INTRODUCTION
So after 7 rounds of games in Serie A and 3 rounds of Europa League, Milan head into the International break atop of Serie A and second in the Europa League qualifying campaign.
Milan have so far amazed fans and pundits like going 24 undefeated since lockdown last season playing an expansive style of football mesmerizing opponents. While Milan’s unbeaten record is still intact in Serie A winning 5 and drawing 2, Milan’s unbeaten streak came to a halt at the hands of Lille in Europa League albeit Milan fielding a weaker starting 11 keeping fatigue in mind. Pioli was not the coach of choice of many fans and his appointment was met with a lot of criticism aimed at the management. However, after making a thorough research of Flick’s Bayern Milan have successfully re-created in Milan with variations keeping the principles in mind. We review the season so far attempting to understanding principles employed in tactics and the crunch the numbers
ATTACKING PHASE (WHEN MILAN HAVE THE BALL)
Milan have now scored in 26 consecutive games in Serie A, only matched by the 1993-94 side of Capello. This run is borne from a complete revolution in areas of attack under the stewardship of Pioli and Maldini. Milan had only scored 16 goals in 18 games up until Milan faced Sampdoria which was Milan’s last goalless game in Serie A.
Milan who had taken legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a free transfer sold Piatek and Suso to Hertha Berlin and Sevilla respectively. With Rebic transformed and Samu Castillejo taking up the trimviate behind Zlatan, Milan shifted to their 4-2-3-1 formation Pioli preferred. With Rebic, Hakan and Samu Castillejo Milan had a dynamic forward line with pace which made sure that Milan had a certain unpredictability about them which was missing with Milan being very dependent on Suso.
And with Saelemaekers and Leao slowly eased into the side, Milan furthered its attacking credentials with Saelemaekers being the perfect system player for Milan. The summer arrivals of Diaz and Hague it added a different paradigm to Milan’s already stacked attack.
BUILD UP PLAY
Milan have various methods of building out from the back. The most direct and easiest approach is to have one of Donnarumma or the defenders lob the ball or kick it out towards Ibrahimovic who uses his vastly superior physique and hold up play to control the ball and give time for the midfielders and wide-men to make runs into advanced areas.
If the opposition team, for example are not those advance forward and like to sit deep and settle into a low block, then Milan have a more patient build-up approach to their play. Aided by one of the midfielders, Kessie or bennacer sitting back and forming a back 3, both the full backs push up to act as passing options for the center-backs bringing out the ball from the back. If the full backs are being marked tightly, then they cut back the ball back for the advanced center back to make a pass to either one of the wide attacking players occupying space.
Depending upon the space in between the lines, the wide attackers would take up positions to receive the ball from the middle third to allow the full back’s to make a run. If the centre backs moved inside then it allowed the full backs to make an over-lapping run. If the attackers stayed wide or ventured wide the full backs make a run infield run (underlapping run) to make a cross into the box or shoot from outside the box. Now Milan do not have a pattern of buildup. They alternate between various areas and channels which makes Milan unpredictable.
SWITCHING PLAY
Another tactic Milan uses to catch opponents off guard is switching play. Milan suck their opponents into a narrow defensive wall and quickly switch play with a quick horizontal pass or they use one of Kessie or Bennacer to switch play.
Milan do this by having Ibrahimovic, Hakan and one of the midfield pivot to pull players into one side of the field and then quickly change flanks and catch the opponent off guard.
PASSING COMBINATIONS
A very distinguishing and wonderful concept of our attacking phase are the various passing combination we pull off the pitch.
Passing combinations are instruments used to inculcate the concept of speed and precision into a team’s attack. As the adage goes, the ball travels faster than the player. Hence quick passing combination can be used to pull defenders out of position and move the ball to create chances.
Milan’s players create triangles with their passing and take the opposition out of that particular sequence of play and creating goal-scoring chances.
Whenever Milan advance into the middle third with the ball, the attackers move into position to form a passing triangle for quick one touch passing moving the ball and prizing open the defense.
Moving the ball quickly helps Milan to catch the opposition defense disorganized.
OFFENSIVE TRANSITION OR COUNTER ATTACKS
One of the main principles of Gegenpress is to win the ball back and quickly release it as soon as possible with quick vertical passes forward. With Milan having removed Suso, Paqueta and Piatek and adding Leao, Saelemaekers, Diaz, Rebic and Ibrahimovic, Milan have players who can not only sprint but have excellent close control and good passing/crossing skills to prey upon the disorganization in the opposition’s half. In Hakan Calhanoglu, Milan have a player capable of operating in transitions and is built for teams playing on the counter. Somebody who stays away from the press, his quick release of the ball helps in quick vertical play and maintaining the urgency of the counter attack.
KNOCKDOWNS AND CO-ORDINATED MOVEMENT
Modern Football is all about space. How we interpret the space and utilize the space. But with so much advancements in tactics and players individual abilities spaces are closed down very easily.
Football has mechanisms for counting goals and assists that are scored or created every game. But a non-quantifiable part of the game is the intelligent movement of players that creates space to open up passing lanes or space to shoot. Our forwards are very co-ordinated in terms of creating space.
Another source of chances is the hold-up play and knockdown ability of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. At 195 centimeters, Zlatan is a difficult customer for defenders to deal because of the sheer strength Zlatan brings. With balls being played into Zlatan, he can easily hold it up or knock it down into the path of an oncoming player (especially Hakan) to shoot it.
DEFENSIVE PHASE
A phase that went under sea-change under Pioli is our concepts of defending. From a reactive method of defending to a pro-active form of defending emerged and it has seen Milan give the opponents very less space to maneuver.
PRESSING
Pressing is described as closing down the opponent as soon as the team loses the ball by closing down the player in possession. The opposition player, who might have gained the ball will need a few seconds to bring the ball under control and think about his next move. The team that presses plans to catch out the disorganized player and retrieve the ball.
Pioli’s Milan also presses their opponents albeit in a different way to the press employed by Flick’s Bayern and Klopp’s Liverpool for obvious reasons of difference in quality and physicality. Milan choose to use the concept of shadow cover i.e cutting off passing lanes for the player in possession. With this in mind, Milan have certain pressing traps where they genuinely leave open a passing lane for the player to pass towards and then they press him in numbers forcing him to play an in-accurate long ball or lose the ball or sometimes go back to the keeper if that option is available.
HORIZONTAL PRESSING
Milan employ horizontal pressing that means that they will block the center with the midfield pivot and shadow covers and force teams wide. Using the touchline as an extra man, Milan stay very narrow and restrict the team to the wide areas often forcing the team to either to switch using an in-accurate pass or force the ball into touch.
NARROW DEFENSIVE LINE
Milan as we know defend in a back 4. If the opposition, play past milan’s press as we have seen quite a few times this season, Milan re-shape themselves into a narrow 4 at the back and clutter the middle of the pitch not allowing teams to take shots. This is at the expense of teams going wide.
A major cog in this move is the double pivot who play very close to each other forming a narrow midfield block.
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