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

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

: 2.43 xG created vs 0.39 xG conceded (data source: 

 tell the story, but let me tell you what made Saturday night so special. Christopher Nkunku 

! After eight matches of critics calling him an "expensive flop" and saying we "should've kept Giroud," he shut everyone up in the most spectacular fashion possible.

But here is what really got me buzzing. It wasn't just the goals. It was 

. The tactical discipline and the defensive solidity were off the charts. Verona didn't get a 

! We controlled the match from start to finish. This was the kind of performance that makes you lean back and smile because we aren't just competing. We are ready to win the whole damn thing! So let me break down the last match of 2025 because if this is how we end the year, then 

Pre-Match: The Nkunku Elephant in the Room

Okay, let's talk about the thing everyone was thinking but nobody wanted to say out loud: I was genuinely worried about Christopher Nkunku starting. Not because he wasn't trying. God knows the man had been working his tail off since his 

. You could see it every match—the intelligent movement, dropping deep to connect play, making runs that opened space for teammates, pressing defenders relentlessly. The effort was never in question.

And listen, I get it. Strikers go through droughts. It happens. But when you're the 

, when you've got a reputation to uphold, when every match day comes and goes without a goal—the pressure builds.

 The kind of takes that make you want to throw your phone across the room.



The numbers told a painful story: 8 matches, 0 goals, mounting pressure.

But here's the thing that stuck with me: 

. Every single press conference, same energy. 

"The goals will come. I have complete faith in Christopher. Trust me."

First Half: Allegri's Tactical Chess Game

The Formation - Both Teams Playing 3-5-2, But...

Here's where it gets interesting. Both Milan and Verona lined up in 3-5-2 formations. Same shape on paper. But watch what Allegri did differently.

Now here's the clever bit: our wing-backs didn't play symmetrically. 

 stayed wide on the left, hugging the touchline to stretch Verona's defense horizontally. But 

 on the right? He didn't play as a traditional winger. He tucked inside, operating almost as a fourth midfielder in the central channels.

 By inverting Saelemaekers, we overloaded the midfield. Verona's left-sided defenders didn't know whether to track him inside (leaving the flank open) or stay wide (leaving him free in the middle).

 The Serie A average position map above clearly shows Bartesaghi (#33) playing wide on the touchline, while Saelemaekers (#56) is positioned significantly more centrally, occupying the half-space.

THE MODRIĆ MASTERCLASS: Dropping Deep Like a Midfielder Playing 4D Chess

Okay, this is where I genuinely geeked out, he's still doing things that make me rewind the footage and question everything I know about age curves in football. 

Picture this: Milan's three center-backs have the ball. Verona's sitting in their compact mid-block, waiting. Then Modrić just... 

. Like he's suddenly transformed into a fourth defender.

When Modrić drops deep into the defensive line, he forces Verona's midfielder (Bernede) into a "Pick Your Poison" scenario:

 If Bernede follows Modrić deep, he vacates the center of the pitch.

 A massive gap opens up behind him, allowing 

 to receive the ball on the half-turn with momentum to drive at the defense.

 If Bernede stays put to protect the space, he leaves Modrić completely unmarked.

 Modrić receives the ball with zero pressure, allowing him to lift his head and execute his trademark 

 in the first half. Nine of those sequences (

) resulted in Milan bypassing Verona's first line of pressure and pushing them back into their own defensive third.

48' - The Penalty That Changed Everything

Three minutes into the second half, I'm still riding high from Pulisic's goal. Then 

Nkunku gets the ball about 25 yards out. He's not looking to pass, his body shape is screaming 

 He drives at Verona's defense. Into the box. Nelsson, their center-back, panics and fouls him.

 (players score from the spot about 79% of the time). But this felt bigger than that. This was Nkunku's first Serie A goal after 

He steps up. Cool as ice. Send the keeper the wrong way. 

51' - When Strikers Smell Blood (The Instinct Goal)

This is my favorite goal of the night because it shows 

. It's a powerful drive, but the keeper (Montipò) gets a hand to it.

, Nkunku starts moving forward. He's anticipating the rebound.

 (from 6 yards, unmarked, you're scoring 95% of the time)

But the reason he got there? Pure anticipation

 His first two Serie A goals. The monkey is off his back. The confidence is back.

Okay, let's talk numbers, but in a way that actually makes sense.

 Think of xG like this: based on where shots are taken from, how many goals 

 We didn't just win; we battered them. We created enough high-quality chances to score nearly three goals, while Verona created... well, basically nothing.

This is the stat that proves it wasn't just "lucky counters." We kept the ball better than they did (

 we did it while taking risks to move forward. usually, high accuracy means boring, safe passing. Not today.

 forward-breaking passes compared to Verona's 28.

 We held the ball, we used it better, and we moved it faster.

Not "we saved them all." Not "they hit the post." They literally didn't force Mike Maignan to make a single save.

 Allegri's defensive setup was a clinic. When Verona had the ball:

We pressed strategically only in the right moments.

Alright, let's zoom out. After this 3-0 victory, we are sitting 

But here is why I am genuinely confident this is our year. It’s not just the table; it’s the trendlines.

1. Defensive Stability is Championship-Level

 Defenses win titles, and ours has turned into a fortress. Over our last 8 matches, the numbers are frightening (for everyone else):

 We don't give up big chances anymore. We suffocate teams until they break. 

2. Nkunku's Breakthrough Changes Everything

 Before Saturday, the pressure was mounting: 

Strikers are momentum players. The first goal is always the hardest. Now that the dam has broken, watch out. His underlying numbers were always there, he is averaging 

 (Top 5 in Serie A). Now those shots are finally hitting the net. 

 We have been here before with Max. Historical data on Allegri's title-winning seasons shows a clear pattern in the "Run-In" (Final 12 Matches):

 when the pressure is highest. The man doesn't panic. He doesn't play "champagne football" when it's not needed. He grinds results. And right now, he has this Milan machine grinding perfectly. 

 I've watched Milan for more than fifteen years. I've seen the highs and the banter-era lows. This feels different. We have the 

Tags in Tactical Analysis

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

What a Way to End 2025: How Milan's 3-0 Masterclass Against Verona Proved We're Ready for the Scudetto!