AC Milan Tactics

Who should be the new Milan captain

  • Alessio Romagnoli

    Votes: 17 89.5%
  • Giacomo Bonaventura

    Votes: 1 5.3%
  • Cristian Zapata

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Gonzalo Higuain

    Votes: 1 5.3%
  • Lucas Biglia

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    19
  • Poll closed .

necromancer

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I was gonna just post about Higuain. If we were to do more incisive playmaking from the center, it would have to go through Higuain. (Or one day, Paqueta).

And that’s also why Gattuso has him dropping deep constantly, to pick out defense splitting passes to Cutrone or to the one rushing into the box. This hasn’t actually worked out yet. If (when) this starts working out, we have a whole new offensive tool.. even a set of tools rather.

I haven’t been particularly excited about Milan’s tactical potential since Ancelotti left. Even Allegri was far more a squad manager than a tactical coach. But with what Gattuso is building, we seem to have genuine tactical promise. If all other things stay positive (squad bond, management sensibility, injuries), we are on course for a special Milan team.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

jasiom

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Le-Pa-AS trio.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------Leao-------------------------A.Silva/Piątek---------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------Paqueta-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------(Suso)-----------------------------------
---------------Bonaventura------------------------Kessie--------------------
-----------------(Hakan)----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------Bennacer----------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---R.Rodriguez-----------------------------------------------------Conti!!!---
-----------------------Romagnoli----------Musacchio/Duarte------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------G.Donnarumma--------------------------------
 

Super22

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When Defending
--------------------------------------Piątek-------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------Everton-------------------------------------Suso-------------
-------------------------------------Paqueta------------------------------
-----------------------Bennacer-----------------Bakayoko---------------
---Theo-----------------------------------------------------------Conti---
-----------------------Romagnoli--------------Caldara-------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------G.Donnarumma---------------------------

When Attacking
----------Everton------------------Piątek--------------------Suso-------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------Theo----------Paqueta----------Conti---------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------Bennacer----Bakayoko-----------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------Romagnoli---------------------Caldara---------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------G.Donnarumma---------------------------
 

Jivara

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I think our main weaknesses defensively is preventing opponents attacks from the sides and our midfield is not dynamic and efficient enough to endure a full match with 100% tactical discipline.

Offensively, our weakness is attacking through the middle (direct attack).

Based on that I would opt for the following formation:

-----------Leao---------Piatek/Rebic----
--------------Paqueta/Jack--
-----Nacer----Biglia----Kessie---
--Theo---Roma---CB-----Conti----
-----------------Gigio-------

We would need to beefen up the midfield with ball retrievers and rely on the individuality of Paqueta and Leao for quick counters. We would also need the two full backs to offer a lot of support and crosses into the target man Piatek. I prefer that Kessie and Nacer would provide cover to the attacking full backs and balance.
 

Milan2012

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4d5d21315922403c3451ccfbae6ca40d.jpg
*how I saw the game*
PIOLI WEEK#1 (Milan2-2Lecce).
 

Milan2012

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044bcf3e06c3d425533f471ac0a3b3b3.jpg
the struggle of our play is motivation and fitness but it can also be seen tactically. We push too many players forward and leave our defense stripped down. This would be somewhat worthy gamble if we could capitalize in attack but from our wingers movements it backfires.
74c88a8e70a39ab26e4b1b1c80c2c2f8.jpg
Our wingers play deep and dont load the box, leaving our striker the only threat in the final third. While the fullbacks can get to crossing positions he’s forced to aim to the striker that is double/triple marked in the center. The opponents defenders are only left to deal with the striker as no other player challenges the final third. Attacking; this leads to wild efforts from outside the box and crosses to no one in the middle. Defensively; this leads to gaps in the flanks as the fullbacks are far up the field and the wingers are not in charge of chasing mark. The wingers are given practically anonymous freedom upfield to offer holdup play, act like part of the midfield body while not having to do the defending of the midfield players. The gray areas end up being the unused space and gap in our play.
ce3c99623b5a57e36db59175a2e68411.jpg
With actual attacking wingers that challenge defenders and seek the space inside the box we would alíviate pressure from the striker. Have variation and occupy the opponents defenders while giving the fullbacks and midfielders options to square it to in the middle. A complete attacking winger should have both crossing and ability to go into the box to offer a variety in play. Basically he should be a threat like an attacker is supposed to be. Pace is obviously needed as well. I feel this are the universal characteristics of a winger, which none of our wingers posses.
I honestly think we can play this all attacking style that clearly leaves gaps in defense if we have two actual wingers that can charge towards the goal with pace and also widen our play in the final third.

