Pioli and the return to 4-2-3-1: Leao is preparing to return to the old Rafa

Last Sunday’s goal against Luxembourg was a sort of sentence for many, if not all. Of official test certified with sealing wax stamp. For those who haven’t seen it, Rafael Leao skidded on the left, centered, jumped two opponents like slalom poles and deposited in the hole. It was the sixth and last goal of the Portuguese hailstorm against the Luxembourg reds and therefore the goal is superfluous for the three points. It was the dynamics that weighed heavily, which suddenly awakened the nostalgic Rossoneri fans of the old Rafa. The one that, in fact, flared up in the band and sowed panic.

Thoughts

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A consequence – also – of Roberto Martinez’s game system who, like his predecessor Fernando Santos, uses the trident in attack. That personal and winning action by Rafa was decidedly symbolic because it hasn’t been fashionable in Milan for a while. Kind of why Leao his head is visibly full of thoughts – legitimate, God forbid: his future is at stake – and with his head crammed with question marks it’s not easy to free his legs. A bit because the change of game system decided by Pioli to plug the numerous leaks in the Rossoneri’s keel evidently didn’t help him. In words, no problem. Pioli has explained several times that he had confronted Rafa on the new tactical arrangement, obtaining a convinced yes. Indeed, more: the coach explained that it was the player himself who told him that he would be better off as a second striker. However, at first glance, even if perhaps superficial, the difference in performance between the 4-2-3-1 and the 3-4-2-1 appears quite evident.

Mechanisms

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First reasons that catch the eye? For someone like him who devours opponents with muscle strength and, only later, with that of technique, playing more centralized means more often than not having less space. Not only that: for the game developed by Milan in a three-man defense version, Leao struggles to have depth and more often than not ends up crushing the opposing defenses.

In reality, coach and player have adopted some corrective action, moving away from Giroud a bit and looking for spaces on the wing also in the context of a 3-4-2-1. But the presence of a real wing doesn’t help mechanisms that were still new. That’s why the return to 4-2-3-1 – this is the scenario based on what has filtered through Milanello in the last few days – is greeted favorably by the fans and, who knows, maybe even by the person concerned. Who has been waiting for the goal for too long now: the last one for the Rossoneri is dated 14 January (Lecce), when the Diavolo was still wearing a 4-2-3-1 formation. That’s right: it means that with the 3-4-2-1 Rafa never punched. Also poor assistance to teammates: only one assist.

Dribble

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More numbers? The average number of shots per game has decreased, as well as the chances created, as well as the key passes. On the other hand, successful dribbling is on the rise, therefore going against the trend: and this is a good response to those who have returned to judging him indolent. Returning to the goals, let’s close with a couple of notes. The first: just look at the heat map in the graph to see how in the 4-2-3-1 Rafa is definitely more present in the area than in the other system of play. The second: Napoli is the only big for which he hasn’t scored yet. No need to add anything else.