Starting from playing as a defensive midfielder for Real Madrid

Milan actually didn't leave much time for Li Ang to adapt.

He arrived in Milan on January 4th, and only started a full-day training session with his new teammates on January 5th.

As a result, before the morning was over, he basically replaced Flamini, who was still in the hospital bed, and was announced by the coaching staff to be included in the player list for Milan's eighteenth round of the league.

At this juncture when Milan is still competing with Naples for the top spot, according to common sense, Allegri will not directly put Li Ang into the starting lineup.

After all, in order to ensure league results, it is safe and secure to send out old players.

Li Ang himself has not yet become familiar with his new teammates, and it will take time to understand Milan's tactics and get used to his teammates.

But the absurd reality is sometimes so fucked up.

Because at present, Ronaldinho has been forced away and Pirlo has been semi-abandoned.

Allegri didn't want to gamble on using young midfielder Merkel, so Li Ang was the only starting choice for the defensive midfielder.

However, before the team officially announced tomorrow's starting eleven in the afternoon, Allegri called Li Ang to his office during the lunch break.

While communicating symbolically with Li Ang for a few minutes, I wanted to give Li Ang a "warning".

After all, Li Ang was the one he named for loan, and he also hoped that Li Ang could withstand the pressure and use his performance to put down doubts from the outside world and within the team.

Although there is the idea of ​​using Li Ang as a "knife" to continue cleaning up the veterans in the team.

But Allegri doesn't think Leon will refuse the temptation of the starting position.

So he was very calm and wanted to remind Li Ang to always remember to stand on his side.

Unfortunately, Li Ang did not agree as honestly as he thought. Instead, he made two very bold suggestions.

"I can actually play as a double defensive midfielder with Pirlo, just like I did with Alonso in Real Madrid, or coach, you can put me on both sides of the midfield. I can do my best to play against the attacking midfielder. Support and protect the lower back.”

When Leon made his suggestion, Allegri thought he had heard wrongly.

Double midfielder?

Playing either side of midfield?

Allegri could barely understand the former, but the latter.

"Do you know what you are talking about, Li Ang? In other words, do you know my intention of loaning you to AC Milan?"

Allegri's expression became serious, and Li Ang nodded quickly when he saw this.

"Of course I know, sir, you want a stronger defensive midfielder, because in your tactical concept, the deep-lying playmaker is no longer so important, as long as the defense in the midfield and backfield can stabilize and increase the possession of the ball. With Zlatan as the core, Milan can still play a smooth and efficient frontcourt attack while strengthening its defense."

Leon's call made Allegri nod with satisfaction, but at the next moment, Leon's turn came again.

"However, I still feel that I can coexist with Pirlo. In other words, when Pirlo and I are on the court together, Milan's midfield will burst out with greater strength and threat than now."

Allegri didn't know where Leon got this confidence. He was a little impatient and wanted to simply refute.

But Li Ang stunned him with his next words.

"Sir, don't you want to regain a 'normal' Pirlo?"

Leon's soul asked the question that made Allegri hold the words "I don't want to" in his throat but he didn't say it for a long time.

After a while, Allegri asked Leon in a strange way, "How can you prove to me? Andrea is already old, Gattuso and Seedorf are also old, can you make them regain their youth?"

"I can't, but I can run better. As long as Pirlo is on the court, in every game, I will do the dirty defensive work that he can't do. I will run the distance that he runs less. I may not be able to do it. I can sweep the midfield and backfield better than the young captain (Gattuso), but my interception efficiency should be higher. Moreover, I can adapt to the new role of sweeping the midfielder and support the organization. "

Seeing Li Ang's uncharacteristically confident look, Allegri gradually made the simplest decision amid various suspicions and entangled thoughts.

In the team group confrontation in the afternoon, when Li Ang was assigned to a group with Pirlo and clearly positioned on the left side of the midfield, almost all the old Milan players looked at Allegri.

But Allegri didn't make any corrections, and just indicated that the group confrontation would proceed normally.

Li Ang was not uncomfortable or timid. After the match started, he actively ran in the wide area on the left side of the midfield.

Pirlo, who is supporting the defensive midfielder, transfers the ball, protects the attacking midfielder Seedorf, and actively assists Antonini in jointly blocking the left wing area.

Even Li Ang made some minor mistakes in coordination due to tacit understanding issues with his new teammates.

But in his new position of left midfielder, he obviously slowly performed beyond everyone's expectations!

Allegri's surprise was palpable.

Li Ang's ability to organize, support and connect the front and backcourts is not considered excellent.

But he has indeed kept up with Pirlo and Seedorf!

He was not bragging, and Allegri had to admit that Li Ang was at least capable enough to assist the core players in running the team in the left midfield.

Li Ang did not show this characteristic of his in previous Real Madrid games.

Even in the training session yesterday afternoon, he just stayed in the backcourt to defend.

So Allegri really didn't know that he was still hiding this trick!

"The organization and support skills are sufficient, and the short-passing skills seem to be more refined than before. Only after playing with Alonso for half a year, can we have such growth?"

Just when questions were popping up in Allegri's mind, Li Ang also showed his usual stable performance on the defensive end.

His large area coverage directly made the left half of his group a "stagnant area" for the opponent's offense.

If you want to hit his side forcefully, it will be uncomfortable for the person holding the ball, and it will also be uncomfortable for the person running without the ball to catch the ball.

Because he is not running around wasting energy, but the route he chooses every time he runs is almost stuck on the "main artery" of the opponent's offense.

There is no way, the defensive position selection is excellent!

With such talent and abundant physical fitness, Li Ang directly transformed into an efficient interception machine, which was very annoying for Boateng and Ibrahimovic who were opposite him.

If they really want to find an opportunity to forcefully attack Li Ang's side, they actually think they can do it, but the efficiency is too low and the energy and physical energy consumed is too uneconomical.

The key is that Li Ang's defense is like a piece of candy. If you throw him away occasionally, he will quickly stick to you and fight with you as if he won't get tired.

In short, it highlights a "torture"!

While Ibrahimovic and Boateng were having a hard time playing, Pirlo was playing smoothly and comfortably for the first time in a long time.

The "excessive" defensive protection provided by Li Ang allowed him to spend most of his energy on organizing the offense.

This is the first time Pirlo has felt this feeling this season.

And in good condition, he also frequently used long and short passes to capture loopholes in the opponent's defense, helping his team successfully draw a 1-1 draw with the opponent in the 40-minute confrontation training!

You know, most of his teammates in the group with Li Ang are currently substitute players in Milan's first team.

It is really not easy to be able to threaten and score a goal on the offensive end, and also withstand the impact of the starting striker on the defensive end.

"Who said he was just a defensive midfielder?"

Boateng muttered something after training, which resonated with his surrounding teammates.

Although Li Ang did not have a wonderful personal performance on the offensive end, his support and organization was no problem at all, and it was enough.

He is good at defense, has plenty of energy, and can integrate into the team's offensive rhythm.

How is this a defensive midfielder who can only do dirty work on defense?

Isn't this the young midfielder Allegri likes the most now?

Seeing their head coach rubbing his chin and his eyes gradually lighting up, Milan's veteran players knew it.

They may change their formation again.