There is an unwritten rule that Massimiliano Allegri has turned into a career-defining dogma: 

 (The game is simple, but it isn't easy). While modern managers obsess over 2-3-5 rotations and inverted fullbacks, Allegri's success has always relied on a singular, ancient structural requirement: 

. He demands a striker who does not play for himself, but for the geometry of the team. From Ibrahimović to Mandžukić, and now to Füllkrug, the lineage is unbroken.

There's a reason the No. 9 at Milan always feels heavier than the shirt itself. It isn't just goals. It's a memory. Van Basten's beauty, Inzaghi's obsession, Zlatan's inevitability, Giroud's calm. Every generation adds another layer of expectation until the number stops being a position and becomes a test of identity.

in an Allegri-style team, the No. 9 is often less "hero" and more system component

. Not a crown. A lever. A release valve. A way to turn pressure into territory, and territory into a moment. Allegri's best sides have been built to win different kinds of games rather than insisting on one pure ideology. That mindset fundamentally changes what "great striker play" even looks like. Sometimes it's not about domination, it's about survival with purpose.

So if you want to understand Allegri's No. 9, don't start with highlights. Start with a question: 

when the game gets messy, who helps the team breathe?

The Philosophical Foundation: "È Molto Semplice"

The answer begins in Allegri’s 2019 publication, 

), where he outlines his "32 Rules for Football." Allegri argues that tactical complexity is often a mask for poor fundamental understanding. His central thesis emphasizes "knowing your players' characteristics" above rigid systems, which leads directly to his requirement for a 

—a player capable of functioning as a structural lighthouse when the midfield is submerged.

This isn't anti-football; it is intelligent pragmatism. According to tactical analysis regarding 

 necessitates a "long-ball outlet" to prevent fatigue. Without this escape valve, the team is forced to play through sustained high pressure, dramatically increasing the 

 in the defensive third, exactly where turnovers are most lethal.

 The evidence is found in the data of the 2011/12 Scudetto-fighting campaign. While critics remember "long balls," the data reveals 

 They used Zlatan Ibrahimović as a singular bypass mechanism. In that season, Ibrahimović was directly involved in 

 (28 goals, 8 assists)—the highest individual dependency rate of any player in Europe’s top five leagues.

 verticality. Zlatan’s ability to kill high passes allowed him to generate 

 (Serie A leader), proving that the "Bypass" wasn't a desperation clearance. It was the team's primary playmaker.

We don't need to guess if Füllkrug fits. The data shows he is a near-perfect clone of Allegri’s most successful Scudetto-winning strikers.

 Füllkrug leads all contemporary strikers in aerial duels won per 90 (3.813.813.81) while maintaining elite holdup efficiency (71.5%71.5\%71.5%). This mirrors Zlatan's 2010-11 role, not as the primary scorer, but as the 

 that collapses defenses and creates space for runners.

The Milan Paradox: Archetype vs. Function

This brings us to Milan's present challenge, and it's a significant one.

Milan currently possesses elite "Runners" but lacks the "Anchor" to release them. This creates a 

Rafael Leão, Christian Pulisic, Alexis Saelemaekers, and Christopher Nkunku, 

space occupiers, runners, or second strikers

. These are not players who want to receive the ball with their back to goal. They want to attack space, exploit gaps, and arrive late into danger zones. Meanwhile, 

, while talented, is also not the Allegri archetype, he's more of a penalty-box poacher than a physical reference point.

. Allegri's system demands a player who can act as the anchor, but Milan's attacking personnel are designed to function 

 space through physical presence. It's like having a tactical jigsaw puzzle where the central piece is the wrong shape.

Why do Leão and Pulisic struggle in tight games? Because they are being asked to create space rather than exploit it.


The uncomfortable reality is that Milan's attacking cast—Leão's explosiveness, Pulisic's off-ball movement, Nkunku's versatility are all predicated on having someone ahead of them who can do the dirty work. They need a striker who can win duels in the air, hold up play under pressure, and allow them to arrive late into the spaces created by that gravitational pull.

Without that reference point, even brilliant players can look disconnected. The system collapses into a collection of talented individuals rather than a cohesive structure. 

Conclusion: Building to Support, Not Just to Acquire

"Have we built a Milan that can support any No. 9?"

If the answer is yes, then talent shines. If the answer is no, then even good strikers look average, and the shirt becomes an impossible burden.

Allegri's philosophy has always been simple: know your players' characteristics, and build a system that amplifies their strengths while covering their weaknesses. The "Bypass Blueprint" isn't about playing long balls because you lack quality, it's about having the 

 to escape pressure when opponents force you into difficult situations.

With Füllkrug, Allegri would have his anchor. With Leão, Pulisic, Saelemaekers, and Nkunku, he would have the runners who profit from that anchor's gravitational pull. The theory is elegant. The question is whether Milan can execute the practice, whether they can integrate a physical reference point without sacrificing the dynamism that makes their attackers special.

FBref.com - Niclas Füllkrug: Scouting Report (2024/25)

Opta Performance Data - Striker Metrics Across Europe's Top Five Leagues

The Mixer: The History of Premier League Tactics

Spielverlagerung - "Centravanti di Manovra: The Tactical Striker in Italian Football"

The Athletic Football Tactics - "The Gravity of the No. 9" by Liam Tharme (2024)

Lega Serie A Official Statistics - Season 2010/11 vs 2024/25 Comparison

Lega Serie A Official Archives (2012) - Long Pass Completion Data

Coaches' Voice - Tactical Analysis Archives on Allegri's Juventus

Tags in Allegri

Allegri's No. 9 and the Art of Escaping Pressure