The problem is not the striker and it hasn’t been for a few seasons, the problem is that we ask for the striker to rule the whole attacking third on his own against 4 defenders which is simply unrealistic for most players apart of a dozen legends.
 

jawz10

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Del Piero, Marcotti, and Klinsmann discussing the state of Italian football and name Atalanta and Milan as two of the only teams in Italy that have the physical preparation and modern tactical philosophy to compete.

Found this interesting as it lends towards the feeling I had near the start of continued pandemic season that we were simply better conditioned and prepared, and the kind of pressing football we started playing was simply too much for underprepared and unmodern Serie A clubs. I see people in the comode currently calling for more attack minded technical wingers, but honestly I?d rather we found more Rebic?s and Calhanoglu?s as their versatility and stamina make us a better team overall.
 

Balo45

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Milan has a bright future, I’d bet that if our team is healthier by the start of next season we will do better than inter in the CL.

The conditioning, age and athleticism of the team is high and it’s something we should have done a long time ago. Creativity and technical players will always have their spot in the game but you can becoming a very attacking, dominating team when you thrive in the transition. Not in a reactive way of sitting in a low block and forcing counters that way, but forcing turnovers and proactively seeking the ball in dangerous areas. The third goal vs fiorentina last weekend was a good example, Kessie pressed in a dangerous area, found the ball did a quick one two with Brahim, and then found hakan who finished with quality. Goal took a few seconds from fio possession until ball is in the net. Really proud of the direction the team has gone in just over a year, Pioli has been so awesome.
 

jawz10

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Milan has a bright future, I?d bet that if our team is healthier by the start of next season we will do better than inter in the CL.

The conditioning, age and athleticism of the team is high and it?s something we should have done a long time ago. Creativity and technical players will always have their spot in the game but you can becoming a very attacking, dominating team when you thrive in the transition. Not in a reactive way of sitting in a low block and forcing counters that way, but forcing turnovers and proactively seeking the ball in dangerous areas. The third goal vs fiorentina last weekend was a good example, Kessie pressed in a dangerous area, found the ball did a quick one two with Brahim, and then found hakan who finished with quality. Goal took a few seconds from fio possession until ball is in the net. Really proud of the direction the team has gone in just over a year, Pioli has been so awesome.

Very well said. Thats exactly what I think we?re doing thats making a difference, more so than our individual players abilities. Inter next season will be a year older than they already are, with expiring contracts and no money for the mercato. Juve are crumbling as we speak with bad management and mismatched ideas. Milan are the best poised to grow and innovate, as always, in Italy.
 

jawz10

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https://www.milannews.it/news/maran...lan-lo-favorisce-quando-e-in-trasferta-406607

Interview with Matteo Marani in regards to our away form vs home. Basically saying he thinks away from home other teams are more open which allows our speed of play to be higher and benefits us when Theo, Bennacer, Rebic, Hakan, and Ibra are playing. He goes on to say that at home we need a different tactical setup to open teams up but because we only have Ibra as a striker there aren?t other options.

I tend to disagree with the latter, Leao and Rebic can both play as a second striker and benefit from Ibra?s presence in the box. We could play with 2 strikers and 4 midfielders in a 4-4-2. Hauge on the left midfielder slot, Rebic and Ibra up front because both can?t be defensive passengers ala Leao and Ibra together.

Or we could go 3 at the back like the end of the game this weekend and go 3-5-2 with Theo and Dalot at wingback, the 3 mids Kessie-Hakan-Isma with Hakan more advanced.
 

