CM: The ‘All Star’ attack temptation – potential benefits and drawbacks | OneFootball

AC Milan secured a hard-fought and much-needed three points against Empoli last night, and it came thanks to the ultra-attacking second-half team.

As Calciomercato.com write, the question among Milan fans and pundits at the moment is unanimous: is a side with Christian Pulisic, Joao Felix and Rafael Leao behind Santiago Gimenez really sustainable?

The entry of Pulisic, Gimenez and Leao (and the expulsion of Marianucci) changed the game at the Stadio Carlo Castellani last night, with the American winger setting up the Portuguese and then the Mexican for the two goals.

The objectives are known to most: to get into the top four and to go as far as possible in both the Champions League and the Coppa Italia, perhaps taking home the second trophy of the year after the Supercoppa won in Riyadh. The ultra-attacking side excites, but seems to raise questions about balance.

Pros

The away match in Empoli made us understand how the four can all play together, sharing the field. Joao Felix acts as a playmaker providing a link between the departments, often and willingly dropping deep to look for the ball.

Pulisic starts from the right and exploits the spaces, Leao attacks from the opposite flank and Gimenez fills the penalty area, a movement that Milan necessarily needed. Such an offensive quartet brings more solutions, creativity, flair and that touch of magic that the San Siro crowd wants to get used to again.

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To make this line-up sustainable, all these players must be willing to sacrifice themselves even in the defensive phase. Such an ambitious game can only be used through a quality defensive and non-possession phase, given the presence of only Youssouf Fofana as a ‘destroyer’ further back.

If anything, the players behind are more likely to try and contribute creatively, such as Tijjani Reijnders in midfield and Theo Hernandez on the left. The Champions League match in Rotterdam against Feyenoord could help us understand if the 4-4-2 is really workable for Milan.

Cons

The risks are clear: unbalancing the team too much, defending too little and suffering too many counter-attacks. With an eye also on Reijnders , the best scorer of this Milan together with Pulisic: the Dutchman risks moving his range of action back, becoming more of a prompter than a finisher.

The fear is that the Rossoneri will remain blocked more in the midfield, so as not to expose Milan to further holes in the middle of the field. Therefore, for the mechanism to work, everything will depend on the willingness to sacrifice of the four up front and on the orders imposed by Conceicao.

The coach always been clear on the importance of the defensive phase: “A collective works when the players are willing to sacrifice themselves, to get out of their comfort zone.” The sustainability of this ‘All Star version’ of Milan will depend on the will of Pulisic, Joao Felix, Leao and Gimenez.