Massimiliano Allegri has already had chance to think about where Luka Modric will play in his AC Milan side, and the answer is almost everywhere.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) asks the question: where will Modric play? The answer is almost obvious: anywhere in midfield. Because, as they loved to say in his golden days in Madrid, Luka is the best possible mezzala, but also the best regista and the best playmaker.
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At Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti used him both in the two in midfield (the famous double pivot) and further forward, while with Zinedine Zidane he was a mezzala with build-up duties and the license to roam between the lines as well.
What about with Allegri at Milan? Much will depend on the team that will be built around the Croatian, especially after the sale of Tijjani Reijnders.
Modric: The midfield all-round
At the moment, with the departure of Reijnders, Milan do not have many certainties in midfield. If they were to play tomorrow, it is likely that Max would use Luka as a regista, more than anything for his tactical intelligence and the lack of energy in the other players in the department.
Allegri has in mind a Milan with a 4-3-3, but with the addition of Modric the formation could be very flexible, becoming almost a 4-2-3-1. The Croatian can start as a mezzala to drop down to receive the ball and start the build-up or to move up and be found between the lines.
The fact that he is capable of doing both functions is well explained by the data from the season just concluded in Spain. On a per 90 average, Modric is first for assists, attempted passes and progressive passes.
However, his numbers on intercepted balls should not be underestimated either, because he may not have the pace or strength of 10 years ago, but he knows how to compensate with experience and tactical readings.
It is clear that if a physical midfielder like Mark van Bommel were to arrive at Milan – and the plan is to sign two more midfielders – Allegri could easily use Modric as a box-to-box player, with Youssouf Fofana on the other side.
If, however, the market were not to provide that type of player, Luka could start further back or as an attacking midfielder, even if Allegri always preferred the ‘invaders’ like Kevin-Price Boateng to the classic ’10’ of touch and imagination.
It’s good he can do a lot of roles because as a substitute doing 20 minutes per game there’ll be a lot of circumstances for him to arrive in…
Luka Modric is not going to be a starting box-to-box midfielder, he hasn’t been for years.
Yeah but that’s the one thing Milan doesn’t need, another box-to-box-midfielder. We have plenty of those haha. We need a player who can aid in building up and finding the forward pass. That’s exactly what has been lacking for years now. And also, it’s Serie A… most games will be 70% possession playing against very slow opponents. Sure the dude is almost 40, but he will be exactly what we need in the ‘slow’ matches we failed to win this year: a man with vision, not another marathon runner. In the big games, when we’re pushed back by the opponent, I might agree we need a different profile. But that’s the ‘beauty’ about Allegri’s football: he looks at every match from a different angle (something both Fonseca and Conceicao were unable to do)
“If, however, the market were not to provide that type of player…”
Nice way of saying “if they won’t spend what’s necessary to spend and will cheap out”
We need a true DM. Correction, we need two DMs and another deputy for Modrić. And if they want a stellar midfield they’ll get Rovella and Caviglia as his alternative. They need at least 3 midfielders if non of the loaned out stay and the unwanted are sold.
Fofana/Bondo – Rovella/Cavi – Luka/???
Fazzini or give Zeroli a shot.
Good shout, was thinking of Zeroli too. I’d love Fazzini in our shirt as well.