Having arrived at the day of the game between Real Madrid and AC Milan, more clues are emerging regarding Paulo Fonseca’s tactical plans.
According to what is being reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Yunus Musah is the new addition to the Milan side that will take to the field against Real. Fonseca has chosen not to field Ruben Loftus-Cheek or Samuel Chukwueze, who were both hoping for a starting spot.
It will be ‘an unprecedented Milan’ with Musah on the right to give balance to a team that – with Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao on the other side – will lean on the left in attack. The classic 4-2-3-1 will look a bit like a 3-4-3, with the midfield Musah-Fofana-Reijnders-Theo.
After two games with Noah Okafor as a starter, it is clear that Leao will have all eyes on him, partly due to the media pressure in recent days and partly because in important games he excels. A year ago, against PSG, he had a fantastic performance as did Loftus-Cheek.
The defence revolves around the now typical decision regarding the central defence pairing. Emerson Royal on the right and Theo Hernandez on the left are not up for discussion, while Malick Thiaw seems certain of a pace. Fikayo Tomori should be next to him, ahead of Strahinja Pavlovic at present.
Soooo Musah is going to mark Vini? Right
Maybe sometimes, but mostly I think that should be done by Emerson Royal. When defending it would be a 4-2-4 or 4-4-2, wouldn’t it? The point is not to have Musah play right back but to have Musah give better defensive help to Emerson Royal than Chukwueze would do. The 3-4-3 is likely in posession. And I’d be surprised if it’s actually a 3-4-3. That’s just a schematic. In practice Leao will try to find space on the left while Pulisic roams as an attacking midfielder, sometimes going to the right wing sometimes dropping behind Morata, sometimes taking a position up top when Morata drops back. I’d guess Musah will provide width on the right or come inside when Pulisic goes wide.
Fonseca is always reinventing the wheel, usually with poor results. Let’s hope this time it pays off. I did for the Derby so despite the hugely strong opponents I’m choosing to have some hope. Forza Milan!
Is it actually a 3-4-3 or the 4-3-3 people have been calling for? A trend is emerging that I don’t think is positive. That is, every lineup is different and even formations are constantly changed. We need consistency and familiarity between the players. I think many of our defensive lapses are due to al of this chopping and changing vs. individual errors (although there are a few individual errors).
“We need consistency”
We have been consistently bad and something needs to change. A lot actually.
If it is 343 then Pavlovic should be on the left in defense. It’s the position that suits him the best and what he plays in the Serbian NT.
Exactly and drop Emerson.
Tomori Thiaw Pavlovic would seem the best setup.
Agreed. Which leads me to believe that this isn’t truly a 3-4-3, but a 4-3-3 that for whatever reason this publication is choosing to interpret as a 3-4-3, or some kind of fluid formation where it’s a 4-3-3 without the ball and a 3-4-3 in possession, which as I write this begins to seem like an interesting scheme if we can pull it off. But that’s a big if.
He does chop and change a lot which is not helping.
I always wanted this squad to play 433 because of our players but I think 343 would also suit. So long as he uses the right players.
Musah would be useful on the wing both to overload in attack and to chase Vini jr
343/433 – just dit deep and counter like a hot knife through butter. Musah has been a mixed bag of d*cks but maybe 4 man middle could work for him. He certainly has the stamina for it.
Emerson over tomori for sure at the rcb role. Tomori will get burnt harder vs vini/Mbappe compared to Emerson (feeling shiiit even writing this lol )
Really? I feel like Tomori is the only one with the pace to keep up to Vini/Mbappe
Nah one thing Emerson has improved on is the athleticism on the right of the defense. Personally I think Emerson has been low key better than Tomori. Not saying Emerson has been good just I see through Tomori and understand why he’ll never represent England