Amorim’s Tactical Revolution: Fitness Meets Fluidity

From walking football to tactical masterstrokes, Amorim’s early days at Old Trafford are anything but conventional.

December 1, 2024
4:35 pm

When Ruben Amorim took over at Manchester United, he had one big goal: to boost the squad’s fitness. But with a crazy schedule of 12 matches in just six weeks, he’s had to get creative with training and recovery.
The Portuguese coach knows that pushing players too hard during this busy time can backfire. “We have to use games,” Amorim says. “The guys who are playing push more. We push the guys to the limit in games.” Players like Luke Shaw, who’s coming back from injury, will have special fitness sessions, but most of the prep will focus on tactics instead of just fitness.
One of Amorim’s cool tricks is his focus on walking football. It’s not just a fun idea; it helps players work on their positioning without wearing them out. “Instead of video sessions, we do it like walking – and jogging,” he explains. “If you can’t run, you can jog.” His team, including assistant coach Carlos Fernandes, plays a big part in helping players improve their skills, making it a team effort.

Click the link below for the best odds and exclusive welcome bonus!

Even though he loves learning on the pitch, Amorim knows there’s still a place for video analysis—just not too much. “Videos longer than 12 minutes? Forget it!” he laughs, sharing his own player experiences.
Tactically, Amorim’s early games show he can adapt. He doesn’t stick to a strict 3-4-2-1 formation; he tries out different roles and systems. For example, his approach to wing-backs focuses on one-on-one battles and being fluid in attack and defense. “What I want is a good one-on-one to open the field and close it when we lose the ball,” he says.
Amorim’s knack for shaping his tactics around player strengths, instead of strict positions, is already showing results. In the Europa League match against Bodo, he ended the game without any natural center-backs, using Luke Shaw and Noussair Mazraoui in new roles.
Amorim’s style mixes old-school instincts with modern smarts, and while the challenges are big, the early signs point to Manchester United heading in an exciting new direction.