(01-26-2020, 06:42 PM)nefremo Wrote: [ -> ]We are massively underrating Bennacer's contribution defensively. He is like a busy bee. Always pouncing on the attacking midfielders and trying to win the ball. Many times he does. Some times he fouls, even though most of the calls aren't even fouls...they just look it because he uses a lot of intensity to get the ball in order to compensate for his size.
I think the problem with not winning the ball in the midfield has more to do with our team defending. I think we have to change our approach and the spacing between the lines. Adding 1 DM next Bennacer won't change much (although it would help) in this curent set up imo.
Maybe, you're right that he plays with a lot of intensity, and he's not awful defensively. It just doesn't look like that's where his real strengths as a player are, but rather that he is doing the best he can because he has to. I would rather free him up a bit from those duties by having a solid DM next to him, so that he'd have more space to pass the ball around. We could let him be more creative if we had someone good next to him to do the grunt work.
You're absolutely right about the team defending though, that is a big part of it as well. I think if we are going to play this kind of possession based football that we seem to be aiming for, where we do run a bigger risk of losing the ball when going forward, we basically have to push the central defenders higher up to leave fewer gaps between them and the central midfield. But I think that for that to work well, we still need a strong DM, in addition to a very fast CB to play alongside Romagnoli. If we can succeed at that, we're actually talking about actually a pretty classic Milan style of football based around dominating the opposition. Add a really good all-round forward to that (who's not 38, regardless of how much I love Ibra), and we're truly in business again.
I guess what I am missing is for us to be able to take control of the match in the centre of the pitch, even against opponents who are not afraid to pass the ball around quickly and attack us.
(01-26-2020, 07:16 PM)devoted_dm Wrote: [ -> ]Maybe, you're right that he plays with a lot of intensity, and he's not awful defensively. It just doesn't look like that's where his real strengths as a player are, but rather that he is doing the best he can because he has to. I would rather free him up a bit from those duties by having a solid DM next to him, so that he'd have more space to pass the ball around. We could let him be more creative if we had someone good next to him to do the grunt work.
100% would like to free up Bennacer of big defensive responsibility (although obviously all 10 have to defend in modern football). But for me, that's changing his position. If we keep playing a 442, and Bennacer is one of the 2 CMs, you can add a great DM next to him and that will help, but it won't necessarily take responsibility off Bennacer. He'll still have to pull his weight and cover his side just as much.
The key, for me, is to get him out of that deep position. He needs to be further up. He can use his tenacity there to be the first pressing midfielder and hustle the opposing deep playmaker, but won't have too much responsibility in our own half. At least not until we've fallen into a defensive shape and defend deep, which is fine because he'd have 2 mids behind him to cover him and the space.
Imo, we finally have a player in the midfield worth building around. We need to put Bennacer in his best position (that's not a deep playmaker imo) and build the rest of the midfield around that. I would play him as a RCM (in a midfield 3), CM/ACM (in a 2 pivot system where he is just ahead of the 2 pivots and has freedom to attack either side) or RCM/ACM (in a diamond midfield).
(01-26-2020, 02:33 PM)AC_Troy Wrote: [ -> ]Milan are in contacts with the agent of Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis but still have to formulate an offer. The Rossoneri want him on loan with option to buy. Benfica would accept this deal formula with the inclusion of a high buyout fee [@DiMarzio]
Not sure how much that buyout fee should be, but shouldn't be too high if he doesn't even play for them... If it's like €30m or more we won't be able to take up the option anyway.
Btw: Shocked to hear about the death of basketball legend and Milan-fan Kobe Bryant. RIP.
https://mobile.twitter.com/acmilan/statu...8672582659
sad news when i woke up, rip kobe and his daughter..
Terrible news. Such is life. Rip
negoation advances with sevilla, 18 months loan with obligation under certain conditions.
(01-26-2020, 08:31 PM)nefremo Wrote: [ -> ]100% would like to free up Bennacer of big defensive responsibility (although obviously all 10 have to defend in modern football). But for me, that's changing his position. If we keep playing a 442, and Bennacer is one of the 2 CMs, you can add a great DM next to him and that will help, but it won't necessarily take responsibility off Bennacer. He'll still have to pull his weight and cover his side just as much.
The key, for me, is to get him out of that deep position. He needs to be further up. He can use his tenacity there to be the first pressing midfielder and hustle the opposing deep playmaker, but won't have too much responsibility in our own half. At least not until we've fallen into a defensive shape and defend deep, which is fine because he'd have 2 mids behind him to cover him and the space.
Imo, we finally have a player in the midfield worth building around. We need to put Bennacer in his best position (that's not a deep playmaker imo) and build the rest of the midfield around that. I would play him as a RCM (in a midfield 3), CM/ACM (in a 2 pivot system where he is just ahead of the 2 pivots and has freedom to attack either side) or RCM/ACM (in a diamond midfield).
Interesting convo between you two. I actually prefer Bennacer deep because he is so Strong with the ball at his feet. He operates well in small spaces to connect defense with open midfielders. He also sits in passing lanes to intercept balls well. He needs a true defensive mid because he is picking up stupid fouls to break up transition. I imagine part of this is because he assumes Kessie won’t be in position (due to poor positional player and playing out of position) and he is gaining a reputation as aggressive.
A better deeper defensive player could actually enhance Bennacers defensive look kind of like how Baka made Kessie look good. He can stay aggressive but not have to make the fouls to break up transitions. It will also give him more freedom to support attacks.
Our team defending remains atrocious. I still have no idea why we press as there is little to no coordination between mid and forward lines. Time and again opponents pass their way out of it and quickly have our players running backwards.
RIP Black Mamba
