GdS: The anti-Udinese formula – Allegri hopes to unlock attack with front three

AC Milan must bounce back with a win against Udinese on Saturday night at San Siro, or they risk a very complicated end to the season.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write this morning, Massimiliano Allegri’s assessments before the game against Napoli were correct: “Everything can change in one week.” During the weekend before Easter Milan were chasing the Scudetto, but now they are looking over their shoulders.

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The title race has become a Champions League race. Milan must recover quickly, starting tomorrow against Udinese. Verona, Juventus, Sassuolo, Atalanta, Genoa and Cagliari are the other opponents that follow on the schedule.

The list contains either matches against teams in the bottom half, in which the Rossoneri have often struggled to overcome resistance this season, or six-pointers against sides that are in the European places.

Allegri makes changes

New ideas are needed, with Milan having lost three of their last six games 1-0, suggesting the attack is jammed. A three-man attack is a possibility Allegri had talked about after the defeat at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, and he tried it in practice in yesterday’s training session.

Allegri also tried his usual 3-5-2, so only today – in the final training session – will he make conclusions on the right system to use. Regardless of how the game unfolds, Gimenez should be given some space: he would return to the starting lineup six months after succumbing to ankle pain.

If there are two strikers, Christian Pulisic could partner him. In the very first part of the season, the pair played together and actually looked bright at times. While Santi remained in search of his first Serie A goal, Pulisic was accustomed to slotting into the spaces he created.

If Milan play more attacking, with three forwards from the start, Gimenez would be the centre-forward, Pulisic the right winger, and either Rafael Leao or Christopher Nkunku on the left.