A.C Milan - Kaka, Pirlo, Schevchenko

[Clince121188]

It's always been a goal of mine to set up the perfect representation of Ancelotti's Milan Diamond.

Before putting it into practice via mainly my memory banks, has anybody got any good articles on the tactic itself or insight from their own personal experiences of it?

From what I can remember, Milan would play with a pretty standard defensive line(although it was considered deep for a top team), not pressing too high up the pitch. Cafu, on the right of defence, would be far more attacking than the left full back - Maldini/Kaladze, with Stam and Nesta a formidable duo in the centre. Pirlo would constantly roam from the base of the diamond with Gattuso, a box to box destroyer type; darting up and down the pitch like an energiser bunny. Seedorf was more advanced than Pirlo and Gattuso, and often roamed out to the flank to make up for a slight lack of width on the left(due to the more conservative left back). Kaka was a driving force on the ball and defenders were often powerless to stop his marauding runs. Schevchenko would generally play slightly deeper than his striker partner and often end up on the right wing. Crespo or Inzaghi would provide a constant goalscoring threat on the shoulder of the centre back.

Any thoughts are welcome.

 

[duca015]

I remember in the same way this Milan team... Only difference is that I do not remember Seedorf been too often on the wing...
I think his role was more like AP-support in central midfield area, and that Shevchenko would often move from center to left side and drive ball from there, likewise, Kaka was more often on right side of Inzaghi or Crespo.

This was essentially counter attacking formation, Pirlo would send long ball on Kaka, Shevchenko or Cafu, they kept possesion deep and try to use as much as possible speed and driblling ability of Kaka,Shevchenko and Cafu.

They had also alternative plan when they need goal, Instead of Maldini/Kaladze on left Sergino would come in, and instead of Seedorf, Ambrosini would come in to provide aerial presence in box to come on the end of crosses...

I also tried offten to recreate this formation, but I could never find right role for Pirlo before, maybe this time with RPM role it could be working. Everything else should be straigth forward... Shevchenko is DLF-att, Kaka is SS-att, Inzaghi/Crespo are Poacher or Advanced forward, Gattuso is BWM-sup, Cafu is WB-att, Kaladze/Maldini are FB /def, or support, and Stam is stoper, and Nesta is cover gay...

Mentality is counter, witdth is slightly narrow... This is from top of my head... Start from there and experiment... I will also try myself...

But you need specific players for this kind of formation... Kaka type of player could be very hard to find...

 

[maxchaplin55]

Pirlo as Enganche, surely.

 

[duca015]

I do not think so... He was coming deep to collect ball, and then drive it with long passes forward, or running with it and playing one two passes in order to create space for long passes, and afterwords he was coming late to edge of area at the end of attacks... For me, this is Roaming Playmaker ... It is like this is the role that was created to be able to emulate Pirlo in FM...

Later, especially in Juventus and Italian national team, he was playing more like DLP-sup, siting deep, not to much running with ball...