“We cannot transport one reality to another,” said incoming Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, after his Sporting Lisbon side defeated Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League . “United cannot play the way (Sporting) play — they cannot be so defensive..
. I’ll be living in a different world. We’ll have to start from a different point.
” Advertisement Amorim was referring specifically to the fact his Sporting side had played defensively against City, surrendering possession and playing primarily on the break. But it was a reminder that managers don’t view their system at previous clubs as a ready-made template for their new charges. That applies to formation, as well as style.
Amorim is seemingly wedded to a three-man defence, and it’s difficult to remember any coach arriving in the Premier League with such a commitment to that style. Even Antonio Conte, whose use of 3-4-3 prompted a mini-revolution in the Premier League , was initially considered a 4-2-4 man in his formative coaching days in Italy. Conte switched to a three-man defence at Juventus because he had Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli at his disposal, and when taking charge of Italy, used the same players in the same roles.
Upon arriving at Chelsea he started with 4-3-3, and famously only switched to 3-4-3 after finding himself 3-0 down away at Arsenal . His signing of Marcos Alonso , who lacked defensive qualities but thrived in a wing-back role at Fiorentina, at least.