When at least one of the four players started from the bench, Milan won the game: it happened against both Empoli and Verona
Tre indizi fanno una prova, i fantastici 4 insieme dall’inizio non funzionano (LaPresse) – MilanLive.it
In Rotterdam it had been practically a must for Sergio Conceicao to rely on the fantastic four together. The Portuguese could not have any other midfielders besides Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders. So instead of deploying Filippo Terracciano in the midfield, he decided to go for Rafa Leao, Joao Felix, Christian Pulisic and Santi Gimenez. A choice, to go all-in, that did not work.
The previous game, against Empoli, the former Porto man had kept out the ten and eleven, as well as the Mexican, relying on Jimenez, Abraham and Musah. The changes then led Milan to win the match. Against Verona, once again, Leao was decisive starting from the off, with the assist for Gimenez. In Tuscany, however, he had also found the goal.
At home against Feyenoord, Sergio Conceicao returned, however, to reintroduce the fantastic four. The approach to the match was great, but a mistake by Theo Hernandez directed the game. Trusting what he saw in the first 50 minutes, the coach thus decided to reintroduce the four strikers all together again against Torino. The chances created were certainly not lacking, with Milan that would have hoped amply to close with several goals in the first half, but still an individual error directed the challenge in favor of the opponents.
Milan, i fantastici quattro insieme non vincono mai
Milan, i fantastici quattro insieme non vincono mai (LaPresse) – MilanLive.it
Rafa Leao, Joao Felix, Christian Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez together from the first minute have been proposed in three circumstances. Three games, two against Feyenoord and one against Torino, in which Milan never managed to win. More than thinking about balance and whether the team can sustain the four forwards, the main problem appears to be something else, Plan B.
It is clear that sending all your best players from the start you need to be able to close the game with them on the field, because the substitutions do not seem to turn out to match those who started. It may be a coincidence, but in the last few games they won, Milan never started with a lineup that saw the four stars from the first minute. Clearly, if things go wrong, Conceicao has to hope that it is Sottil, Abraham, and Chukwueze who will make the difference. Perhaps keeping a few arrows from the bow on the bench, then, might be a good idea
The article Three clues make a proof, the fantastic 4 together from the beginning doesn’t work was written and published in its original version on Milanlive.it.
