6 AC Milan Players Who Could Thrive Under Vincenzo Montella's Auspices
The appointment of Vincenzo Montella as head coach effectively ushered in a new tactical era at AC Milan. The 42-year-old has a very specific idea of how the game should be played, something that he has already begun to transmit to his players.
In their opening friendly of pre-season, the Rossoneri defeated Bordeaux 2-1. The result was good, though the performance was even more promising due to the prevalence of several new themes in the team’s play.
On the evidence of that match, Montella already appears to have implemented a more patient passing game, instructing his players to build moves from the back with intelligent ball circulation. The coach’s distinct approach to possession underlines his vision, and he will undoubtedly focus on this aspect of Milan’s play in the months to come.
He prefers his teams to attack by controlling the ball, with high possession statistics and emphasis on positional rotations, as well as movement to create options and combinations in order to progress.
It will take time to embed these principles, though there are players within the Rossoneri squad who are perfectly suited to such a style.
What follows is a look at six Milan players who should thrive within Montella’s tactics.
Alessio Romagnoli
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Montella has always sought that his teams play the ball out from the back. However, in order to do this, there is a requirement for defenders who are comfortable in possession. In this respect, Alessio Romagnoli will be vital to the new coach’s hopes of successfully imbuing Milan with his ideas.
At ease with the ball at feet, the 21-year-old is one of the most refined young centre-backs in European football. He is capable technically, plays intelligent passes and is also able to move possession forward on his own when necessary.
Indeed, according to Squawka.com’s statistics, Romagnoli was Milan’s most effective defender in possession last season.
There is a scarcity of alternate central defensive options at the club at present, with Gabriel Paletta, Cristian Zapata, Rodrigo Ely and Jherson Vergara at best simplistic and at worst uncomfortable on the ball.
In such circumstances, Romagnoli’s distributive qualities will be all the more important to Montella’s Milan.
Ignazio Abate
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The ability to maintain possession is only effective in an attacking sense if it results in chances created. And in order to make scoring opportunities, there is a need for variety in the buildup phase.
Montella wants his Milan to pass out from the back, with a focus on circulating the ball centrally among the centre-backs and midfielders. However, there is a danger that without width, this could become predictable and easy for opponents to stultify.
Should the coach persist with the rough 4-3-3 shape that he opted for in the recent friendly against Bordeaux, Ignazio Abate could be crucial.
As a fast right-back who enjoys attacking space, he can offer a good wide outlet whenever the team’s centralised possession is ineffective. Alternately, holding his position near the touchline could have the effect of stretching the opposition horizontally, creating extra space in the middle through which Milan can progress the ball.
Abate has spoken positively of Montella’s methods, telling Premium Sport (h/t Football Italia): "He’s definitely a well-prepared coach who bases his football on possession of the ball. Not since Leonardo was here have we done so much training with the ball. We’ll get to know each other better and work on tactics, we’re all available to the coach."
Evidently, the 29-year-old is impressed with the man in charge. And, in time, he may prove an influential player in Milan’s new era.
Andrea Bertolacci
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In Milan’s opening friendly against Bordeaux, Andrea Bertolacci played in a conspicuous role. The 25-year-old took up a much deeper space than he had done throughout his disappointing debut season with the club, operating as a regista before being substituted for Jose Mauri.
He adapted well to the demands of his new position, dropping between the two centre-backs—Paletta and Romagnoli—to aid circulation of the ball as a back three and moving it safely into the middle third. Given it was his first time undertaking such tasks, he showed enough to suggest he could make the berth his own going forward.
Luigi Delneri, who coached him at Genoa, believes this is the best place for Bertolacci, telling La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia): “Bertolacci can play in the (Andrea) Pirlo role. In the diamond formation I'd place him in front of the defence, because he can break up the game and has a skilled foot.”
Previously, the left footer was viewed as one of the finer technicians in Serie A. He was Gian Piero Gasperini’s midfield fulcrum for the Grifone but failed to show such class in his maiden year at the San Siro. A lot of the reason for this, however, was that he was asked to perform ball-winning and carrying duties in a functional team.
Not only will Bertolacci suit Montella’s possession-based philosophy; he could thrive in a more withdrawn role, with less emphasis on breaking play up and greater opportunity to showcase his ball control, touch and creativity.
Giacomo Bonaventura
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Last season, Giacomo Bonaventura was Milan’s standout player. He earned an impressive 7.39 average performance rating from WhoScored.com while assisting for eight goals and scoring six of his own.
Often stationed on the left wing of a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2, the 26-year-old was given few opportunities to influence games from his favoured trequartista role. But this might change under Montella.
The new coach was quick to praise Bonaventura’s versatility, telling Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia): “He is more of a trequartista than an internal midfielder, but he has the characteristics to play more or less everywhere in midfield.”
With an excellent touch and nimble footwork, he has strong ability to retain the ball in tight spots and carry it forward into dangerous areas. He is also acutely aware of space and understands where to position himself to receive a forward pass.
This combination of intelligence and technical skill could see Bonaventura become Montella’s key player.
Suso
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After returning from an impressive six-month loan spell with Genoa, Suso made an instant impact under Montella’s auspices, scoring both of Milan’s goals in the recent win over Bordeaux.
The Spaniard, starting on the right wing, showed a clinical touch in the final third as well as persistence and willingness to apply pressure on the opposition in the defensive phase.
At home cutting in on to his favoured left foot, the 22-year-old can offer a good forward passing option to the central midfielders. These inward movements also allow him to commit defenders with his diagonal dribbling runs while opening up the possibility for combinations with team-mates.
Suso made just one league appearance for Milan last season but, following the arrival of a coach who will seek to maximise his creative gifts, he can be expected to contribute more in 2016-17.
Gianluca Lapadula
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As far as Serie A is concerned, Gianluca Lapadula is an unknown quantity. At 26 years of age, most of his career has been spent travelling around Italy’s lower leagues. Last season was his breakout term, though that took place in Serie B for Pescara.
He found the net 27 times in 40 league appearances, setting up a further 11 goals for his team-mates. And, on the back of such impressive form, Milan swooped to sign the striker in June, seeing off competition from several top-tier rivals in the process.
There remain valid doubts regarding whether Lapadula can successfully make the step up to the Italian top flight. Though if he fails to make the grade, it won’t be because of his playing style, as Montella has discussed.
“On paper he definitely suits my style of play,” the coach told Milan TV (h/t Football Italia). “He’s proven to have great talent and desire, even in a different division. Of course it’ll be a big leap for him. I think he has the personality to stay at this level, though I haven’t seen him with his boots on yet.”
With his clever link-up play, movement and underrated strength, Lapadula could be the exact type of striker needed to lead the line for Montella’s new-look Milan.
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