Australiano1980

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https://www.milannews.it/news/maran...lan-lo-favorisce-quando-e-in-trasferta-406607

Interview with Matteo Marani in regards to our away form vs home. Basically saying he thinks away from home other teams are more open which allows our speed of play to be higher and benefits us when Theo, Bennacer, Rebic, Hakan, and Ibra are playing. He goes on to say that at home we need a different tactical setup to open teams up but because we only have Ibra as a striker there aren?t other options.

I tend to disagree with the latter, Leao and Rebic can both play as a second striker and benefit from Ibra?s presence in the box. We could play with 2 strikers and 4 midfielders in a 4-4-2. Hauge on the left midfielder slot, Rebic and Ibra up front because both can?t be defensive passengers ala Leao and Ibra together.

Or we could go 3 at the back like the end of the game this weekend and go 3-5-2 with Theo and Dalot at wingback, the 3 mids Kessie-Hakan-Isma with Hakan more advanced.

Pioli should have done that when we were 5 points ahead Inter in the score board. He is now pretty much caught up in the situation of dying embracing with the 'Ibra Wave'.
 

jasiom

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4-2-1-3 or 4-1-2-1-2

--------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------Ibrahimović----------------------------
-----------A.Rebić-------------------------------Rafa Leao----------
-----------------------------Calhanoglu-----------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------Kessie------------Bennacer-------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--T.Hernandez--------------------------------------------Calabria---
--------------------Romagnoli---------Tomori/Kjaer------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------G.Donnarumma---------------------------

vs

--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------Rafa Leao--------------------------Ibrahimović----------
-------------------------------A.Rebić------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------Kessie-------------------Calhanoglu---------------
------------------------------Bennacer------------------------------
-------------------------------(Tonali)------------------------------
--T.Hernandez--------------------------------------------Calabria---
---------------------Tomori---------------Kjaer---------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------G.Donnarumma---------------------------
 

jawz10

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I tend to disagree with the latter, Leao and Rebic can both play as a second striker and benefit from Ibra?s presence in the box. We could play with 2 strikers and 4 midfielders in a 4-4-2. Hauge on the left midfielder slot, Rebic and Ibra up front because both can?t be defensive passengers ala Leao and Ibra together.

giphy.gif
 

Goodfella

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If the formation against Juve was a 4-4-2 then so were the ones in the previous games.

I'd say this was more of a 4-4-1-1. Brahim's midfield work and deep starting point gave us the balance that we were lacking when Rebic or Leao was supporting Ibra.
 

brk

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If the formation against Juve was a 4-4-2 then so were the ones in the previous games.

I'd say this was more of a 4-4-1-1. Brahim's midfield work and deep starting point gave us the balance that we were lacking when Rebic or Leao was supporting Ibra.

Yeah, the shape overall is the same, it's just the players that gave much more defensive coverage.
 

jawz10

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If the formation against Juve was a 4-4-2 then so were the ones in the previous games.

I'd say this was more of a 4-4-1-1. Brahim's midfield work and deep starting point gave us the balance that we were lacking when Rebic or Leao was supporting Ibra.

I actually think it is Hakan and the right-sided player (Alexis/Samu) starting deeper that has made us more compact. Whereas with Brahim as the SS/playmaker- who can easily move from left to right on the pitch and is far more versatile in his ability to turn, pass or shoot with either foot and dribble his opponent- we're also more dangerous when we get to the attacking third.

Eventually, I think we should start thinking of alternating Leao and Brahim in that spot as both can carry the ball and beat an opponent on the dribble. Leao even has more individualistic quality to score/create chances on his own.
 
Last edited:

Goodfella

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I actually think it is Hakan and the right-sided player (Alexis/Samu) starting deeper that has made us more compact. Whereas with Brahim as the SS/playmaker- who can easily move from left to right on the pitch and is far more versatile in his ability to turn, pass or shoot with either foot and dribble his opponent- we're also more dangerous when we get to the attacking third.

