Evaluating AC Milan's Best Options for the Role of Deep-Lying Playmaker
Since Andrea Pirlo departed in 2011, AC Milan have failed to win a single Scudetto. Considering that the club lies joint-second to Juventus in terms of Italian championships won, the five-year drought must be deemed a failure.
The lack of a quality regista has been glaringly obvious in recent seasons, so much so it is hard not to associate this absence with the club’s poor results.
As discussed in this previous post, most of Milan’s great teams in recent decades have been directed by iconic deep-lying playmakers. In order to return to the top of Italian football, the club needs to find someone capable of performing the role, especially considering head coach Vincenzo Montella’s preference for utilising possession within a 4-3-3 shape.
But who within the present squad is best placed to undertake the job of orchestrating the team’s moves?
Here Bleacher Report evaluates Milan’s best options for the regista role.
A Note on Grading
1 of 5
Before we rank the players available to Milan who are best suited to the role, it is necessary to establish what skills are required to perform successfully as a regista.
As the conductor of a team’s play, quality passing is obviously a key trait. And given their deeper position and pressure from markers, control is crucial. Good positioning is valuable for ensuring smooth circulation and progression of the ball, while a touch of creativity helps when it comes to penetrating the opposition.
Below are detailed descriptions of these four important skills. Each player will be graded out of 10 on their aptitude in each element, with an overall grading out of 40.
Passing
This includes range, accuracy and intelligence of passing.
Control
This includes ball control, competence in tight spaces and resistance to pressing.
Positioning
This includes positional awareness in build-up play and in supporting passing moves.
Creativity
This includes flair, ingenuity and vision.
4. Manuel Locatelli
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Manuel Locatelli was promoted to Milan’s first team last season after impressing for the club’s youth team, AC Milan Primavera. The 18-year-old is a highly regarded member of Italy’s under-19 squad and was described by scout Mauro Bianchessi as “a bit Pirlo and a bit [Riccardo] Montolivo,” per the Guardian’s Paolo Bandini.
Passing: 6
While undoubtedly technically gifted and an accurate passer over short distances, Locatelli still has to work on his range and ability to provide incisive balls to team-mates in more advanced areas of the pitch.
Control: 6
The academy graduate is physically slight, inexperienced and not immune to pressure from the opposition. However, in a pre-season friendly against Freiburg, he showed an ability to retain possession in tight spaces.
Positioning: 5
Another noticeable aspect of Locatelli’s play against Freiburg was his positioning, which was at times poor. Against a passive defensive opponent, his tendency to drift backward meant his central-defensive team-mates were often left without a viable out-ball.
Creativity: 5
Locatelli failed to create a single chance during his admittedly brief time on the pitch last season, per Squawka, something that perhaps reflects a natural caution in a young player who is still very much learning his craft.
Total: 22
3. Riccardo Montolivo
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Montolivo began his Milan career impressively after joining on a free transfer from Fiorentina in 2012, but his form has wavered in recent years. Last season, he was frequently deployed as the team’s regista, though his position is under threat following some average displays.
Passing: 7
Nobody in Milan’s squad averaged more passes per game than Montolivo (62.4) last season. However, his 82.1 per cent accuracy was disappointing. The 31-year-old is an efficient distributor, though sometimes lacks decisiveness.
Control: 7
While prone to the occasional bout of indecision, Montolivo is generally sound under pressure. He has shown quick feet and an ability to beat his man, but he does have a proclivity for dwelling on the ball in dangerous areas within his own half.
Positioning: 7
Montolivo can be slow to react to situations and is thus not always in position to support his centre-backs when passing out from the back. That aside, however, he has reasonable positional awareness.
Creativity: 6
Although he is capable of the occasional line-breaking pass, Montolivo is not the most imaginative of playmakers. He is primed first and foremost for efficacy, not extravagance, and his instinct is to opt for the safe option.
Total: 27
2. Andrea Bertolacci
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Andrea Bertolacci struggled in his debut campaign for Milan last term, with injury problems and poor form restricting him to 21 league starts.
Though a central midfielder by trade, his old coach at Genoa, Luigi Delneri, once told La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia): “Bertolacci can play in the Pirlo role. In the diamond formation I'd place him in front of the defence."
Passing: 8
According to Squawka, 67.6 per cent of Bertolacci’s attempted passes last season went forward. For a player who operated primarily in a box-to-box role, this is suggestive of someone willing to play the riskier ball in order to progress moves toward the final third. With more confidence and regular game time, this trait, combined with his precision, could serve the team well.
Control: 6
While an exceptional technician with good control of the ball, Bertolacci does have a tendency to dally. In order to function well as a regista, he would have to focus on releasing the ball quicker.
Positioning: 7
As demonstrated during his outing as a regista in the pre-season friendly against Girondins de Bordeaux, Bertolacci has an acute understanding of where to place himself during build-up play, often dropping between the centre-backs to provide numerical superiority against the press.
Creativity: 7
Bertolacci is, at his best, a player capable of opening up defences. Evidence of this came during his spell with Genoa, for whom he set up eight goals during his last season with the club.
Total: 28
1. Jose Sosa
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Jose Sosa signed for Milan from Turkish champions Besiktas in August. He has spent much of his career playing behind strikers, but Montella recently told Premium Sport (h/t Football Italia) that the 31-year-old could be used as a regista, saying: “I believe he can [play there] thanks to his characteristics."
Passing: 8
While used to playing further up the pitch, Sosa’s passing came to the fore in Milan’s recent 2-1 friendly win over Bournemouth. In that match, the Argentinian showed his ability to switch the attacks quickly, play one-touch passes and combine with team-mates from the base of midfield.
Control: 7
A talented dribbler, Sosa is good in one-on-one situations and is thus difficult to press. His first touch is assured, and he has showcased a desire to play out of difficult situations rather than opt for an easy backward pass or aimless long ball.
Positioning: 6
Sosa has a basic awareness of his positioning based on his performance against Bournemouth. He supports play well and is generally on hand to combine with team-mates in the middle third, though his forward forays should be curbed if he is to successfully undertake the role of deep-lying playmaker.
Creativity: 8
In 2015-16, Sosa registered the most assists in the Turkish Super Lig, with 12 to his name. It’s worth noting he achieved this tally while playing in a more attacking position, though it is feasible to suggest his verve and imagination could be carried over into a deeper role.
Total: 29
All statistics provided by WhoScored.com unless otherwise stated.
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