Paulo Fonseca has some tough selection choices to make on the eve of Liverpool’s visit to San Siro, but he seems to be leaning towards a couple of key changes as per a report.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport write, Fonseca kept his word: before the Venezia game he insisted that the choice of the starting line-up would not be based on managing minutes before the Liverpool and Inter games, but on the mental and physical condition of those returning from the international break.
Christian Pulisic and Tijjani Reijnders started from the first minute which proves him correct, given the former returned to training on Thursday and the latter racked up a lot of minutes with the Netherlands.
On Tuesday against Liverpool, however, there will still be some changes to the team. Matteo Gabbia came in and did well against Venezia on Saturday but it is expected that Fikayo Tomori will partner Strahinja Pavlovic in a game where experience of the biggest occasions counts.
On the right, Emerson Royal should keep his spot. He definitely did not impress in his first two outings with the Rossoneri but his starting position will also be secured by the fact that Davide Calabria has had a physical problem in recent days.
If Fonseca takes the indications received against Venezia as being valid, Youssouf Fofana and Ruben Loftus-Cheek will remain in midfield as the double pivot. However, there remains the idea that the Englishman could swap with Reijnders.
In attack, Alvaro Morata will be back from the first minute, who paid has recovered from an injury after having scored in round one against Torino. The minutes played against Venezia showed his is ready to contribute, with Pulisic and Rafael Leao expected to flank him.
5th match of the season with a 5th version of starting eleven. And why would Reijnders and RLC swap positions? If anything we need fast players up front cause the only way we get something out of this match is to stay deep and counter. At least that’s what the Tricky Trees did this weekend.
It should be the same line-up, just Morata and Calabria come in instead of their understudies…
I don’t think Tomori is more experienced than Gabbia anymore. Lately Tomori looks too troubled and lacking positional awareness.
Tomori at least has experience with defending vs Liverpool, Newcastle, PSG, among others in the UCL.
Gabbia vs Salah, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez is basically throwing the game before it even started.
Gabbia ain’t gonna win in a footrace against Liverpool’s attack. Tomori at least has the pace to keep up.
That’s right. Tomori is the only CB with pace. You can get away with two slow CBs against Venezia, not going to get away with that against Liverpool.
It would make sense to keep the same starting lineup for Liverpool. Morata is returning from an injury and needs to regain match fitness for the derby.
So I think Abraham should start. As far Reinjders and RLC , it should be clear to Fonseca now which one of them is better for the attacking midfield position.
If Fonseca isn’t sure about that then we have a bigger problem.
This is how Barcelona used to play when Messi was still with them. 4-3-3 with a deep-lying number 6 would require the CF to drop back, make plays with the midfield and the wingers. It is essentially 4-4-2 with no real CF/ST. Abraham and Morata fit in very well with this setup, they press well with their physical capabilities and can pass the ball. With OG, we could not do such a thing because he was a conventional number 9 poacher.
I’d love to see a back 3 wrinkle developed to deal with strong attacking sides (Pool) or to counter others with a back 3 system (Inter). It would help deal with our two obvious weaknesses – no clear 6 and trouble at RB.
Gabbia in the middle with Tomori and Pavlovic, plus Theo to the left all fits great. RLC and Fofana in the pivot would work well. On the right, I might actually put Musah in place of Emerson. He struggles when his job is complicated. If his job is just to hold the right flank defensively, get forward and cross the ball, (things that Calabria and Emerson both struggle with at times), I think he’d be successful. RLC could also play out there. I’d then put Leao and Pulisic left and right as inside forwards and Tammy up top. The weakest link in that lineup I think is Leao at left inside forward. But if Fonseca can get Leao to start defending and counterpressing, I think that lineup could finally crack Inter.
I have to say that I agree with everything everyone has said in the comments. Very smart stuff. How come Milan management don’t know all this or at least haven’t acted upon it. Royal/Tomori is major bad news.