Paulo Fonseca has already been no stranger to bold selection choices in his brief time as AC Milan’s head coach, and he is expected to make further changes against Venezia tomorrow night.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) there will be five more changes, which practically half the team. Fonseca is continuing to search for the best formula for his Milan and, compared to the draw against Lazio, there will be changes in eery department.
It will be also be different team compared to the one seen in Parma and also to the XI that debuted against Torino which means four games and four different versions. The decisions this time are with an eye on the games against Liverpool and Inter, which are an early watershed for the Portuguese.
The main news concerns the attack where Tammy Abraham will get his first start for the club after arriving on deadline day, with Alvaro Morata back in full training but not fit enough to start so he will take a spot on the bench.
Rafael Leao will return on the left while on the other wing Noah Okafor is in a battle with Christian Pulisic and Samuel Chukwueze. The latter two are the natural right wingers, but both returned back late from international duty after long trips.
Emerson Royal and Theo Hernandez will be the full-backs, and then were arrive at more doubts in defence and midfield. Ismael Bennacer’s injury limits options, as does Yunus Musah’s long trip to represent the USA, so Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders should be the double pivot. Kevin Zeroli and Silvano Vos will be among the alternatives on the bench.
Malick Thiaw remains on the unavailable list after an ankle sprain, while Strahinja Pavlovic will get some rest before facing Mo Salah and Lautaro Martinez. Matteo Gabbia will play in his place in the centre, paired with Fikayo Tomori.
I’m not overly concerned about who is in the front 3 combo.
This is where we have solid depth for every position.
I’d like to see us try 343.
With Theo as LWB in the line of 4.
Our midfield is where we have the least depth and a lack of true defensive double pivot players.
Give Thiaw and Gabbia a run as part of back 3.
Pavlovic just played in a back 3 for Serbia.
Thiaw played his best games as part of a back 3.
Everyone can start the match on the bench, but not Tomori. Of the 6 goals conceded, he was responsible for at least 40 percent of each. But he remains there cemented in concrete, as if he is Nesta. If the coach insists on Tomori and RLC, then he deserves every criticism.
I agree that a 3 at the back would suit us.
—————Mike—————-
—Tomori—Thiaw/Gabbia-Pavlo
Emerson-Fofana-Reijnders-Theo
—-Puli——Morata/Tammy—Leao
We really need that extra defender plus both Tomo and Pavlovic are very aggressive and a calmer cb like Thiaw or Gabbia would be suitable to sweep up behind them.
Would also relieve Theo and Leao of some more defensive liabilities.
That’s the line-up I was picturing
That ist he best team in my opinion too!
This is the best formation, I mean anybody can do well in it, but unfortunately nonsenca has no idea about this
Woww it’s like conte or inzaghi formation.
Fonseca play 4-2-3-1 with rejnder as attacking midfield then Okafor to replace chukwueze first half then we use liberali second half then Gabbia and Pavlovic
Thanks for the exciting speculation but our starting lineup will be:
Maignan
Royal, Tomori, Pavlovic, Theo
Fofana, Reijnders
Pulisic, RLC, Leao
Abraham
Substitutions will be
Terra for Royal
Musah for Fofana
Okafor for Leao
Chuk for Puli – all on 75 mins.
Vos or Zeroli will get 30 seconds at the end. We won’t sub anyone off though because Fonseca will forget.
We’ll scrape a win because Venezia look really poor to be honest. Fonseca will herald that the new era has finally begun.
You heard it here first.
Think you’re likely right except that I think he will rest Pulisic for the first half after flying back late from the USA.
But he will come on by the 60th minute St the latest.
They will preserve him for Liverpool and Inter at least a little.
I’d be quite happy to see the lineup in the graphic above, 433 with Fofana at DM and RLC/TJ either side.
Good to see Okafor get more minutes, no reason he can’t be good on the RW, certainly can’t be worse than Chucky.
Also hope to see Gabbia play, he was outstanding last season after his return.
I just really don’t want to see Emerson, either play Calabria or Jimenez
I prefer 4-4-2
Maignan
Terra-gabbia-pavlo-theo
Chuck/puli-fofana-reijnder-okafor
Abraham-morata
Or 4321
Mike
Terra/emerson-gabbia-pavlo-bartesegli (or vice versa)
Calabria/vos/rlc-fofana-zeroli/Theo
Pulisic/liberali – reijnder/Okafor
Abraham/Morata
And the fifth milan version maybe the coach rotation. Hehe