Why Monza may need to be more pragmatic or else prepare for relegation from Serie A – tactical analysis

A debate has popped up regarding the structure of Serie A in recent times. Like in the Premier League, three teams are promoted from the second division while three drop out. It’s a simplistic format.

However, the system has become quite tedious over the past few seasons. Generally, newly-promoted sides have found it extremely difficult to stabilise in the top-flight division and have commonly dropped straight back down.

It has even been prominently suggested that the league should be cut to an 18-team format as seen in the Bundesliga.

This pressing issue has been evident already in the 2022/23 campaign. Lecce, Monza and Cremonese were all promoted from Serie B for this season. So far, the three sides have picked up merely three points combined and make up three of the bottom four in the league. None have won a game, and already look primed for the drop.

Howsoever, this tactical analysis piece will focus on Monza who are by far one of the most entertaining teams in Serie A. Unfortunately, for the Biancorossi, they have been unable to pick up a single point thus far and desperately need to get some numbers on the board quickly.

This analysis and scout report will focus on Monza’s tactics under the colourful and ever-vibrant Giovanni Stroppa. We will take a look at which areas the Italian minnows need to fix the most in order to try and change their fortunes.

Have Monza changed formation?

One of the factors that change the most when a side is promoted is that the team take a more pragmatic approach. Of course, the reason behind this is that they will be coming up against better opposition where their opponents will most likely be the protagonists in games instead.

There are exceptions to this rule. Leeds United crashed into the Premier League in 2020/21 without respect for any opponent, playing in the same manner which had seen them earn promotion the season prior.

The club owned by the former Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, have taken a similar approach. Last season, during Monza’s promotion campaign from Serie B, Stroppa favoured the 3-5-2 formation as a fulcrum to employ his possession-based style.

Monza set out in this classic Italian formation in 79 percent of the side’s matches, which includes the 5-3-2, followed by the 4-3-3, although this was used in merely 4 percent of the side’s games.

So far this season, there has been no room for tactical flexibility in relation to the team’s base formation. Despite losing all of their opening games thus far, Stroppa has remained loyal to the structure which earned his men promotion in the last term.