Amorim strategies: What is ahead in putting an end to the “donut” and taming Fernandes?

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Amorim strategies: What is ahead in putting an end to the
Ruben Amorim has played with a three at the back formation since the very beginning of his coaching career

Amorim strategies: What is ahead in putting an end to the “donut” and taming Fernandes?

Amorim strategies: What is Supporters of Manchester United may be concerned that everything sounds a little familiar as they are ready to welcome a highly regarded and gifted coach from outside of Europe’s “big five” leagues who has experts in awe.

However, they can be sure that Ruben Amorim will not resemble Erik ten Hag in one important way.

The main grievance against the fired Dutchman was that. .

Even after two and a half seasons.

The tactical direction was unclear and the football remained formless.

Amorim is a meticulous and determined tactical thinker who will be leaving Portuguese champion Sporting to head to Old Trafford next month.

The defining characteristics of Amorim’s football, from a vicious press to aggressive possession football, from a bold high line to a complicated shape-shifting 3-4-3 formation, will be ingrained in muscle memory during rigorous training sessions.

It will not work for everybody.

The Portuguese are unlikely to have much money for January acquisitions given United’s £113 million 2023–24 net loss, £15 million compensation bill for firing Ten Hag, and the at least £9 million paid to get Amorim out of Sporting.

De Ligt, Maguire & three at the back

Amorim is, first and foremost, a flexible tactician.

He will sit deep when required and push high when he can; will play neat possession football in some fixtures and tell his players to hit longer diagonals out to the wide men in others.

Case in point: Sporting topped the charts in Portugal for both build-up attacks (126) Direct attacks (74) last season.

But one thing that doesn’t change is the 3-4-3 formation, which is rumoured to be a factor in why Liverpool favoured Arne Slot over Amorim when Jurgen Klopp left this summer.

That means Manchester United will revert to a back three for the first time in a decade – since the early days of Louis van Gaal in 2014.

The most likely to suffer is De Ligt, the high-profile summer acquisition.

He was removed from Louis van Gaal’s Netherlands back three just one game into the 2022 World Cup.

And he did not appear at ease when Bayern Munich tried a back three under Julian Nagelsmann in 2022–2023.

Since Amorim’s aggressive high line creates space out wide and in behind.

Inexperience is a major problem here, especially for Harry Maguire, the only United player accustomed to a back three.

We seen the drawbacks of Amorim strategies: What is strategy when Manchester City crushed Sporting in a 2022 5-0 Champions League victory in Lisbon.
The Premier League is increasingly characterized by the kinds of quick changes that could reveal this vulnerability.

However, the fundamental defensive benefit of switching from a four to a five may offset any drawbacks.

After all, Sporting, in a tight off-the-ball 5-4-1, gave up the fewest shots in the Primeira Liga (269).

While United gave up the second-highest number of shots of any side in the “big five” leagues in Europe previous season (667).

Dalot, attacking wing-backs, and Amad

Amorim strategies: What is teams rely heavily on their wing-backs to extend the play so that the wingers may drift infield and get close to the striker.

Since United lacks natural wing-backs.

Amorim will give preference to players who are more at ease attacking rather than defending if he wants to convert a few.

That is a fair assessment of Dalot.

Who might be promoted after creating 38 chances in the Premier League the previous season—the third-most of any United player.

Not that the defense is not crucial.

And Dalot has faced criticism this season for his inability to protect the back post.

Most notably losing Crysencio Summerville in last weekend’s 2-1 loss to West Ham and Brennan Johnson for the opening goal in a 3-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.

As an alternative, Amorim might try something else or use United’s renowned youth system.

This season, he has already turned Sporting’s elusive 17-year-old winger Geovany Quenda into a wing-back.

Therefore, Amad Diallo might surprise Dalot by competing on that side.

Ugarte to help fill ‘donut’

The man signed to close Ten Hag’s infamous donut the midfield hole that opens up when United’s forwards.

Press and defenders backtrack – has previously enjoyed success under Amorim.

Ugarte made his name at Sporting. where in 2022-23 he topped the Portuguese.

Charts for tackles and interceptions (179) as the chief destroyer in Amorim’s double pivot.

He can be the leader on the field; the man already embodying.

Amorim’s tactics and inspiring others to match his intensity.

Pundit after pundit has dissected United’s lack of co-ordinated pressing.

With Sky’s Jamie Carragher labelling Ten Hag’s side as “one of the worst coached teams” he had seen.

Last season United’s opponents registered 620 transitions reaching the final third.

More than any other Premier League side, reflecting the enormous gap Ugarte was signed to patch up.

By contrast, so far in 2024-25 Sporting’s passes per defensive action (PPDA).

A measure of pressing intensity, is 9.5, a score bettered only by Tottenham Hotspur (7.8) and Arsenal (9.2) in the Premier League.

Just in front of Ugarte, Amorim will want a more graceful player to slalom into the next line. .

And here is where Kobbie Mainoo or Mason Mount – hard-working and intelligent.

In the Amorim mould – may come to the fore.

What role do Rashford and Fernandes play?

Amorim’s wingers are usually direct runners who can push hard and weave through the lines in a transition.

They sit directly behind the striker to form a box with the two central midfielders.

Sporting is at the top of the Primeira Liga records for progressive carries this season because his wingers are expected to go at defenders (262).

A conventional number 10 whose unrestricted wandering might not function in such a sophisticated system.

Conversely, Alejandro Garnacho might be the ideal candidate. With 41 progressive carries this season—nearly twice as much as any other United player—he enjoys dribbling past crowds.

Marcus Rashford, who enjoys cutting in from the left and running at defenders, is another potential benefit.

Rashford attempted more dribbles (138) than any other Premier League player, with the exception of Bukayo Saka (147).

During the 2022–2023 season, when he scored 30 goals in all competitions.

Rashford’s progressive ball carry numbers this season are only at 16, therefore he would need to regain those 2022–2023 levels.

In the Gyokeres mold, Hojlund

Ten Hag used to characterize Hojlund when he came at Old Trafford in August 2023.

But Viktor Gyokeres has been a revelation for Amorim, scoring 41 goals in 42 league games with a combination of focused runs.

Pressing energy, and power in the penalty area.

Regarding Hojlund, Ten Hag remarked, “He is a great frontman.

Following Gyokeres’ transfer from Coventry City last summer.

Hojlund is probably going to be used similarly.

It is a useful adaption.

Even players who may not seem like a clear fit could find a manager prepared to bend for the time being.

According to Amorim.

Who is more than willing to change his tactical setup to accommodate the talents and limits of his players—well, excluding three at the back.