As important work continues on the training ground in view of the new season, one of the things Paulo Fonseca wants his AC Milan side to have is tactical flexibility.
As this morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes this morning, little bits could be glimpsed on Saturday in Vienna, despite Fonseca being without all the players called up to the European Championship/Copa America and the new signing Alvaro Morata.
For the moment, Milan have tried to put into practice the movements and schemes tested in the first 12 days of work at Milanello, but they are a team in disguise because so many starters are missing and above all because only one new signing has arrived.
The starting base
In terms of system, Fonseca is likely to rely on the 4-2-3-1, the formation also used last year by Stefano Pioli. With Fonseca the interpretation will be different: more possession, 3+2 in build-up and more coverage in transition.
One of the missions of the former Lille coach is obviously to concede fewer than the 69 goals conceded in 2023-24 across all competitions. This will happen especially when Strahinja Pavlovic and Youssouff Fofana are on the tactics board.
The Serbian giant, a left-footed central defender, will make an important contribution on set pieces and – thanks to his aggression – will help play a higher line. This way, regaining the ball from the opposing midfield or a more dangerous area will become easier.
The Monaco midfielder, meanwhile, will guarantee greater filtering and increase the incisiveness in recovering the ball. Having him at his side, Tijjani Reijnders would feel calmer in the battles that occur in the middle of the pitch.
A slight tweak
The attacking midfielder in the primary XI that Fonseca uses will be Ruben Loftus-Cheek, a player who plays the role in a more physical way, focusing on late runs but without playing too close to the centre-forward.
In the first half of the Rapid Wien friendly, Fonseca decided to test Mattia Liberali – a star of the academy and winner of the Under 17 European Championship with Italy – in the number 10 role.
It was a way to confirm that the coach has an eye for talented young players, but it also showed he is not against using a playmaker who is perhaps a bit more technical, someone like Lazar Samardzic of Udinese who is a target and can offer different solutiosn to RLC.
In different situations the Serbian could perhaps also be used as a mezzala, but now the situations in which he feels most comfortable are those that allow him to get closer to the opponent’s area to either score or play that killer pass.
Other variations
The three-man defence used at times by Fonseca in his experience at Roma is not an option for Milan at the moment. We’ll see in the future, of course depending on any movements that might happen in the mercato.
Instead, pay attention to the potential use of a 4-3-3 variant which could be the right formula to mix the attacking wingers Christian Pulisic and Rafel Leao with the new signings (if they come in) Fofana and Samadzic.
They would then be used together with one of Loftus-Cheek or Reijnders. One thing seems sure: all of this will include Morata as the centre-forward, someone the new boss strongly pushed for.
RLC is an awful number 10, anybody can see it from the last Pioli disaster calls, he’s good as a RM on a 3 man midfield, nothing more nothing less
I agree with you
4-3-3 is the formation that will provide the most balance and the formation that will put Milan midfielders in their proper positions and allow them to be at their best.
Mid squad. Lol
When injury storm hit, this team will crumble.
lmao. mid squad you say. if all signings are right. if injury comes we have players that can swap in for one another it is called a talent squad. it may not be the best but only few european team can boast of having what we have. the age numbers of the squad is so apprealing with a good coach and if the management don’t sell they will offer 4-5yrs of good football together. you need a real eye opener to call this squad weak tho.
The does not have a leather striker then how can we boost of them in Europe competition?