Ruben Loftus-Cheek was one of the contenders for man of the match during yesterday’s win over Empoli, scoring the opening goal, and La Gazzetta dello Sport report that he was the tactical key as well.
La Gazzetta (seen below) write how the key tactically was Loftus-Cheek’s return to the position from which he can do the most harm, cutting from the right towards the centre. Stefano Pioli’s system is not a 4-3-3, but rather an unpredictable 4-2-3-1.
The former Chelsea man’s position is more attacking than that of Yacine Adli – a deeper-lying playmaker who had countless touches (112) – and of Tijjani Reijnders, another playmaker who manages the possession phase with more synthesis and verticality.
Loftus-Cheek was always facing the goal as he did in the Premier League: Empoli never really thwarted his attacking movements and don’t even find countermeasures to Olivier Giroud’s link-up play with him either. The Frenchman didn’t touch the ball much, but showed but a lot of sacrifice.
Giroud moved around the area to open up spaces and Loftus-Cheek then moved up too in a sort of four-man line that forces the defenders into risky one-on-one situations. That space was exploited for the first goal, that made him a MOTM candidate.
The paper recalls that this is what he did in the 2018 France World Cup, creating spaces for the onrushing Griezmann. There is no Mbappé at Milan, but Leao has started running and dribbling again and Christian Pulisic is in a more concrete than spectacular version.
He had countless touches….112 🤭 🤣🤣🤣