Glory’s New Midfield Bull? Luke Amos Analysis
With the A-League January transfer window drawing to a close, Perth Glory have made a surprise move by signing 27-year-old English central midfielder Luke Amos. Based on Football Director Stan Lazaridis’ assessment, this appears to be a significant acquisition for the club moving forward.
“He was highly recommended to us by Nick Montgomery [current Assistant Head Coach at Tottenham Hotspur and former Hibernian Head Coach] as a player whose profile really fits [Glory Head Coach] David Zdrilic’s style and we’ve been pursuing him for three months.
“Should he impress for us, as we expect him to do, the club has an option to extend his contract for another year.”
It’s not unfair for fans to approach Lazaridis’ praise with scepticism, given the mixed success of previous signings. However, in this instance, there seems to be more substance behind the optimism.
Let’s address the elephant in the room — Amos hasn’t played as much competitive football in the past year with his previous club, Hibernian, as he or the fans would have liked. As a result, much of the analysis relies on a larger sample size from his time in the Championship with QPR.
To provide further context, below are two player radars from his last two full seasons with the Hoops.
While these radars don’t paint a complete picture of Amos’ playing style, his most recent full season (2022/23) suggests he is a combative midfielder. Notably, the data indicates that after winning duels, he often regains possession and drives forward with the ball.
Fortunately, Vimeo offers a substantial amount of footage from Luke Amos’ time at QPR and Hibernian, showcasing a wide range of his in-game actions. Having watched several clips, it’s evident that he will be a strong addition to the way Perth Glory want to play. I also believe he’ll complement Nick Pennington exceptionally well.
When you think of a typical Red Bull midfield — whether at Leipzig or Salzburg — you envision intensity, physicality, and speed. With Pennington, Glory have shown glimpses of a “Rangnick-style” midfield, but they’ve often lacked a more physical and defensively oriented partner to balance his skill set.
This is where someone like Luke Amos could be a crucial addition.
If his playing style were to be summed up in a single sentence: Amos provides the physical presence that the Glory have been missing.
A key aspect of his pressing style is his ability to close down quickly, using his upper-body strength to engage in shoulder-to-shoulder duels and outmuscle opponents. Below is a typical example of how he approaches challenges, coming in from a side angle.
What stands out is his ability to absorb contact, maintain balance, and drive forward with the ball. Given the Glory’s occasional struggles with pressing and counter-pressing — particularly due to a lack of natural duel winners — having a player like Amos should provide a significant boost to the team’s midfield.
Given his desire to press, Amos will be a key asset in helping David Zdrilic implement his pressing system to a much higher standard. Simply put, the Red Bull style of pressing — like any effective press — is an all-or-nothing approach. If not every player commits and wins their duels, the entire structure collapses, something the Glory have experienced first-hand on multiple occasions.
A prime example of Amos’ pressing instincts can be seen in the following scenario, where he anticipates a square pass to Bournemouth’s defensive midfielder.
With the midfielder unaware of Amos closing in from his blindside, he fails to shield the ball effectively, allowing Amos to capitalise and create a promising situation for his team. These types of scenarios seem more than likely to play out for the Glory with Amos in the side.
When fully fit, Amos covers ground exceptionally well and is a valuable asset in counter-pressing situations. His presence should not only enhance the Glory’s pressing game but also help prevent them from being as vulnerable on the counterattack as they have been at times.
In possession, Amos is likely to be deployed in a deeper role. The recent game against Central Coast Mariners provides a useful reference point, as the Glory adjusted their shape when building up — it remains to be seen whether this tactical shift will persist.
Pennington has been the primary orchestrator from deep, using his speed, drive, and creativity to initiate attacks. While Amos possesses good distribution skills and can circulate possession effectively, he is less of a playmaker. That being said, he is capable of spreading the ball and maintaining control with simple, precise passing.
A still image from the Mariners match illustrates a potential tactical setup, with Amos likely filling the role occupied by Taras Gomulka (on the ball), while Pennington positions himself slightly higher. However, given the fluid nature of the Glory’s shape in that game, rotations between the two shouldn’t be ruled out
Overall, Luke Amos’ arrival brings clear benefits, particularly in fulfilling the core attributes of a “Red Bull” midfielder. In theory, he should complement Nick Pennington well and contribute to a more cohesive midfield.
The main concern, however, is fitness and consistency. Throughout his career — especially in recent years — Amos has struggled to maintain long stretches of availability due to persistent minor injuries. Further, he has unfortunately succumbed to two ACL injuries.
But I believe if he’s fit and firing, he will be a very solid player for the Glory. The challenge obviously lies in keeping him on the pitch and performing at a high level consistently.
If he can stay fit, the positives should outweigh the concerns, and there’s every reason to believe he could remain at the Glory beyond this season — provided his performances meet expectations.
Below is the link to view more of Luke Amos’ best actions compiled on Vimeo
