The idea of AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli fielding a three-man defence has once again emerged, according to a report.
Sky (via MilanNews) are reporting that Kjaer returned to training with the rest of the squad yesterday and therefore has fully recovered from the muscle problem that has kept him out in the last few games.
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The return of the Dane offers a tactical alternative that Pioli has admitted to having worked on for several weeks now, namely the three-man defence.
The next couple of training sessions will help to understand if a back three of Fikayo Tomori, Kjaer and Pierre Kalulu could be used against Monza on Saturday, or if it could be chosen for subsequent matches.
Pioli has spoken about the idea in the media before and admitted to having switched to playing three centre-backs during games before, but it is unseen from the first minute as of yet.
If we ever have to sell Leao, rather than try to buy a left winger and pay over the odds to clubs knowing we have the money and the requirement, we could always switch to a 3412 and buy another central defender and striker, or a 4312 and buy another midfielder and striker. Might freshen things up a bit and make it easier to carry on without Leao.
Totally agreed. It will even better if we buy a versatile player who can play as a box-to-box, RWB, and RW. I’m thinking of a player with the characteristics of Federico Valverde, or Moussa Sissoko. That way we can alternate between 3412, 4312 and 4231 during games.
Playing with 3 CBs would also liberate Hernandez to be even more attacking minded and perhaps turn him into a Gareth Bale v.2. 🙂
But that would be after selling Leao of course.
Every time Kjaer gets healthy enough ,right on cue , media starts pushing this silly idea that Milan should play with 3 at the back like he is prime Baresi and must play. Kjaer should play as less as possible and at the end of the season he should leave.
Thanks for everything but it’s time to let Gabbia and Thiaw to play more.
The other issue with 3 man defense is that Theo and Leao will be in each other’s way. Leao has to learn to play more centrally and closer to the goal.
Theo actually offensively plays better when Rebic is in front of him than Leao because Ante can actually read the game and his movement unlike Leao who acts like he is glued to the side line. One of the reasons why Pioli plays Theo in the central midfield next to Bennacer.
The three-man defence is are far more suited to the characteristics of our current players, except may be for Leao as you suspect. Our RBs and RWs are average at best. Who knows may be one of Calabria, Florenzi, Dest and Saele may turn into a world class wing back. The same also applys to Ballo Toure and arguably Messias being deployed at LWB. Our CB prospects like Thiaw and Gabbia will also be given more opportunities to shine. Most importantly it will also prepare Milan for the life after Leao. Should he leave we can recruit one of the top SS prospects like Okafor or Joao Felix to alternate with Rebic and Origi.
” Kjaer should play as less as possible and at the end of the season he should leave.”
LOL.
Thiaw has played 8 minutes and you already want to replace Kjaer with him. Some people…. 😀 😀 😀
Yes he should play as little as possible, Thiaw in 8 minutes showed more than Kjaer has shown in a year. He is old, slow and cant go more than a few games without getting injured. Kjaer being on the team is slowing down the growth of the younger defenders like Gabbia and Thiaw who need to play.
Milan didn’t go hard after Botman because they still believe in Kjaer
And like people here have recently written: Perhaps persons such as Maldini & Massara know these players better than fans do. 😉
“Thiaw in 8 minutes showed more than Kjaer has shown in a year.”
Yes. Thiaw tried to clear the ball from the penalty box but couldn’t even hit the ball. Haven’t seen Kjaer do those. And one could argue that the superb block Thiaw made could have been avoided if he were closer to the opponent in the first place.
I’m not saying Thiaw is bad but let’s not get carried away with just 8 minutes when he hasn’t proved ANYTHING yet really.
“Kjaer being on the team is slowing down the growth of the younger defenders”
Nope. He’s teaching them. Younger players learn from the more experienced “colleagues”. At least the best ones. Every great defender has had another great player teaching them. For example Maldini had Baresi.
Milan did the right thing by NOT getting Botman. They shouldn’t have spent a huge pile of money on a defender when there were much, much bigger issues to be solved.
So first you say that Maldini and Massara know these players better than the fans, but then you also say that Milan did the right thing by not getting Botman who M&M really wanted to play instead of Kjaer. Milan didnt decide not to get Botman, they just didn’t have enough money to buy him.
How is Kjaer playing instead of Gabbia and Thiaw good for their growth? He can teach them in training sessions as an assistant coach, he doesn’t teach them anything when he plays and they sit on the bench during games.
Also the Baresi and Maldini comprasion makes no sense, they played 2 different positions , Maldini wasn’t sitting on the bench watching and learning from Baresi he played alongside him.
And Kjaer is not some great defender. He has played for 10 different teams, never stayed for more than 2 years at a club and was on the street when Milan signed him. Plus Milan’s defense got much better last year after he stopped playing because of injury.
Direct quote from YOUR text:
“Kjaer being on the team is slowing down the growth of the younger defenders”
First of all, being on the team != playing in the starting 11.
“Also the Baresi and Maldini comprasion makes no sense, they played 2 different positions ,”
If you knew anything about Maldini, you would know that Baresi had a huge impact on him. Just used them as an example. I could have tried to think of an exact match for CB for CB or something but I thought you’d be wise enough to get the point. CLEARLY I was wrong. My mistake. Won’t happen again. 🙂
Also, I never said “Kjaer is a great defender”. But that still doesn’t mean Gabbia & Thiaw wouldn’t/shouldn’t learn from him. He’s a leader and example.
And also, Maldini played his last years as a CB. 😉
🤦♂️WOW.
Kjaer is in the way of the younger players , because Pioli will play him over them when he is healthy. This article is a perfect example for it.
For Gabbia & Thiaw to get better they need to play, not watch Kjaer play. You dont get better by watching. You get better playing against great opposition and experiencing those pressure situations. That’s why Gabbia wanted to leave on loan this summer.
Maldini absolutely learned playing next to Baresi , but he played next to him , he wasn’t watching him from the bench.
Maldini played the last 10 years of his career as a CB because he was old and couldn’t go up and down the field anymore and that extendedhis career. Same happened to Sergio Ramos and even Kaladze at Milan.
Milan can always get an ex defender to be an assistant coach who will work and advise the young defenders without standing in the way of their playing time and their growth
BTW Danielle Bonera is part of Pioli’s coaching staff.
Kjaer is same level defender as Bonera was
“Kjaer is same level defender as Bonera was”
LOL. Anyone who claims that doesn’t know anything about football. 😀
Great counterargument.
It was a pleasure talking to someone who copy and paste other people’s comments, without adding anything of substance
Thanks. Much appreciated. 🙂
Talking with someone who claims Bonera was even half the player Kjaer is, was mind-opening.
So we have 4 pure CBs Kjaer, Tomori Gabbia and Thiaw. We have 1 pure RB in Dest and Kalulu who will have to start at RB with Dest as a Sub. Why in the he’ll would we play a back 3 and probably leave 19 year old Thiaw as the only sub? Stop with the fifa tactics please. Start a back four of Kalulu, Kjaer, Tomori and Theo and we keep it movin’. Sub back four are Dest, Gabbia, Thiaw and Ballo. Till Florenzi and Davide are back we rotate against small teams to avoid muscle injuries and give Dest Thiaw and Gabbia game time. The Starting Back four can’t get injured esp since we’ve lost Mike till 2023. Damage control and hope we keep it together till WC at this point..