After last weekend, changes in the attack are somewhat expected, given that the Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao combo is not working for AC Milan, and it may play out.
All season, Milan have been hammering away at the idea of playing their two stars together up front. Largely because both have shown they can play up front. However, when given the chance to play together, it has not worked.
Across the 13 chances that they have been given, only three goals have been scored. A clear showing that, although the idea is nice, the practicality of putting them together up front just isn’t there.
So, Massimiliano Allegri is considering making a change to the front line.
A change up top
As this morning’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport suggests, the Italian is considering a place in the starting XI for Niclas Fullkrug, who is already destined to be heading back to London at the end of the season – barring a miraculous change of heart.
The idea would be simple: to allow a greater physical presence up front, with the hope of also adding more goals to an underwhelming front two.
Unrelated to last weekend’s ordeal, it would be Leao who is likely to drop to the bench, with Allegri thinking about the situation from a purely tactical standpoint. It is also worth noting that Santiago Gimenez will return to the bench, so the Italian will have options to call upon if and when needed.
Given that Fullkrug has usually been the tool to facilitate a three-man attack, it may be looked upon slightly strangely. However, Allegri will still have that option with those who will sit on the bench.
I’d love to see Fullkrug start.
He was good the one start we saw v Fiorentina.
The late cameos have given little opportunity to show what he can provide as a target / hold-up player.
In this formation, the last time we had forwards that looked dangerous was surprisingly the games with RLC as a part of the front 2.
Perfect analysis! We look so much better with a physical striker to accommodate the 2nd striker!
Klart Leao skall bänkas efter sitt uppträdande sist.
Fullkrug behövs i boxen
There has to be a way to have Puli, Rafa And a Forward in the starting lineup. What is clear is that as good as they look on paper, Rafa-Puli as our only forwards did not work. Puli did great with Santi and the few times he was with Fulkrug. Rafa works best as an SS or the wing. never as the CF.
3-4-2-1.
Start Pulisic and Fullkrug and let Leao and Nkunku come in at the 70-75 minute mark when game is more open.
Would be nice to give Gimenez a few minutes as well in a 3-4-3 at the end of the game.
Nkunku should start, he’s done more than Fullkrug, has more ability. Plus we own him and he cost a lot. Or play both.
352 into 433 if the game needs it… Classic Allegri.
But starting Fulkrug in the front 2 is a better idea than than starting Leao/Puli together. Now let’s see him sell the starting bench to either Puli or Leao.
He shouldn’t need to sell anything. Leao’s actions in the last match justify a benching. Then when Leao sees how much better the offense flows without him maybe he’ll realize who the problem was. But then he didn’t realize it when the team played better without him at the beginning of the season so he probably never will.
Better offense that flow without him with zero goals for Puli in 2026…..82days in san siro without a goal, with only one for Fulkrug…..this is what pondering about
“Better offense”
Wrong. The stats say the opposite: Milan creates more and better chances without Leao.
I believe the official stats more than a random kid hating Pulisic with every cell in his/her body.
Yeah, Olumighty . Pulisic’s goal drought started right about the same time Allegri started pairing him with Leao… Before that he was leading Serie A in goals. Coincendence?
People here are a bit too optimistic about Füllkrug. He had one goal for us, and one goal in one and a half seasons in the EPL. These are Origi-like numbers. Sure, he was great in the Bundesliga but that is becoming the remote past. I see Füllkrug as a player in frank decline. Puli has had no goals and no assists in 82 days. Rafa on the other hand has had 9 goals and 2 assists. But yes, I do think that benching Rafa is justified after the public display of dissent, and it’s not like Rafa’s latest form is good either.
Paradoxically, I think that Nkunku although just as irregular as Rafa and just as prone to disappearing in certain games (while playing well in certain others) maybe would be better against Torino.
If there is one thing that is certain is that the duo Rafa-Puli hasn’t worked, so I commend Allegri for finally thinking of alternatives, because like Albert Einstein used to say, the very definition of stupidity is to persist with the same error while hoping for different results.
But truth be told, our offense DOESN’T have good alternatives. We have scored only 7 goals by our forwards lately, and some of our goals had to come from defensemen and midfielders such as recent goals by even Estupiñan, and Rabiot. Even Modric had to score, when that’s not his characteristic. Sometimes Pavlovic is more dangerous to the opponent’s goalkeeper than our forwards.
I am concerned. We lost 2 out of our last 4 games, which is a 50% loss rate, and if we keep that rate until the end of the season, we will not make the UCL. We really need goals. I just don’t know who is likely to provide those goals.
I have this secret hope that because now his chronic ankle issue has been solved, Gimenez will restart scoring for us; but he is likely very much not game fit at this point, so it could take a while, and we don’t have a lot of time, to secure the UCL spot.
Oh my. The end of the season will be nervy.
Of course, maybe the biggest and most realistic hope is that Pulisic will suddenly unblock whatever mentality issue is bothering him, and will resume being the prolific scorer of the first half of the season. Go Christian. You can solve this conundrum!
I have little hope that Rafa will recover his previous form in time to secure the UCL spot. He continues to lack his bursts of speed, and without those bursts, he is nothing.
I’m disappointed in Füllkrug.
Maybe our best bet is Nkunku + Pulisic for now, and then Gimenez + Pulisic once Gimenez recovers some game fitness. With a couple of added goals by Pavlovic and Rabiot. Rafa’s place should be late in the game when switching to a 4-3-3, allowing him to play in the left where he is good. Maybe with Gimenez center, and Puli from the right.
Forza Milan. We need that UCL spot.
Any combination is better than last weeks.