AC Milan have won their first three Serie A games and the club supporters are hoping this momentum can continue after the break when the Rossoneri will face Inter in matchday 4.
As per La Gazzetta dello Sport in this morning's print edition, when the Rossoneri won the Scudetto, it was Kessie who playing as a physical playmaker and balancing the team while going forward. Last year, Tonali's stamina and Leao's talent carried the Rossoneri through a challenging season.
This year, with numerous changes in the squad and a new tactical setup, Milan has transformed oncee again.
Now, the factor of change for AC Milan this time is Davide Calabria, who moves into midfield to play as the orchestrator. So far, things have gone well, thanks in part to specific new signings that Pioli requested: "I didn't suggest names to the club but rather roles and characteristics. Wingers capable of one-on-one situations, with individual plays that could break down tight defenses. And midfielders making runs forward." These are precisely the qualities that have arrived at Milanello and are making Milan much more unpredictable in the eyes of their opponents.
As per the newspaper, if you study how Milan plays today, you can see a strong hint and influence of Pep Guardiola on Pioli's Rossoneri. There is no comparison, but, there are still some similarities.
The already mentioned central position of Calabria in the buildup phase closely resembles John Stones' role at Manchester City. Furthermore, wingers like Reijnders and Loftus-Cheek have no fixed positions, ready to exploit the spaces created by players on the flanks (currently Leao and Pulisic), who play wide or come inside the field. A swarm of players between wingers, central midfielders, and full-backs buzzing around the lone central reference point: Olivier Giroud for Milan, Haaland for City. The ongoing developments are progressing well and perhaps even faster than expected. Now, the real test begins, especially with the challenging Champions League group ahead.
