AC Milan will finally line up in a 4-3-3 again with Massimiliano Allegri biting the bullet and making the change after months of requests.
Tomorrow night, Milan welcome Udinese to San Siro and they must get back to winning ways if they do not want the Champions League race to become exactly that. Instead, they must retain their position of solidity.
Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial!
Allegri makes the switch
To help with the recent offensive struggles, Allegri will finally make the change back to 4-3-3 after trialling the formation in training on Friday. MilanNews writes that he wants to ‘polish’ the attack ahead of the end of the season whilst also giving some helpful information ahead of next season.
Mike Maignan will retain his place in net, as will Koni De Winter and Strahinja Pavlovic, who will play in a back four together for the first time. On the flanks, Davide Bartesaghi sits in a more defensive full-back role, whilst Zachary Athekame also gets a start.
Luka Modric and Adrien Rabiot are not doubts, as expected, but Samuele Ricci seems likely to come into the midfield three in place of Youssouf Fofana.
Finally, Christian Pulisic, Niclas Füllkrug and Rafael Leao make up the front three. It was suggested that Santiago Gimenez may start instead, but a more physical presence is preferred, it seems.
Predicted Milan XI (4-3-3): Maignan; Athekame, De Winter, Pavlovic, Bartesaghi; Ricci, Modric, Rabiot; Pulisic, Füllkrug, Leao.
Again?! with mr. unknow..
not lose enough right? lol
Gimenez and Fofana should start. Not sure what anyone including Allegri sees in Ricci and Fullkrug but both of them are not good enough to be starters. Sigh.
Fullkrug is the wrong option here. He’s not fast enough to keep up with Puli or Rafa on a counter not aha he offered any guarantees in general when playing. He could only work if we’re constantly pumping balls into the box.
As for Ricci, I’d actually start RLC so he could add pace and physicality in the middle and make late runs into the box to get on the end of passes/crosses from wingers.
I’m guessing that Allegri likes Ricci as a more defensive mid with now only two CBs in the last line.
I do like the idea of RLC running into the box. Based on what he was doing before the facial fracture. You could just play him instead of Fullkrug and he’d likely do a better job.
Mr Allegri loves a stricker who can play with his back to post, hold up play, tall and imposing. Check Vlahovic, Guirassy, Kean, amongst his favorite strikers… Even Mateta though without a Series A experience but having his preferred qualities.
Finally, what?
352 got the team to where they are now?
And this is 433 isn’t exactly going to set the world on fire as when Allegri plays it he usually keeps the midfield three quite rigid which is probably why he’ll start with Ricci over Fofana (albeit Rabiot will offer dynamism).
Leao and Pulisic might be a little more comfortable in their natural positions but it’s unfortunate they weren’t able to take advantage of the freedom that playing in front 2 gave them. That was a large part due to injury and form (and they still scored goals and provided assists).
As usual far too much focus on formations. Formations don’t really change things as much as people think. This will at the end of the day be an Allegri team i.e. one built to win.
cry cry cry cry
thats all you do
What do people see in RLC and fofana? What do they actually add to the team. Of course, they are not Italians, and Ricci is. Ricci is far better than both combined. If he has had the starts fofana has, he may have built tempo and confidence even better.
This two Deadwood should be sold ASAP
Give Ricci more minutes hopefully good for us. Nkunku over Fullkrug.
Keep up the great work.
konačno 4-3-3 !!!! Sve ostalo je bilo negledivo i dosadno kad Milan igra !! Moram priznat ipak su rezultati bili tu !!
Füllkrug going to score now just wait and see