CM: How feasible is 4-4-2 for Milan – the pros and cons of Fonseca’s system | OneFootball

Paulo Fonseca’s system in recent weeks has been a mixture between a 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2, but there have been questions asked about the sustainability of the formation due to a lack of proper depth at AC Milan.

Sustainability is a word that every Milan fan will recognise, considering the club have hammered the message home about the importance of keeping the club afloat rather than overspending heavily at a chance of success.

However, sustainability must be maintained across the pitch as well, and currently, it is not.

Fonseca’s recent usage of his squad has been heavily scrutinised, especially considering he rotates players at the lowest rate of any team in Europe. If injuries occur or fitness issues arise, there are then questions about his system.

The reasoning behind the lack of rotation has been due to a lack of ‘correct’ profiles, and if Youssouf Fofana or Tijjani Reijnders suffered an injury, there would be a visible gap left in the squad. Ultimately, this leads to the question of sustainability.

As Calciomercato.com suggests, there are other fragilities to the system, notably an issue with the pressing from the wide areas, and this means the central midfielders are tasked with a heavier workload, which can create inferiorities across the pitch.

There is a positive to the system – Milan can quickly make numerical advantages easily as a result of their more attacking shape, and this can lead to fluid counter-attacks. However, these do not reap the rewards often.

Ultimately, the report suggests that the system carries more risks than positives, and for this reason, it is suggested that the 4-3-3 would be beneficial.