Stefano Pioli is planning another tactical revamp of his Milan side this season, but it is a return to where he started with the 4-3-3 formation, completely reconstructing his midfield.
The new signings seem to be angled towards a shift in shape, abandoning the search for a trequartista to replace Brahim Diaz and instead focusing on more attacking wingers to balance out the attack. For too long, it has been pointed out the Rossoneri are lopsided to the left, due to the presence of both Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao. This was also what prompted Pioli to make the radical change to a 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1 for a period in February and March, allowing the France international to surge forward and not concern himself with defending, or rather even less than he ever did even when playing as a full-back.
However, the probable shift to 4-3-3 this term is a return to where Milan were when Pioli first took over in October 2019. It lasted only 11 games, including the infamous 5-0 defeat to Atalanta, before the coach realised he had to shake things up. When the 4-2-3-1 was fully bedded in, that sparked the turnaround which eventually led to Pioli signing a new contract and then winning the Scudetto a year later.
The transformation is above all in the midfield, which had already been struggling to protect the defence. It has to be totally reshaped this season, because not only has Sandro Tonali been sold to Newcastle United, but his partner Ismael Bennacer is out for several months with a knee ligament injury. What better time to try something new?
Ruben Loftus-Cheek confirmed in his press conference that he talked to Pioli about his role, preferring the position that Italians call a mezz’ala in a three-man midfield. Christian Pulisic too prefers to start wide rather than act as a support striker or centre-forward, positions that do not necessarily play to his strengths.
The others on the list, like Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze and Midtjylland man Gustav Isaksen, again provide plenty more width for the trident attack. Daichi Kamada had been reserved by Paolo Maldini and now parked because he is a trequartista, someone who plays behind the strikers in a 4-2-3-1. It is clear where this is going, but there remains one rather large issue.
Milan have always put plenty of crosses into the box. The problem was who to get on the end of them. Aside from Olivier Giroud, the options remain not so much thin on the ground as non-existent. The wingers can cut inside to shoot as well, but if you’re going to have so much of your play going down the flanks, you need someone strong in the air who can knock those crosses down for teammates, perhaps even more than heading them towards the goal.
The lack of alternatives upfront cost Milan dearly last season and it is an area that is not being addressed quickly enough, even with a shift to 4-3-3.