Why Ruben Amorim has become a sought-after coach

Ruben Amorim’s rapid success at Sporting Lisbon has seen him 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.

Coach’s voice have taken a look at the Portuguese coach’s tactics and what makes him such a hot property.

Amorim’s start

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

Just three months later, after Ricardo Sa Pinto was sacked, Amorim took over at Braga. In doing so, he became the manager of a club team competing in a major European league at the age of just 34.

Amorim impressed so much in his 13 games in charge – of which he won 10 – that Sporting Lisbon swooped in and in March 2020 they paid a hefty fee to buy Amorim out of his Braga contract.

So 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, that loss coming in game 33 out of 34 – and after the title had already been wrapped up.

Amorim’s eye-catching and effective brand of football has quickly brought results and has led to plenty of links to Europe’s biggest teams. He hardly thinks his work at Sporting is done yet, but he will also be well aware of the teams he has been linked with and may well have ambitions to one day make it in the Premier League.

Here we take a closer look at the kind of football Amorim likes his team to play.

Adjustable back three

Amorim have tended to favor one back-three structure with Sporting, and throughout his time as manager his team has played a possession-based game. During their deep build-up play, Amorim wants his three centre-backs to break the first line through the center of the pitch as often as possible.

With the double-pivot midfield dropping deep, centre-backs Sebastian Coates, Goncalo Inacio and converted left-back Matheus Reis look 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 cannot turn, the midfielders instead bounce the ball wide wing-backs.

Amorim will also tweak his side’s shape, with the centre-back – usually Coates – slightly taller (below). This means that the two pivots expand and move closer to the wing-backs.

This can also open up more passing lanes for direct and sharp forward passes from the wider of the central defenders – now briefly in a pair – into forwards higher up the pitch. These passes will often bypass the closest options and instead find an attacker dropping through the inside channels.

The tallest of the three centre-backs then operates between the two pivots, thereby creating a numerical overload in central areas to help beat high pressure from the opposition. This means that the players in Amorim’s backline can remain focused on breaking lines into central teammates, and means that they only use wing-backs during deeper build-ups when absolutely necessary.

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

Internal channels

Higher up the pitch, Amorim likes his team to attack with a fluid front three that rotates to find space between the lines. For the most part, the wing-backs hold the width, with the two wide forwards then moving inside, regardless of whether the team is in or out of possession.

Sporting’s wide forwards over the past few seasons – players such as Marcus Edwards, Pedro Goncalves, Francisco Trincao, Pablo Sarabia and Bruno Tabata – have all provided a consistent goal threat by working inside and outside the individual centre-forward, looking to dominate the seats in the inner channels.

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

With wing-backs providing the width, Amorim will often have two of the front three in one inside channel. The third and final striker narrows down to become a central threat, with the wing-back on the other hand available for a change of game (over).

This strategy overloads one side of the court; Amorim recruits and selects players who are able to play close combinations in one inside channel to draw the opponent to that side of the court. If they can’t advance through the inside channel, this also opens up the opportunity to switch plays and isolate a defender on the other side of the field.

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

At Sporting, this had led to congestion in the right inside channel, with Santos, who is comfortable attacking 1v1, free on the left. After a change of play, the players who had previously congested the right inside channel run to attack the box, allowing Santos to deliver crosses or cut-backs.

The double pivot provides coverage under the ball, allowing the wing-backs to push forward simultaneously. Amorim likes his team to attack with five players and generally keeps five players under the ball.

Presses

Out of possession, Amorim’s Sporting are one of the most intense teams in Portugal. When you push high up the track, the front three are narrowed 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 aim to force play outwards, with the wide forwards curving their pressure from inside to outside. The double pivot moves across with the ball, often staggered their positioning, with the nearest ready to spring forward under the centre-forward.

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

The other pivot player will cover the central lanes, ready to drop in between the centre-backs – especially if one of the wider centre-backs is pulled across the pitch when the wing-back jumps forward to press.

The outermost wing-back will narrow and add further protection in front of the centre-backs in the central spaces. This also encourages the double pivot to be more aggressive with their staggered 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 press high, they will usually fall into a 5-2-3 shape, although a 5-4-1 is used at times. His team still prioritizes protecting the middle of the pitch, with their 5-2-3 blocking that naturally forces wide play. Here, Amorim’s team uses a trap that presses the keys.

As the frontline forces the ball wide, the wing-back pops out of the backline at five. The far wing-back stays in a back line of four to protect the far post (below). The double pivot moves aggressively across the field to keep play locked to one side.

They are less likely to shift their positioning on the second line in these situations, with their focus now on preventing the opposition from playing back inside. the wing-back intercepts the pass down the touchline and the nearest centre-back remains ready to track any wide runner. The rest of the back line is positioned to compete for aerial duels or switching the play.

The front line is still working to press the ball – especially the two wide forwards – with the nearest forward pressing the ball from the back to lock the play out wide. The center forward holds their position to try to prevent passes penetrating through the middle of the block and the forward on the other hand will adjust their position depending on the strengths of the opponent.

If they are good at switching plays, the wide player on the other side will get back to the second line. If Amorim thinks it’s worth taking a bigger risk, this player will stay high, ready for it transition quickly or press high if an opponent plays a trigger pass.

Amorim’s proactive football has led to plenty of positive talk about his future. It will be interesting to see how high he rises in the football elite.

To learn more about soccer tactics and gain insight from coaches at the top of the game, visit CV academy.