What Keisuke Honda Must Do to Get Back in the AC Milan Starting XI

Perhaps the primary misfortune of being a professional footballer is the degree to which a career can be dictated by external factors—the form of another player, a bad bobble, the whims of a coach. For AC Milan’s Keisuke Honda, necessary tactical change has proved his downfall.

Last season, Honda showed hints of the technical qualities that made him one of the most exciting Japanese players to arrive on Serie A shores since Hidetoshi Nakata signed for Perugia in 1998.

However, Milan, under the auspices of Filippo Inzaghi, simply were not up to scratch as a team. While a world-class poacher as a player, Inzaghi was not experienced enough to deal with such a high-pressure coaching role.

He tinkered with his team constantly in ultimately failed attempts to find form, but it was hard for any individual player to stand out in such circumstances. Honda did little wrong, though it was not an environment in which he could shine.

With Sinisa Mihajlovic’s appointment as Inzaghi’s successor came hope, however. The Serbian coach had used a 4-3-1-2 system at Sampdoria and was keen to utilise the same formation with Milan.

As a natural trequartista, Honda must have revelled in the news. Now, finally, he could stamp his mark in Rossoneri colours, playing in the hole behind the strikers.

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But several months later, the Japanese playmaker has yet to assert himself in Mihajlovic’s first-team plans. The last time he started a game was in Milan’s 3-2 away win over Udinese in late September. Since then, he has amassed a paltry 39 minutes of league action in two months, according to WhoScored.

Such a limited amount of playing time would lead some to conclude that Honda isn’t good enough or perhaps doesn’t fit Mihajlovic’s preferred brand of football. Truthfully, though, Honda is a victim of an important tactical alteration Milan had to make.

In the aftermath of Milan’s stunning 4-0 home defeat to Napoli in October, Mihajlovic decided to abandon his 4-3-1-2 system in favour of a 4-3-3. This brought greater width to the team but sacrificed the trequartista and one of the strikers in favour of two inverted wingers.

With his primary position no longer available, Honda has been reduced to cameo appearances from the bench in the latter stages of games.

If he wants to regain a first-team spot, he would do well to learn a lesson or two from Alessio Cerci.

While the inverted right-winger position currently occupied by Cerci may not be Honda’s preference, it is realistically the only one he can fit into within Milan’s 4-3-3.

At a stretch, he could also operate in central midfield or on the left, but he wouldn’t offer enough defensively to justify a slot in the former area and could end up isolated in the latter.

Playing as an inverted right-winger would allow Honda to drive in onto his left foot in the same way Cerci has done since taking the spot.

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Cerci, like Honda, was lacking in game time, confidence and form when called into the starting lineup after Mihajlovic switched systems, but since then, he has shown a desire to force a regular place. That passion can be seen in his commitment to defensive work and his willingness to run at his opponent.

Fundamentally, Honda is more a passer than a dribbler. This is shown when comparing his statistics to Cerci’s. Per Squawka, Cerci completes more dribbles per game but makes fewer key passes than Honda.

However, there are some stylistic similarities between the two players. Both are technically gifted left-footers who like to play off strikers and provide for them.

If Honda can channel the same sort of mentality Cerci has had in the last month, there is a chance he could work himself back into the Milan lineup.

If not, the only other option Honda has is to bide his time until the next tactical change.

Mihajlovic has in the past admitted to considering a 4-4-2 system, and Honda may find himself better suited to that. However, if he plumps for this route back, he may find himself once again frustrated by circumstances outwith his control.