A new era for AC Milan

[gcoard]

With the appointment of Ralf Rangnick and his "focus on youth and high intensity football," I've decided to play as AC Milan.  While I won't be replicating Ralf exactly, I'll be looking to play quick, attacking football.  (Caveat: I am not a tactician, which is why this is in the career updates section, not the tactics section.  I've spent plenty of time on the tactics forum, but if something doesn't make sense, please let me know!  I'd love to learn even more).

 To start, let's breakdown our four phases of play:

1. In possession

Well, as I said, we want to play quick, attacking football.  To me, that means: get the ball, pass the ball, run to open space.  I don't really need players to hold and run with the ball.

2. Just won possession

Certainly want to counter attack.  Whoever wins the ball back should look to quickly push the ball up the field.

3. Just lost possession

Gegenpress.  When we lose the ball, immediately try to win the ball back.  Put the opposition under immediate pressure trying to win the ball back.  

4. Out of possession

Ideally, we won the ball back before we get to this point, but if we don't, I want to force the ball to where I have players (so the center of the pitch).  

I'm not quite sure if "Defend Narrow" makes sense here.  I want to force the ball into the middle, but I don't want my players too wide.  We'll have to see how this plays out.

Now for the system:

So what does that look like in FM?  AceAvenger has a great post on gegenpressing.  I'll be using this as a guide, but I don't want to copy it.  My plan is to implement more what Kloop does at Liverpool, rather than Dortmund.  Some key features of Kloop's 4-3-3 system:

(1) The forward drops back into the midfield creating space for the LW/RW to push wide or cut inside with the space created.

(2) Fullbacks push high up the pitch.

(3) The 6 drops deeper but there should be compactness in the middle between the CMs.  The 6 should be between the CBs and the CMs providing a link to both.

(4) Especially with VVD, good ball playing defenders.

Starting at the top.  Our lone striker will be an F9.  He should drop deeper allowing the IF(A)s to find space behind him.  The F9 is told to Move into Channels.  The IFs are told to Roam From Position.

Our midfield.  Our CMs are both BBMs.  I want them getting high up the pitch, especially so they can assist with pressing, but I want them to get back on defense and remain compact with the DM once we are in the defensive phase.   Ideally, our DLP will have a player trait of receiving the ball from deep when the opportunity arrives so that he's a better link to the CBs.  Our DM is on support duty so that he's not too far from the CMs.

Finally defense.  BPDs seem logically here.  The outside backs are where I'm not sure.  On the one hand, I want to keep my players narrow, but I also want my full backs to get up the pitch.  If I understand Rashidi's Book of Roles, with the Overlap instructions as well as having two IFs, I think my IWBs will push up the pitch wide on offense and hopefully stay narrower on defense.  Once again, we'll see what happens to them in game.  SK(S) seems like a good choice behind my defensive line.  With this system, we'll be susceptible to balls over the top.

[gcoard]

First Team Squad

Like Kloop, I need players who fit my system.  In AceAvenger's post, there are 7 characteristics listed needed for gegenpressing.  I'm going to add 4 more:

• Composure - steadiness of mind and ability to make intelligent decision on and off the ball.  We need players who will make good decisions about pressing (as well as countering, passing etc).
• Concentration - mental focus and attention to detail. I need my players to press immediately after losing the ball.  10 seconds is often used as the standard time frame to win the ball back. 
• Decision - make the correct choices with and without the ball. To press or not to press, that is the question
• Technique - How refined they are with the ball at their feet.  Not necessarily an attribute needed for gegenpressing, but I want players who don't lose the ball easily.

So, when we go looking for first team players, we need players who fit this mold.  The current first team squad:

The squad is ok, not great for my system.  Some players I think fit well:

Ismael Bennacur.  Definitely my number 6.  He has all of the attributes I want for to gegenpress as well as be a good playmaker.

Lucas Paqueta.  Really wants to be a number 10, but since we don't play that role in my system, he'll function as a BBM.  A little low on his teamwork, so we'll keep an eye on that.

Alessio Romagnoli.  Solid CB and club captain.  Will anchor our defense for years to come.

