From being questioned to being at the top of the list! Allegri completed his revival in 3 months, and four major changes created a new Milan

After losing 1-2 to Cremenese at home in the first round of the league, AC Milan quickly responded and made changes, introducing Rabiot and reusing Modric. After that, there was a wave of outstanding results of 5 wins and 1 draw, and they took the top spot after 7 rounds. Now Milan can clearly see the imprint of new coach Allegri, whether it is tactical adjustments or trust in young players, it is refreshing.

Strict defensive system

The cornerstone of the team built by Allegri is defense. The core slogan of his tactical philosophy could not be clearer: "Refuse to concede the ball." Facts have proved that he is right: in Serie A, if you can defend well, you will often have succeeded two-thirds of the way.

During the summer preparations, Allegri instilled a core principle into the players: "anticipate danger", and the players quickly activated the "danger detector", and their reaction speed even exceeded expectations.

Milan follows clear rules when defending: the formation remains compact and shrinks, forming a five-man defense line (three central defenders plus Sallemax and Estupinian). The three midfielders are close together, while the two forwards Pulisic and Jimenez spare no effort in assisting without the ball. They can be called "model workers".

The key is to avoid losing the ball during the transition between offense and defense. Milan can at most press high in the early stages of the attack, and then retreat to avoid risks. At the same time, we must also be wary of corner kicks and free kicks. These are old problems left over from the Pioli and Fonseca era.

Allegri's team is second only to Roma coached by Gasperini in the number of goals conceded, and ranks first in expected goals conceded. This shows that Maignan has spent more "Christmas Eve" than last season.

Iconic core player

Allegri's DNA is reflected in the core area of ​​the midfield. The defense is mostly from the Fonseca and Conceicao era, while the front four can be rotated. Only the midfield was untouchable. Modric is the commander here. Allegri handed him the keys to the team in the first training session, and he was paired with two midfielders with "Allegri characteristics".

After losing to Cremona in the first round, Allegri made it clear to the club that they needed signings. His attitude was extremely determined. A manager must know how to protest at the appropriate time. This protest brought Rabiot to the team. He is Allegri's absolute confidant. This player can read the coach's mind and can always carry out instructions to the letter. No wonder Rabiot immediately became the main player and seems to have been integrated into the team for many years.

As for Fofana, the situation is different. Allegri didn't know him very well at first, but after a few training sessions he set a goal: "The total goal goal between him and Chik this season must be 15." Fofana seems to be in the middle of a transformation: he can insert into the penalty area without kicking, and can get into a shooting position but does not finish. Fortunately, there is still time to achieve the goal of 15 goals.

Tactical Revolution

Perhaps Milan should have played a three-back system two years ago, but no one has ever pointed it out. Until June, Tomori, Pavlovich, Gabbia and Yashiro were used as a duo, and they struggled as opponents rushed towards the goal, and the midfielders failed to effectively set up a barrier.

Whether it is Reinders, Fofana, Adli, Bennacer, Loftus-Cheek or Moussa as the midfielder, their instincts are more inclined to attack than to defend. Allegri carried out a revolution in the summer, even reversing the market plan (the original plan was to create a 4-3-3 formation with two central defenders, two full-backs and two wingers).

When he decided to switch to a back three, he took the risk but also took the precautions. Among them, Tomori and Pavlovich have benefited most obviously. Now they have Gabia as the backbone of the defence, with three midfielders acting as barriers, supported by wing-backs on both sides. Under Allegri's defensive system, they no longer need to read the game hastily, and sometimes can even boldly attack without worrying about leaving gaps behind them.

And Gabbia, the central defender who performed best last season, has become the leader of the defense: he leads the overall situation and will even "force" Leo to stay focused in training (without taking off his jersey). Moreover, in his "free time", he can score the winning goal in the 89th minute of the Milan Derby.

The growth of young players

Allegri never gives away opportunities easily, and any player who joins his team will quickly understand: the locker room is not a laboratory. In Milan, there is little or no experimental content. The main players almost always appear, and the young players learn by watching.

Having said that, Allegri received a positive response from almost all players, which proves that he knows how to convey trust and create a suitable growth environment for inexperienced players. Derwent may not be content with watching from the sidelines, but when he comes off the bench, he never makes a mistake. Ricci is still in his apprenticeship, but he performed solidly in his first start, perhaps not flashy, but accurate enough.

The most important thing is that Batsagi proved to all Italy why many foreign teams were interested in him before, and why Roma was willing to pay for his air ticket to Italy. Allegri regarded Batsagi as the only substitute on the left at the beginning of the season and did not ask for the introduction of experienced players. When Estupinian returned from international duty, Allegri handed the responsibility directly to him and he responded brilliantly, displaying two of his best qualities: defensive solidity and a hitherto underrated ability to cross from the left.

Gattuso naturally had other favorite candidates in his mind, but when he visited Milanello, he also asked Allegri about Batsagi. This is tantamount to saying: "I'm paying attention to him." For Bartsagi, the road to growth is still long, but Milan now knows that they have this young full-back born in 2005, ready to contribute at any time. This is no longer a given.