I agree with this, if we're comparing it with the 4-2-3-1 of earlier in the season where Rebic/Leao, Hakan and Saele formed a line between the mids and the striker, and Hakan often even formed one with Ibra.
However I was comparing it with Pioli's recent 4-4-2, or 4-2-2-2 experiment with Rebic or Leao in Brahim's place.
We weren't as balanced and compact as against Juve & Torino because the support strikers weren't offering enough help in the midfield. Also, they kept drifting wide to find space, which complicated things for Hakan and the whole team in the defensive phase.
Brahim on the other hand seems to prefer operating in the crowded center.
 

brk

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I also think Pioli is learning from Guardiola, he literally mentioned this in the Juve postgame. He mentioned playing a false nine like him and playing with fewer forwards but with more players running into the box. Brahim plays pretty much a free role, he moves wide right, sometimes switches with Hakan, drops deep, runs into space, you can see him everywhere. Rebic also dropped very deep for a lone striker. He wasn't standing high waiting for a cross. I think this is clearly a shift that happened recently with the Hakan switch to LM. We get the ball and Theo is our LM and Hakan is free to find space in midfield and move around with Brahim to keep the ball moving. Then when we lose the ball we fall back to a solid 4411. The key point being when we have the ball we don't just go for a cross and hope, since the forward isn't staying static. We overload the midfield and then attack suddenly when there's an opening.
 

General

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--------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------Ibrahimović----------------------------
-----------A.Rebić-------------------------------Rafa Leao----------
-----------------------------Calhanoglu-----------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------Kessie------------Bennacer-------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--T.Hernandez--------------------------------------------Calabria---
--------------------Romagnoli---------Tomori/Kjaer------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------G.Donnarumma---------------------------

vs

--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------Rafa Leao--------------------------Ibrahimović----------
-------------------------------A.Rebić------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------Kessie-------------------Calhanoglu---------------
------------------------------Bennacer------------------------------
-------------------------------(Tonali)------------------------------
--T.Hernandez--------------------------------------------Calabria---
---------------------Tomori---------------Kjaer---------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------G.Donnarumma---------------------------


First post by this member since 2019!

CL orphans are returning :star:
 

rocknrolla1v1

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--------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------Ibrahimović----------------------------
-----------A.Rebić-------------------------------Rafa Leao----------
-----------------------------Calhanoglu-----------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------Kessie------------Bennacer-------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--T.Hernandez--------------------------------------------Calabria---
--------------------Romagnoli---------Tomori/Kjaer------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------G.Donnarumma---------------------------

vs

--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------Rafa Leao--------------------------Ibrahimović----------
-------------------------------A.Rebić------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------Kessie-------------------Calhanoglu---------------
------------------------------Bennacer------------------------------
-------------------------------(Tonali)------------------------------
--T.Hernandez--------------------------------------------Calabria---
---------------------Tomori---------------Kjaer---------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------G.Donnarumma---------------------------

Welcome back! And the first lineup is my personal fav
 

jasiom

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Welcome back! And the first lineup is my personal fav
thanks.. :-)

And another.. "Tuchel type" 3-4-3, currently my fav. in PES'21 :-)

-----------------------------Rafa Leao------------------------------ (Ibra out injured)
-------------------A.Rebić------------------------------------------ ...but still, a speedy/dribbling forward suits more.
----------------------------------------Calhanoglu------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
-T.Hernandez-----------Kessie-------Bennacer---------Saelemaekers-
-------------------------------------(Tonali)------------(Calabria)---
--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------Romagnoli---------Tomori-----------Kjaer----------------
----------------------------------------------(Gabbia)--------------
---------------------------G.Donnarumma---------------------------
 
Last edited:

Jivara

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Alternative formations to the one we currently have (which I like)

1-4-3-1-2

--------Leao-------Rebic
----------------Diaz
----Kessie--Tonali--Bennacer
-Theo--Tomori--Kjaer--Calabria
---------------Maignan

1-3-5-2

--------------Leao-------Rebic
---------Kessie---------Bennacer
--Theo--------Tonali------------Alexis
------Tomori----Kjaer----Calabria
-------------------Maignan
 
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