Switching from back 4 to back 3 mid season

Oscar Bonavena

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By all accounts Amorim is heavily wedded to 3 at the back, so much so that other clubs reputedly didn't go for him because he would not agree to move from this principle of his.

This sounds like he will definitely try to implement 3 at the back at United. What I'm wondering is:

1. Is Amorim likely to switch to 3 at the back as soon as his foot is in the door, or is he going to wait until next season? Is it a change that can be made overnight or does it take weeks of preseason?

2. If he changes it straight away, how common is it for a team to switch from 4 to 3 at the back mid-season, has it ever been done before and to what level of success?

3. How easy is it for a defender to go from a back 4 to a back 3 or does it entirely depend on the player? Do certain types of defenders take to it straight away whereas other defenders are like a fish out of water?
 
We build up with 3 at the back anyway, one of the fullbacks tucks into midfield, so I can’t imagine it being that hard to transition. The actual wingback role is what is very different for us.

I’m wondering if he implemented this change at Sporting immediately as that was also mid season after moving from Braga.
 
Oscar Bonavena said:
By all accounts Amorim is heavily wedded to 3 at the back, so much so that other clubs reputedly didn't go for him because he would not agree to move from this principle of his.

This sounds like he will definitely try to implement 3 at the back at United. What I'm wondering is:

1. Is Amorim likely to switch to 3 at the back as soon as his foot is in the door, or is he going to wait until next season? Is it a change that can be made overnight or does it take weeks of preseason?

2. If he changes it straight away, how common is it for a team to switch from 4 to 3 at the back mid-season, has it ever been done before and to what level of success?

3. How easy is it for a defender to go from a back 4 to a back 3 or does it entirely depend on the player? Do certain types of defenders take to it straight away whereas other defenders are like a fish out of water?
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Just on your second point, Conte's Chelsea won the league with a three at the back having started the season with a different system. Though they probably switched to it in maybe September/October as opposed to end of November.
 
It'll be absolutely fine. Like someone here who supports Sporting (can't recall who) said, he'll start off with full-backs/wing-backs as wing-backs, and once (if) this collection of players gets what he wants, he'll select more attack minded options. It will suit quite a lot of the players. The question marks are around the left-wing back option and the two behind Hojlund.
 
Oscar Bonavena said:
By all accounts Amorim is heavily wedded to 3 at the back, so much so that other clubs reputedly didn't go for him because he would not agree to move from this principle of his.

This sounds like he will definitely try to implement 3 at the back at United. What I'm wondering is:

1. Is Amorim likely to switch to 3 at the back as soon as his foot is in the door, or is he going to wait until next season? Is it a change that can be made overnight or does it take weeks of preseason?

2. If he changes it straight away, how common is it for a team to switch from 4 to 3 at the back mid-season, has it ever been done before and to what level of success?

3. How easy is it for a defender to go from a back 4 to a back 3 or does it entirely depend on the player? Do certain types of defenders take to it straight away whereas other defenders are like a fish out of water?
Click to expand...


1. Looks like from the reports, its his formation and he will be utilising that formation at United too.

2. We have seen it happen, Conte changed from a 4-3-3 to a 3-4-3 after 4/5 games and won the league. Glasner changed it last season too.

3. We have seen players play this formation before, Maguire, Shaw, De Ligt all play 3 at the back with the international teams. We have 2 weeks from when Amorin takes over to Ipswich, so he has some time to work on the formation.

Will be interesting to see, will the players that go on international duty start his first game?
 
Struggling to get past the idea that clubs would refuse to appoint a manager on the basis they don't like the formation he would use.

I call bullshit on that which means no guarantee he'll use a back 3, and if he does its really not the seismic shift its being made to sound like. ETH changed our defence on a weekly basis and usually several times during each game anyway. Ole used to swtich from a 3 to a 4 from one game to the next.

It'd be a nice change to actually know what our system is and what we are actually trying to do.
 
I think he'll go to a 3-4-3 straight away. This season is the closest to a free hit he'll get as a manager, and the invariable wobbles adjusting to a new formation will be easier for the fans to swallow this season. He'll also want to start next season well, since top 4 will be the bare minimum target next season, so that would be a bad time to start testing out a new formation.

Its also worth bearing in mind that, as a coach, he will be used to coaching a 343. With all the other adjustments he'll have to make, changing his coaching methods to allow for a back four would be an added difficulty. I expect he'll go with what he knows.
 
Didn't Palace do this last season when Glasner came in, and immediately looked like a much better side?
 
We have players who should be comfortable enough with a 3 at the back, I don't think that should be a huge issue.

We have rather shite wide options, though - but that's another discussion.
 
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