AC Milan and the 4-3-3: Match Made in Heaven?

Sadly, it's more like a match made in hell.

I would love nothing more than to see Milan play a highly-offensive, high-pace game, but we just don't have the players for it. Milan and the 4-3-3 just don't fit together.

First of all, the 4-3-3 is optimized to take advantage of the wings. To take full advantage of the wings, you need wingers. And that's where Milan don't fit in.

Milan have not had an out-and-out winger since Serginho retired at the end of the 2006-07 season. Since then, Ancellotti did not feel that getting another winger was necessary.

Though we did recently retrieve Ignazio Abate, a left winger who was out on loan at Torino, he's still not on the level Milan requires to win the league or the Champions League.

And with no wingers, we clearly cannot play to the strength of the 4-3-3, therefore making that formation completely useless to us.

But wait, that's not all!

Not only do we not have wingers, where in a 4-3-3 would Ronaldinho play? Where would Pato be positioned? Out on the right? And who would play out on the left?

Clearly, to play to Milan's strengths, the best formation would have to be the 4-3-1-2.  That would give us the right balance of security and offensive punch.

In a 4-3-1-2, Milan would look something like this (barring any new signings or the coach making illogical decisions):

                                                                  Abbiati

                                       Zambrotta     Nesta     Thiago Silva    Jankulovski

                                                     Gattuso     Pirlo     Ambrosini

                                                                Ronaldinho

                                                           Pato         Borriello

Of course, we could yet see Luis Fabiano come in and Flamini might take someone's spot, but so far this is probably what it's going to look like next year.

With this formation, the squad will be played to its strengths. Ronaldinho would be playing the position in which he became the best in the world, Pato would not be pushed out wide instead of being played centrally where he is way more effective (remind you of anyone playing for Man Utd?), and Borriello would also be played in his natural position.

Behind them, Pirlo would be doing what he does best—dictating the game—Gattuso would be tackling anyone that crosses into Milan's half of the pitch, as would be Ambrosini.

And behind them, well, let's just hope that Nesta can get back to his best (or at least good enough to take care of business), Thiago Silva turns out to be a great CB, and that Zambrotta and Jankulovski will still have the legs and determination to succeed at the highest level. Because quite frankly, the defense is still a little worrying, but you never know.

If all goes to plan, perhaps this Milan side can bring us lots of joy this coming season!