Stefano Pioli will lead his AC Milan side out tonight against Bologna looking to make it five league wins in a row and to put some pressure on Inter and Juventus.
The press conference that Pioli gave on the eve of the Bologna game was longer than usual, purely because there were so many angles to explore, and you can read it in full here.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) recalls some of the key things that he said in his comments, starting with the response to Olivier Giroud who claimed the team are out of their stormy patch.
“The storm has not passed, I know how they go these things. In a season there are ups and downs,” is what the response of his coach was.
However, Milan have won four games in a row matches, while they have scored three goals in three league games in a row. If Milan win tonight, they would reach 48 points in 22 matchdays, the same as in the 2022-23 Scudetto-winning season.
There are two problems. The first: in 2022 Milan made few mistakes in the Spring. The second: Inter and Juve are going at a very high pace and seem difficult to catch.
The most interesting phrase tactically, however, was as follows: “We must continue our style, which is to defend by controlling the game more. We don’t have to force many plays. I believe we will never be such a solid team without the ball, but we can be with the ball.”
The key names are Adli and Reijnders, now good friends. With them in front of the defence, Milan dribble, go long less, control the ball and pace. For this reason it will be interesting – and not obvious – to see who will play when Ismael Bennacer returns.
The ingredients of the positive run, step by step, come together. Possession is a tactical key, as is the approach to the match, because Milan are the team that score the most goals before half-time.
“We score more than anyone in the first half and we are the team with the most goals from substitutes,” Pioli said yesterday. He’s right: the number is nine and it’s a big change from 2022-23, where the bench was terrible.
The third ingredient is the head, because winning brings calmness. Milan hope Mike Maignan is also calm after the racism incident in Udine, but Pioli is not worried.
“I found him serene, strong, proud of the support he received,” he said. The club organised a special moment during Milan-Bologna, to remember that change is an imperative.
What’s left? A comment on the news of the day, Jurgen Klopp’s farewell to Liverpool: “I would like to try this situation. Arriving at 9-10-11 years in a club and then saying ‘maybe it’s time to change’.”
Emulate Klopp? In fact CTN you emulate nothing bit a brainless spinless coach
Shut your mouth, he’s one the best coaches in the history of Milan
Do you only start to support Milan after we got the Scudetto, which, mind you, was achieved by Pioli?
People so easily forget how bad we are pre-Pioli I the banter era, and how much Pioli actually achieved with us. Even if it’s time to change, we should have nothing but gratitude for him.