Youssouf Fofana’s role has been a big focus since he arrived at AC Milan, and there are still a few questions over where he should play exactly.
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When Luka Modric signed, it seemed that Fofana could be in line for a move back into a more defensive role, or at least a more central variation of where he currently plays. Yet, Modric instead took that role, and the Frenchman has been moved into a new role on the right of midfield.
The differences are rather stark, with Massimiliano Allegri hoping for his two ‘more advanced’ midfielders to be involved in all aspects of the game – as proven by his wishes for Fofana and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to score 10 goals between them this season.
Fofana’s position review
It would be ignorant to suggest that Fofana had not been a focus this season, with him seeming like the weakest link in the midfield three to some. Today, he spoke to L’Equipe about his position and the new role under Allegri, as MilanNews relays.
“It’s as if for years I had looked at football in a certain way, and now my perception is changing because I no longer see the field from the same angle, I no longer have the same reference points. For example, before, when I was in front of the defence, I knew I had two players behind me, one diagonally to the right and one to the left.
“Now it’s completely different. I play as a right midfielder. When we don’t have the ball, I’m very advanced, almost like an attacker. When we have the ball instead, I position myself between the lines. When they tell you that you will play later, at first, you are happy.
“In the end, I realised that it is not necessarily what I want. I do it for the team, of course. I liked being the one who initiated the actions, controlling everything: the speed of my team’s game, the rhythm, recovering the ball…
“What did I learn in the new role? I have to play much faster and position myself better. In front of the defence, the player who attacked me was an attacker who did not necessarily defend very well.
“Now, the player who attacks me is a defender, a more robust opponent. I have to be stronger and assimilate more information than before. I also learned that I can take high-intensity shots.”