Should a manager adapt to the squad or impose a style?

Some coaches build around their principles, others fit the system to the players.

Which approach works better, and when should a manager compromise?

It is usually a false dichotomy because the best managers do a bit of both over time. If you drop a rigid positional play coach into a relegation scrap with journeymen, it is tactical suicide. You have to secure results first by playing to their strengths, then gradually mold the squad in your image through the transfer window. Look at how pragmatic Emery is compared to someone like Postecoglou. Ange sticks to his principles no matter what, which is brilliant when the recruitment matches the profile, but it can look terribly exposed when key players get injured. Compromise isn't weakness; it is just game management. Where do you draw the line between sticking to your philosophy for the long-term project and throwing it out the window to save your job in November?