Franck Kessie.  My second BBM.  Needs to work on his concentration and technique.

Andrea Conti.  Pretty solid RB.  Needs to work on his aggression.

Others (I ran out of upload room):

Mateo Mussachio.  Another solid CB.  Should make a good pairing with Romagnoli.

Rade Kurnic.  Will be my backup BBM.

Giacoma Bonaventura.  Good option as my LW or a backup BBM.  He is 29 with one year left on his contract.  If I can't sign him for a reasonable price, I'll look to cash in on him

Leo Duarte.  Will provide cover at CB.

Players that don't fit well:

Leao - A young prospect.  Lacks concentration and decisions which may cause him to not press correctly.  May look to loan him out.

Capanni - Another propsect.  Really doesn't fit my pressing system

Calhanoglu - Good player, but his aggression, concentration, and decision making skills are low.  Currently wanted by Arsenal, I'll probably sell.

Zlatan - slow and doesn't work hard.  He won't press, won't be able to press, or won't be able to press as a team.  He'll sit on the bench and may come on in games we are down and try to attack more.

Gabbi - Another prospect.  Mentals aren't great.  May look to loan him this season.

(All other players fit the system ok, not great.  Will be ok will I replace more immediate needs)

Obviously, Gianluigi Donnarumma is a great keeper.  He fits the SK(S) role well (just needs to work on his passing)

First Team Summary:

I think we have a good base.  CB and midfield seem pretty set.  I think the biggest need is ST and RW.  LB, RB, and LW will all need to be changed to better fit the system, but that is less immediate.  Currently, we have $27,000,000 in our transfer budget, so it is going to be tough right now without selling players.

Edited July 5, 2020 by gcoard
updating

[gcoard]

Youth Squads

As mentioned in the intro, Rangnick focuses heavily youth development.  A look at our youth squads:

U20 squad.  A few decent prospects including:

Brescianini.

Michelis

Tahar

Colombo.

No one is ready for the first team.  Gabriele Bellodi is a promising CB out on loan.

Our U18's are even worse:

Only really Obaretin looks promising.

 

We'll certainly be looking to bring in some higher potential prospects.  That being said, both the U20s and U18s are huge.  Well definitely have to get rid of some youth to really focus on the youth who have a chance.  Cleon wrote a brilliant piece on the Ajax TIPS model.  Among his writing includes "Every Ajax youth eleven has 16 players. There are 2 goalkeepers. Four right footed players are selected for positions 2, 6, and 7 (right back, right midfield, right wing fwd), Four left footed players for positions 5, 8 and 11 (left back, left midfield, left forward), Three players for 3 and 4 (central defenders) and finally three players for 9 and 10 (striker and shadow striker). This applies from the Under 10 team up to the first eleven. During the players’ development, therefore, they play in the two or three positions within the team for which they have been selected."  I like the idea of doing something similar.  I'm thinking:

• (2) goalkeepers - trained as SK(S)
• (3) CBs - trainied as BPD(D)
• (3) backs - trained as IWB(L) for 6 months, IWB(R) for 6 months
• (4) midfields - trained as RPMs (6 months from the DM spot, 6 months for the CM spot)
• (4) IFs/ST - trained as CF(S)

That would give me 16 players developing.  I have Excellent Youth Facilities and Excellent Youth Recruitment.  My youth coaches are all above average (so most will stay on until the end of their contract, no need to spend the money to mutually terminate).  Good academy coaching.  My HOYD, Angelo Carbone, is a pretty decent looking Director.  All-in-all, I think my youth academies are pretty well suited to develop players, just need to bring in the right players and allow them to develop.

