AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has not given much time to Yacine Adli or Tommaso Pobega yet, but he has a plan to introduce them both into the fold.
Calciomercato.com report that Milan will have a very hectic schedule up until mid-November consisting of 12 league matches and 6 Champions League rounds and with commitments every three or four days up until the World Cup.
While Charles De Ketelaere and Divock Origi have made their debuts with the first time, Adli and Pobega have not yet had quite the same opportunity to impress with the Frenchman in particular not having any minutes yet.
Starting with Pobega, it is no coincidence that it took Sandro Tonali and Ismael Bennacer time to establish themselves as the top players they are now, because Pioli’s system and ideas are complex.
Pioli think Pobega has the qualities to establish himself as a midfielder alongside one of either Bennacer and Tonali but his insertion was slowed down after the muscle injury sustained in the preseason.
On the other hand, the position on the former Bordeaux man is clearer as the Milan boss does not believe he possesses the necessary physicality to play in the double pivot and as such he will have to wait for his chance in the attacking rotations.
A change of formation cannot be ruled out though either. The 4-2-3-1 was used mainly in the last two seasons and remains the preferred option, as demonstrated by the concrete attempt to sign a midfielder with more defensive characteristics such as Onana or Vranckx.
However, the flexibility that De Ketelaere offers means that Pioli could end up transitioning his team into a 4-3-3 or a 4-3-1-2, be that from the start or during the game. These are hypotheses that will become all the more valid given the hectic schedule.
