Ruben Amorim has barely had time to hang his coat in the Milanello office, yet the fingerprints of a new tactical philosophy are already smudged acros...
Ruben Amorim has barely had time to hang his coat in the Milanello office, yet the fingerprints of a new tactical philosophy are already smudged across the training pitch. In the very first session under the Portuguese coach, a curious positional shift has emerged that should have the Serie A watching closely.Samuel Chukwueze, a winger who has often felt like a square peg in a round hole since his arrival from Villarreal, was deployed in an unfamiliar interior role. Think less traditional winger hugging the touchline and more of a floating, relentless presser drifting between the lines. It is a move that draws an immediate parallel to how Manchester United have begun to use Amad Diallo, a player who has found his voice and his yard of space by stepping inside rather than staying wide.The logic here is sound, is it not Chukwueze possesses the low centre of gravity and the explosive change of pace that makes him a nightmare in congested central areas. Asking him to receive the ball on the half turn, with defenders unsure whether to step out or drop off, could be the key to unlocking a Milan side that has too often looked predictable in the final third. This is not just a tweak; it is a statement of intent.Of course, one training session does not a revolution make, but it offers a tantalizing glimpse of what Amorim values. He appears to be searching for tactical flexibility, players who can interpret a space rather than merely occupy a position. If Chukwueze can replicate the sharp, incisive transitional play that Diallo has brought to Old Trafford, Milan may have just unearthed their most dangerous attacking weapon without spending a single euro in the transfer market. The architecture of this new Milan is being drawn in chalk, and it looks very interesting indeed.
