Rúben Amorim of Sporting is regarded by many as the next big thing in coaching. I can understand why to an extent as he is clearly a talented coach..
However, Arteta's Arsenal are another level. Sporting could win tomorrow, but over the two legs, that's HIGHLY unlikely.
THREAD!
However, Arteta's Arsenal are another level. Sporting could win tomorrow, but over the two legs, that's HIGHLY unlikely.
THREAD!
I was not familiar with Rúben Amorim before this thread, but I must admit that I am underwhelmed with his tactical qualities relative to the reputation he has...
Sporting play a 3-4-3 system similar to that of Conte at Spurs except with a supposedly more 'proactive' philosophy.
Sporting play a 3-4-3 system similar to that of Conte at Spurs except with a supposedly more 'proactive' philosophy.
However, just because Amorim may be regarded as a coach with such a philosophy doesn't mean that translates to on-pitch realities. Sporting spend a lot of their time doing the same things Spurs do in the sense that they build in a 4-2-4, press half-heartedly, & defend deep a lot.
The structure is definitely good in certain senses, but Conte's is undeniably better because his philosophy correlates to that style of play. It makes less sense to play that way if the philosophy is centered around dominating the ball & pressing.
There's clear reasons for this.
There's clear reasons for this.
If the team is very much set in stone in terms of what their philosophy is like in Conte's case (be hard to break down & rely on automatisms in possession), the team will replicate that.
However, if the style is pragmatic yet the philosophy is proactive, that's counterintuitive.
However, if the style is pragmatic yet the philosophy is proactive, that's counterintuitive.
Sporting try to play possession based football but regularly get played through with relative ease when pressing, pinned back into a low block, and don't necessarily do a great job of retaining possession.
That's psychological failure, yet Conte & his team expects these things.
That's psychological failure, yet Conte & his team expects these things.
Also, through an alternative lens, it can be judged that as a proactive and possession-based coach, Rúben Amorim largely fails at what such coaches should typically excel at. Sporting don't press particularly well and they don't keep the ball for large periods.
That's damning.
That's damning.
Now, this isn't to say that he's a bad coach. It's clear he's not as if the system a coach implements is in any way similar to Conte's then they're likely quite good, but it's clear that Rúben Amorim's tactics and Sporting as a whole are quite exploitable.
He's far from elite.
He's far from elite.
Sporting's press in particular is where a large portion of their problems arise. Amorim doesn't like to commit too many players forward at once in the press, and this results in the opposition consistently having a spare man in the build-up, particularly against back four's.
The wide player in the 3-4-3 press often has to choose between marking the fullback & the centre back, resulting in the opposition having an overload in the build-up.
Sporting can match up on the sides with the wingbacks pushed on, but there's always a spare man on the far side.
Sporting can match up on the sides with the wingbacks pushed on, but there's always a spare man on the far side.
That pressing shape *can* work if it’s timed well as the play can be closed off to one side of the pitch, but it’s still primarily passive and giving a team like Arsenal an overload in the build-up is asking for trouble, particularly when considering Zinchenko inverts centrally.
Zinchenko himself may not play due to rotation from Arteta, but I'd argue his inclusion is imperative to Arsenal stamping overall control on the game, particularly away from home. Traditional fullbacks who stay wide can be easier to manage but inverted fullbacks are much tougher.
Sporting's wide players already have a tough decision to make as to whether to press the centre back or mark the fullback, but there are occasions in which the wingbacks fly high enabling them to press the centre back and each player is marked.
Not if Zinchenko inverts, though.
Not if Zinchenko inverts, though.
It's realistic to expect a wingback to press as high as the opposition's fullback, but it's not realistic to expect them to come inside and press an inverted fullback in midfield, particularly when Arsenal's left winger will be staying high and wide on that side of the pitch.
It seems like an inevitability that Sporting's wide players will be disengaged from Arsenal's build-up and even if they do try to press the left centre back (Gabriel/Kiwior) by curving their run to block the passing lane into Zinchenko, Arsenal have the quality to find Zinchenko.
This means that Arsenal can play through Sporting's press and directly exploit them in transition or pin them back into a low block & use their elite positional play to create from there.
In these instances, though, Sporting will be tricky to break down as they defend in a 5-4-1
In these instances, though, Sporting will be tricky to break down as they defend in a 5-4-1
However, despite being relatively easy to push back, Sporting still try to play out from the back with regularity in a 4-2-4 shape.
That can be a very risky strategy considering Arsenal are A) likely already set high positionally to counterpress and B) an elite pressing team.
That can be a very risky strategy considering Arsenal are A) likely already set high positionally to counterpress and B) an elite pressing team.
