area between the opposition lines of defence and midfield is the desired landing point for many of his attacking assaults.
To elaborate, when progressing into the other half, the Portuguese coach aims to congest this area with his attacking unit while ensuring specific positions remain occupied throughout.
His famous central three defenders assume their notable line on the half, and the wing-backs push forward to continuously stretch the opposition and force defenders to open space for central progression.
The midfielders will often move into the channels beside the retreating central players, while the attacking midfielders (or inside forwards) move inside to occupy the half-spaces.
Central congestion is the primary result, with ever-present wing-backs offering valuable metres of space with their touchline-hugging role.
Here, we see vertical patterns of attacking positions with patience in distribution as the fundamental requirement.
As the side probes for central space, Amorim urges decoy runs for his wing-backs to create opportunities for line-cutting passes from the defensive line.
Inevitably, when the ball found its way into the desired area, Viktor Gyokeres was the focal point of the attack.
His constant movement, channel-breaking runs and ability to link with the core of congested players consistently provided nightmares for defenders.
As I’ve previously stated, the interchange is this tactical structure’s most valuable asset, with attacking midfielders profiting through third-man runs and calculated give-and-go passes through the channels.
Gyokeres was inundated with striking attempts, leading me to believe that the clinical nature of Rasmus Hojlund will profit at the head of this new-look Manchester United attacking line.
The inevitable downside
Undoubtedly, Ruben Amorim is at the forefront of the modern generation of tactical disciples who embrace overloads and combinations.
As we have all witnessed through Sporting’s domination, he is a coach who has maximised the most from a system that employs the strengths of the division’s best players in a possession-orientated way.
However, this aggressive setup dictates that the wing-backs are ever-present during the attacking phases. This leaves space on either flank, and the side is often outnumbered during counter-attacks.
If a black mark was held against Sporting throughout his tenure, they could not dismiss the elite sides at the latter end of European competition.
As highlighted by Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta in their Europa League last 16 meeting in March, a reliance on building through a congested core can be manipulated and immediately put under pressure due to the number of bodies committed behind the lines.
Furthermore, despite their domestic dominance last season, Sporting ranked in the bottom half of the table (as low as 15th at one stage) for chances conceded due to counter-attacks.
Manchester United supporters will know all too well of the misery caused by overcommitment through whatever means necessary.
As with any setup, there will be pros and cons. Success will gauged through domestic dominance and the ability to compete perennially.
As a lover of the continental game, I am fascinated to see if Amorim can translate his Portuguese tactical philosophy to the Premier League and return his new side to their rightful place in English football.
How do you see Ruben Amorim doing in the North West? Let us know in the comments or our social channels.
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