When it comes to the possible formation Allegri will adopt for Milan this season, there are quite a few question marks.
Pre-season friendlies usually give more or less clear indications of the blueprint for the year ahead, and what was seen between the Asian tour and the two matches against Leeds and Chelsea left many people surprised.
The coach’s initial intention seemed to be a return to a much more balanced and defensively solid 4-3-3 compared to the 4-2-3-1 of recent seasons, bolstering the midfield and giving greater protection to the back line with a three-man engine room. That formation, at least clearly identifiable from the start, was only used against Leeds; in the other games, Allegri lined up the team in a fluid, chameleonic 3-5-2 (or 3-5-1-1). After all, Max made it clear in his presentation press conference: to get back to fighting at the top of the table, the first priority is conceding fewer goals.
In a 4-3-3, fitting in Pulisic is straightforward, on the right, or on the left if needed. But in this 3-5-2, it becomes a little more complicated. To be clear: the team comes before the individual. Still, if we’re talking about the Rossoneri’s best performer over the past two seasons, it’s worth going into detail. Even under Fonseca, the No. 11 played in more central roles, an experiment Pioli had also tried but quickly abandoned because it upset the team’s balance. In a 3-5-1-1, he can drift behind Leao (or a more traditional striker), while in a 3-5-2 (or 3-4-1-2), it wouldn’t be wrong to see him operating behind two forwards. The “problem” in this case is that with Pulisic there, you lose a midfield slot, meaning five players would compete for two places: Jashari, Fofana, Ricci, Modric, and Loftus-Cheek. That becomes six if Musah is considered a midfielder rather than a wide player.
On one hand, it’s a positive that Allegri has this range of options; on the other, some issues could arise. First, this Milan, who finished eighth last season, urgently need certainties to build on. Pulisic is undoubtedly one of those certainties, and not using him to full effect would be counterproductive. Second, with only the league to play (no European competitions), some players could be unhappy about inevitably reduced playing time. Given that the American’s contract runs until June 2027 (with a club option to extend to 2028), it will be important to present him with a sound sporting project to convince him to stay beyond the current agreement. Some have even suggested using him as a wing-back, but at the moment, that does not seem to be a viable option.
In the meantime, in three days Milan face Bari in their first official match of the season. Chris, who has recovered from the ankle knock sustained against Liverpool, is expected to start alongside Leao as one of the team’s two attacking focal points. We’ll see how this new role develops and what duties the former Chelsea man will have over the course of the campaign. As Allegri would surely say for now: “Top players always play, no matter what.”
Source: Milannews.it
