Manager Profile: Ruben Amorim

Good Evening Ladies and Gents,

Many of you may remember around 3 weeks ago I released an article on 4 different managers and their styles of play.

Today I am taking a look at everything Ruben Amorim, he is rumoured to be our number one choice and has been on our shortlist way back to when we sacked Thomas Tuchel, and again when we sacked Graham Potter. He has seemingly rose to number one on the list this time…..

Let me remind you of what I wrote about him just a few weeks back.

Ruben Amorim - 39 years old - Sporting Lisbon - Tenure: 2020-Present Day

Ruben Amorim uses a 3-4-3 formation predominantly, but like with all modern methodical coaches that formation changes multiple times during a game in and out of possession.

His team build up from the back, using their 3 centre backs to do so, the deeper of the two centre midfielders will drop in as a bounce pass option and therefore drags in an opposition midfielder, his partner will be 10-20 yards further forward and available to receive the ball once the press is beaten. Due to the deeper midfielder dropping in teams can be reluctant to press the centre defenders in case the press is beaten leaving huge gap in centre midfield, it also allows one of the centre halves to bring the ball out from the back whilst maintaining shape.

The wing backs push high and the wingers invert in to half spaces, once the press is beaten they have the option of passing in to pockets to the wingers or advanced centre midfielder or through the liens and into the channels.

In the defensive phase Sporting press with their front 3 very narrow in order to avoid the ball played into central areas. The two centre midfielders also press, leaving the wing backs and the centre backs to defend deeper. They press with curved runs to force the opposition to play the pass to a certain area of the pitch, the wing back will then close down the free player that has received the ball.

The wingbacks use the touchline as an ‘additional defender’ when pressing which means they try and push the player to take or pass the ball down the line rather than inside.

In possession in the oppositions half they build up in a 3-2-5 formation with the 2 centre midfielders being central short pass options and the wing backs being high and wide, this allows the wide attackers/wingers to invert into half spaces to receive the ball. Although this is a great shape to build up in, it has its downfalls, it leaves them open to the counter attack and against teams with pace they can be vulnerable due to their high line.

That is a brief overview on Sporting Lisbon’s shape under Ruben Amorim.

His record at Sporting is 190 Matches, 133 Wins, 27 Draws & 30 Losses. His team have scored 402 goals and conceded 169, with a goal difference of +233.

Overall Summary:

I massively rate Amorim and think he will suit the English game, he is on Liverpool’s list of managers as well so it shows his worth within the game that they are seriously considering and that could be a heavy reason as to why we push for him ASAP, to get ahead of the queue.

I still reiterate that I am not completely sure on what I think the club should do and sacking Poch seems to be the most popular opinion and one I am swaying towards also, we don’t want to be rushed into a decision at all.

Poch has obviously not helped himself over the last few days and although some of the takes have been reactionary from certain fans, overall he has worsened his ‘relationship’ and all fans overall thinking of him, some worse than others.

I really like Thomas Frank as a manager but I am not sure if he is cut out to be a top 6 manager, especially at a club like ours. I hate the idea of Xavi, RDZ, Inzaghi etc, none of them fill me with positivity, all are named within Fraser Fletcher’s recent article. You will all know my dislike for RDZ (and Brighton) however good he is as a manager.

Overall the main reason I am only “swaying” towards sacking Poch and not having my ‘Poch Out’ banner made now is due to a massive lack of options in my opinion. Any world class manager will not touch us with a barge poll, any young up and coming manager will know the stigma with coming in and potentially being gone within a year/18 months.

Please give me any serious suggestions and I will put together some more manager profiles and we can finish the series with an overall vote on who YOU all want as our next manager.

Thanks for reading

Luke Rushbrook