“I have to sell my idea. If I change all the time it is going to be worse,” Amorim argued when it was first pointed out to him last December that he may well have his system and way of playing – 3-4-2-1, with two No 10s operating behind a central striker – but did not possess the players to do it. So why not, in the short-term at least, change and try to win some games and then – when he could – get in the players to play the way he wanted?
No, Amorim maintained, it would “not make sense” to change to a system “that I don’t believe in”. But how can a manager believe in only one system? It is illogical. That is what does not make sense. A coach can believe in being more attacking, more possession-based or be more defensive and preserve the clean sheet. But how can a coach believe in only one formation?