FM 2019 sim: what would happen if Arsene Wenger DID take over at AC Milan?

Arsene Wenger managing another club other than Arsenal? It seems almost implausible but speculation has been increasingly intensifying in regards to a sensational swoop from AC Milan.

However, Wenger has since labelled those reports “fake news” according to ESPN. But it’s still intriguing to imagine how things would go if it did happen.

It would mark a reunion between Ivan Gazidis and his once trusted employee, with the Frenchman reportedly in line to take over from club legend Gennaro Gattuso, despite a positive start to the season.

Should Wenger take the reins at the San Siro and become the Rossoneri’s new manager, would he be able to recapture his former glory days of that remarkable ‘Invincibles’ season, or has the 69-year-old truly lost his golden touch?

Well, Squawka have taken to Football Manager 2019 to find the answers. Read on to find out what would happen if Arsene Wenger took over at AC Milan.

Domestic achievements

First things first, unfortunately but not unexpectedly, Juventus win the Serie A title for an eighth consecutive season, and quite convincingly at that, losing just three matches, and accumulating 95 points, but in quite typical Wenger fashion, he managed to mastermind a fourth-place finish for the Rossoneri. Cue the obligatory dressing room selfies.

In the end, Milan finished seven points above fifth-placed Roma, and would end the season where they presently sit under Gattuso’s watch: in fourth. Unfortunately for Wenger, his side were considerably off the pace from Serie A’s top three sides, proving an all too familiar story for the Frenchman.

Milan managed 21 victories, nine draws and eight defeats, while also registering a positive 22 goal difference; not a bad achievement for his maiden campaign in Italian football, and the veteran tactician also achieved Champions League football for the club, ending their six-year exile from Europe’s elite competition.

Under the stewardship of Wenger, the habitual Champions League club have finally reinstated themselves among the continent’s finest football clubs and will once again compete on the grandest of all stages.

And if that wasn’t enough, Wenger’s second crowning glory came as his side lifted the Supercoppa Italiana, though he would not be able to replicate those achievements in the Coppa Italia.

Continental achievements

In the Europa League the Rossoneri were dealt a moderately simple group with Sevilla the only significant worry for Wenger’s side, while Hibernian and Sheriff Tiraspol would not prove too troublesome.

Milan topped the group without defeat, winning five and drawing just once, as well as scoring an impressive 15 goals and conceding twice. The first knockout round would see Wenger’s side fend off stiff competition against Real Betis, winning 3-2 on aggregate, including a 2-0 away victory at the Benito Villamarin.

Serie A rivals Atalanta would be the club’s next challenge, and once more a 3-2 victory for the Rossoneri would see them progress through to the next round, again with Wenger’s men winning the away fixture.

However, any chance of European glory would come to an abrupt end in the quarter-finals, as Milan lost out to German outfit Bayer Leverkusen, losing 3-1 on aggregate across the two legs.

Transfers

In

Not known as a huge spender during his time with Arsenal, Wenger brought in just a couple of new recruits at the San Siro, noticeably with the £8m acquisition of  Shakhtar Donetsk winger Marlos, as well as attacking midfielder Gustavo Scarpa from Palmeiras.

Other than that Wenger refused to wave the chequebook around, though Lucas Paqueta did join the ranks, however, the Brazilian playmaker had already agreed terms before the Frenchman’s arrival.

Out

In terms of players sold, there were two high-profile departures from the club with talisman Suso joining the books at Paris Saint-Germain for £37m, rising to £48.5m, and Ivan Strinic to Newcastle United for £7m.

Elsewhere youngster Manuel Locatelli, who is currently on-loan with Sassuolo was sold for the rather diminutive fee of just £10.75m.

Formation and style of play

Wenger predominantly utilised the classic 4-2-3-1 formation, a system he used countless times during his tenure in north London, and it proved very successful in getting the best out of Gonzalo Higuain – a player Wenger has made no secret about wanting to work with in the past.

The Argentine marksman netted an impressive 21 goals in 42 appearances while playing the lone striker role, showing that Wenger was able to give the 30-year-old the requisite service to thrive under.

Elsewhere Gianluigi Donnarumma was an ever-present between the sticks, while the defence consisted of a centre-back partnership between Mattia Caldara and Alessio Romagnoli, and the full-back positions were occupied by Davide Calabria on the right and Ricardo Rodriguez on the left – not too dissimilar to Gattuso’s current crop, though Mateo Musacchio usually gets the nod.

Going forward Giacomo Bonaventura and Franck Kessie functioned as a double pivot, while stalwart Lucas Biglia was dropped from the XI altogether in favour of the more attack-minded Hakan Calhanoglu, who was positioned in attacking midfield.

On the flanks Samu Castillejo and Marlos offered great width and precision, and both wingers netted eight goals apiece across all competitions during Wenger’s inaugural season.

Notable talking points

In terms of his overall achievements during his first season, getting Milan back into the Champions League can only be viewed as a massive success, and lifting something tangible – albeit the Italian Super Cup – will stand the Frenchman in good stead going forward.

Wenger would ultimately place fourth in the rankings for the Serie A ‘Manager of the Year’ accolade with a 55% win ratio, as his side conceded the sixth-least number of goals (34), scored the fourth-most (56) and had the third highest average possession across the season (57%).

Given the Rossoneri’s stagnation in recent seasons, the appointment of Wenger could prove a massive turning point in the club’s history.

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