AC Milan host Paris Saint-Germain tomorrow night, and Stefano Pioli has a bit of a tactical dilemma going into the game regarding the approach his side must take.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) highlight how Milan really need a win if they are to keep their qualification hopes alive, and that raises questions about how the team will set about playing the game tomorrow.
Pioli must decide whether to defend deeper than in Paris to reduce the number of one-on-one situations allowed, particularly on the counter, after Luis Enrique’s side repeatedly exploited that in their 3-0 win last month.
On the other hand, the need to win is there and thus Pioli might well try to go with the style he has been implementing since the summer, with high aggression and one-on-ones welcomes.
Against Udinese, he chose to play two strikers and Luka Jovic left him stranded. Noah Okafor, who came on in the second half, did slightly better, but Pioli knows that he is under pressure to get the team and the tactics spot on tomorrow.
It’s easy to say that everything is going against him now like the 21 injuries in three and a half months, the attack that no longer scores goals, Tijjani Reijnders regressing, the summer signings unavailable or disappointing, the dependence on a declining Rafael Leao, the words of Davide Calabria and Olivier Giroud.
The question that matters, however, is another: is there a possibility of overturning the crisis? In January last season Milan collapsed, but their recovery was limited to Europe where they beat Tottenham and Napoli, while in the league finishing fourth (due to Juve’s points deduction) was a chore in the end.
Football is a game of number. Chance of scoring increases when an attacking team has more players in the opposition half, most especially in the box 18. Likewise a defending team needs more players behind the ball to contain the opponent.
The reason we have been failing to score is because Leao crosses mostly these days, and only 2 or 3 of our players are always available in the box 18 of the opposition team. This reduce the chances of scoring.
Even if Pioli uses the 433 set up, we can still win if things are done the right way. First, bench Reindjer, and start Musa in his place. Musa should cover up for Theo when he attacks. Leao and Theo combined will stretch the opponent defence, thereby creating chances in the middle.
With Loftus Cheek joining Pulisic and Giroud in attack, the numbers in opponent area increases, then we have chance of scoring.
To beat opponents counterattack, Calabria must not overlap, likewise Musa. They and Krunic should support the 2 central defenders. This will reduce the opponent chance of scoring.
If the team believe in themselves and feel intimidated with PSG, they will hold the ball better and play more progressive pass. Leao needs to cut in too and shoot as Mbappe always do and stop making the useless cross all the time.
I mean don’t feel intimidated
SIT DEEP AND COUNTER FOR YOUR MANAGERIAL LIFE, BALDIE!!! 3-5-2 (Do we have 3 fit CB’s?) Leao/Puli up front. Clog the midfield. Defend & counter. Park a Boeing back there for all I care. Get a result here.