However, there are positives from a tactical & qualitative perspective that Sporting can take from the build-up despite that, & that's because Arteta can be quite passive when pressing teams who play a back 3.
This could be a huge factor in Sporting potentially getting a result.
This could be a huge factor in Sporting potentially getting a result.
Although Arsenal may typically be an elite pressing team, Arteta is often more cautious when defending against teams who play with a 3 at the back system with a 4-2-4 build-up from goal kicks.
Much like Amorim does, Arteta leaves the opposition with a spare man in the build-up.
Much like Amorim does, Arteta leaves the opposition with a spare man in the build-up.
Arteta purposefully leaves the 4-2 build-up with a 6v5 overload.
The advantage rears its head at centre back when Arsenal are shifting across to try and pin Spurs in against the touchline and match up in man-to-man situations.
Let me delve into this further.
The advantage rears its head at centre back when Arsenal are shifting across to try and pin Spurs in against the touchline and match up in man-to-man situations.
Let me delve into this further.
Arteta wants to push the 4-2 out to one side of the pitch & man mark on the sides whilst closing off the passing lane to the free man which is the far side centre back (pic 1).
The opposition, though, want to use the ball wisely amongst the GK & centre backs to play out (pic 2).
The opposition, though, want to use the ball wisely amongst the GK & centre backs to play out (pic 2).
Arteta does this to ensure Arsenal have an extra man in the last line to deal with the oppositions front 3.
The ball-side fullback presses high against the opposition wingback but the far side fullback tucks in alongside the centre backs and Partey screens the defence.
The ball-side fullback presses high against the opposition wingback but the far side fullback tucks in alongside the centre backs and Partey screens the defence.
However, Arteta does this against Spurs (a similar style to Sporting) because Spurs' front 3 is incredibly devastating in transition. To leave his defenders isolated in 1v1 situations against them would be a big risk.
Sporting's forwards aren't even close to that level.
Sporting's forwards aren't even close to that level.
This is why Arteta may implement a more aggressive pressing style against Sporting.
City nullified Spurs through the wingers inverting onto the outside centre backs, the fullbacks pressing the wingbacks, & the #10 dropping onto the #6 with the #9 on the middle CB.
City nullified Spurs through the wingers inverting onto the outside centre backs, the fullbacks pressing the wingbacks, & the #10 dropping onto the #6 with the #9 on the middle CB.
Arteta has previously implemented this against Chelsea where they had no spare men in their 3-2 build-up, so it'll be interesting to see if he reverts to that previously aggressive approach.
He absolutely should, because Sporting can cause issues if he doesn't.
He absolutely should, because Sporting can cause issues if he doesn't.
Although leaving the opposition with an extra player in the build-up does make sense in certain regards, it has previously cost Arsenal in settled play against 3-2 build-ups, most notably against Tuchel's Chelsea where there was a clear 5v4 in settled play.
Sporting play the same 3-4-3, so the potential for them to gain success & play around Arsenal is absolutely there, especially when considering they successfully nullified a better tactical team in Spurs this season because they were brave to continuously play out from the back.
So, the game largely rests on this phase of play. Arsenal can get success if they press with only 5 against Sporting's 4-2 build-up and when they press with 4 against Sporting's 3-2 build-up, but not with massive reliability if Sporting rise to the occasion individually.
It simply gives Rúben Amorim's men time on the ball in certain situations and subsequent potential to keep the ball for periods, prevent Arsenal from having total control in the game, and exert control of their own on the game.
That's something Arsenal don't want away from home.
That's something Arsenal don't want away from home.
Even if Sporting pin Arsenal back for periods Arteta will task the wide players with tracking back all the way into the last line of defence to prevent a 5v4 overload, but that situation is not Arsenal want to occur even semi-reliably.
They want technical and pressing control.
They want technical and pressing control.
Arsenal can achieve this when considering they'll have an overload in the build-up and technical quality to play through it (especially if Zinchenko plays) whilst also pressing aggressively, but they'll also have it through physical advantages in midfield.
They'll play long too.
They'll play long too.
Ramsdale or Turner are not shy in playing long passes into midfield and that's where Arsenal can exert their power on the game through winning duels. Again, it's another area they have an advantage in over Sporting. But, as I say, it all comes down to the overall control exerted.
Arsenal are still more likely to win the overall tie even if Arteta allows Sporting a numerical advantage in the build-up.
They may face some control issues away from home if they don't, but their overall quality should shine through despite that over the two legs.
🧵🛑
They may face some control issues away from home if they don't, but their overall quality should shine through despite that over the two legs.
🧵🛑
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