Edited July 5, 2020 by gcoard
updating

[gcoard]

Transfers:

• We sold Biglia to Al-Duhail for $3.6 million.  He was transfer listed prior to me taking the job.  He was our vice captain and is replaced by Musachio.
• We brought in Nicolo Armini on a free.  He's a promising CB that needs some work in his mentals to truly fit our style of play, but I'm excited to begin the rebuild of our youth system
• Next we signed Federico Chiesa for $39 million (13 up front, 26 over 3 years).  Better on the wing, he'll likely line up as my F9 for now.
• We sold Bonaventura (his contract demand was way too high) to Man Utd for a total of $97,000,000 (split up).  Not sure how we pulled that off, but whatever.
• Signed Ajer for $15M up front, 25M over the next three years.  We don't really need a CB, but certainly doesn't hurt to have depth.  He'll likely slot in the midfield somewhere and I'll move Paquata to my RW.  Ajer has the leadership ability to be phased in as Vice Captain.
• Brought in Adam Masina for 15M up front, 15M over 3 years.  Diego Laxalt isn't playing particularly well for me.  Probably overspent for a backup RB.

Preseason and First Two Games

Results have been... Not great.  Preseason was a mixed bag - wins vs Metz, Bayern, and Salzburg, loses vs Utd (early red card certainly didn't help), Lille, and Benfica.

In our first match v Sassuolo, we played better but Laxalt decided to not mark Defrel on a cross in the box and he had an open header.  Mussachio was injured early in the game which messed things up. 

Vs Udinese, Laxalt again just didn't bother trying to defend the cross and then we gave up a goal in the 94th minute off a set piece.  I also play Ajer as a Libero rather than a DLP to try to counter their two striker formation.  Seemed to work ok.

Tactically, we were giving up a lot of goals via crosses.  This was mitigated by defending with a standard width (now we just need the left back to actually challenge on crosses).  We are now giving up a lot of goals via free kicks so I'll have to tweak my set piece defending.

I've also instructed my CBs to close down less.  There is often a gap behind the midfield (and IWBs) and I don't want my CBs trying to press there.

Edited July 7, 2020 by gcoard

[gcoard]

Winter Update

After changing my set piece tactics, we've gone on quite the run!

We haven't lost since the first game of the season!  A look at the standings mid-season:

Suprisingly Udinese is our toughest competition!  Juventus is 8 points behind us!  Crazy start to the season.

This is the line up I normally go with:

As you can see, my deadline day signing, Masina, has proved quite the LB.  I still probably overpaid, but he's, currently, my first choice LB.  When we face two striker formations (which is quite often in Serie A), I generally drop Ajer to play between by CBs as a BPD-Stopper (and move the backs up to the wing-back slot).  It's, obviously, worked pretty well.  Kessie even played as a Libero(A) once.

A look at how everyone has been doing:

Krunic and Leao get decent game time.  Since we don't play in Europe and the Italy Cup hasn't started, rotating has been a bit difficult.

 

Transfer Targets:

I don't really need anyone (I can't even play who I have).  I'll look to buy some prospects and sell a few players (looking at you, Zlatan).  Calhanoglu is wanted by Arsenal and Wolves.  He's my top goal scorer, so I'd need a good bit of money for him.  But, if I do sell him, I'd need to replace him.

The only other significant thing of note: Donnarumma signed a 5 year deal, making him the highest earning player at the club (I think well worth it).

Edited July 10, 2020 by gcoard

[gcoard]

(Edit:  Annnndddddd my computer died and I, apparently, don't have rolling saves.  So everything after Jan 19th is gone....)

January Transfers

Transfers In:

Couldn't help myself, brought in Tonali.  Both he and Stergou are loaned back to their original clubs for the rest of the season.  Kheilven is a RB playing for the U20s.  Sargent provides depth (we have a $11M option to buy at the end of the season.

Transfer Out:

Sold Laxalt to Newcastle.  Not planning on ever using him again so I was happy to see Newcastle bid that much for him.  The rest are 3* or lower players either leaving permanently or on loan with part of their salary paid for.

Games Played:

Unfortunately, the league hasn't been too kind to us

We've scored 1 goal in 3 league games.  Teams are starting to take us more seriously and are packing it in.  We'll have to figure out how to break them down.   Unfortunately, Udinese has pulled ahead of us.

The Italian Cup has been going well.  Sassulo gave us a bit of a scare but we pulled it off in PKs.  We play Inter in the semis.  If we win, we'll play Juve or Roma in the finals.

 

Edited July 11, 2020 by gcoard