How Amorim solved the midfield problem: Tactical analysis of Lazio 2-2 AC Milan
AC Milan came from two goals down to rescue a point against Lazio in an entertaining game at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.
Milan went behind for the first time all season when Matteo Cancellieri snuck in at the far post to turn in a low cross. The setback became a hole to climb out of later in the first half when Koni De Winter cleared a ball off Tijjani Noslin’s head and it went in from close range.
Changes came at the break and they gave Ruben Amorim’s side exactly what they needed. Diego Moreira – playing on the left this time – scored a brace inside three minutes to level the game, and with both being lovely strikes.
There were half-chances for both teams to win it, but in the end they would have to do with a point apiece, keeping the Rossoneri’s unbeaten run ongoing. Below is Rohit Rajeev’s tactical analysis from the game.
Set-up and shape
Amorim chose to make three changes to the starting line-up from the team that drew with Juventus last week. Samuel Chukwueze came on at right wing-back, Adrien Rabiot dropped back into the double pivot, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Alphadjo Cisse were named the attacking midfielders.
Milan showed their intentions early by trying to press high up the pitch, going man to man. Modric and Rabiot joined Loftus-Cheek, Cisse and Ramos in pressing Lazio higher up the pitch.
The lack of chemistry between RLC, Modric and Rabiot meant the centre of the pitch was often left vacant.
With Lazio’s 4-3-3 morphing into a 5-2-3 out of possession, they were able to clog the centre and consistently create numerical advantages. This left Cisse isolated in the middle, as we can see here, where he is effectively 4v1’d.
Lazio would often bait Milan into pressing by playing backpasses. This created a huge void in the centre, which Lazio were quick to exploit. Belahyane would sit back while Provstgaard moved wider, allowing Tavares to occupy the central space.
Mifield issues
At times, Milan’s midfield was almost completely non existent. Lazio also instructed both wingers to stay wide, taking them away from Milan’s pressing zones.
Tavares’ dribbling would then attract Milan defenders, creating space for him to switch the play easily.
The problem with Modric dropping deep to dictate play was that it often left a big void in the centre, where his qualities were actually needed. You can see it clearly here, with a huge space in the middle completely unoccupied by a Milan midfielder.
For Lazio’s second goal, it once again comes down to Modric’s positioning and his failure to track back. Chukwueze gets caught pressing higher up the pitch and Lazio use a quick third man combination to draw Gila out of position, creating space for Tavares to drive into.
Modric doesn’t push up to squeeze the space and create a 3v3 in the situation. Gila does well to track Tavares, but when he plays the ball outside to Zaccagni, Modric fails to track his run.
A crucial change
The introduction of Musah brought a new dynamic to Milan’s midfield. Musah became the one tasked with breaking the press, while Rabiot was able to push higher up the pitch.
The two were staggered, as shown in the picture, rather than operating on the same line. It created a dynamic similar to the Kessié–Ismaël or Hjulmand–Morita midfield partnerships.
Lazio pressed in a 5-2-3 shape, and Milan struggled to manipulate the block in the first half. The introduction of Pulisic, Moreira and Musah changed that.
One of the ways Milan began manipulating Lazio’s shape was by baiting the press towards one flank. Once Lazio shifted across, Milan would quickly switch play to the opposite flank and create a micro transition.
Pulisic also helped solve the problem of Lazio’s central overloads. He dropped into the space between the lines, but the Lazio defender didn’t follow him, leaving Pulisic free in space.
As Pulisic dropped into the RDM area, Ramos occupied the space vacated on the right, while Rabiot moved into the No.9 position. A perfect example of Milan using positional rotations to manipulate Lazio’s defensive structure.
The fightback
Milan’s first goal came from the kind of positional rotations and press manipulation you would expect from a positional play team.
Chukwueze and Pulisic both dropped, with Chukwueze receiving with his back to goal before playing a quick 1-2 with Pulisic.
Chukwueze then quickly released Rabiot, who had occupied the No.9 position vacated by Ramos. And, as we know, Milan scored. You can refer back to my earlier tweet on Moreira’s decision making for the final action
The second goal came from Milan’s immediate counter press. Lazio cleared the ball towards Pinamonti, whose role as a No.9 is to hold it up and give runners like Frattesi time to join the attack.
Musah proactively pressed him high up the pitch. By reading Pinamonti’s body language, he was able to anticipate which foot he would use to take his touch. Musah wins the ball back, and his cross is then cushioned into Moreira’s path for the finish.
