After the draw between AC Milan and Juventus, Massimiliano Allegri shared his thoughts with the media on the Rossoneri’s performance.
It was far from a super entertaining game at San Siro, although that is exactly what many predicted given the history of this fixture. Furthermore, the importance of this game in the Champions League meant both sides got a bit careful towards the end.
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Afterwards, Allegri spoke to DAZN (via MilanNews) about the performance and the mentality of his players. He insisted that it’s a crucial point as Milan are now just two wins away from the Champions League, needing just six points.
On the match management…
“It was a very tactical match, the stakes were high. Both teams had chances. The boys defended well, except for a cross that David picked up. The point is a step forward, now we need two wins to qualify for the Champions League. These are balanced matches, and we had the right attitude.”
On the match…
“Against Udinese, we conceded three goals without realising it. Today, we allowed a few counterattacks, but we defended well. I can’t say anything bad to the lads.”
On Leao…
“I’m a fan of Rafa. He played well today, one of his best performances. It’s clear that someone like him has to decide matches. He needs to improve, but I don’t think he can expect consistency; it’s something he hasn’t had even in recent years.
“He’s one of those players who lights up at the right moment. Today, he also helped defensively and he had a good attitude, so I’m happy. He also made a couple of accelerations that he hasn’t been able to make lately. I think it was one of his best performances.”
On Pulisic…
“He’s a very sensitive guy, so the fact that he doesn’t score affects him more. He’s a player who gets into tackles and struggles more, he suffers more from this. I have to try to give the team balance, playing without a real centre forward, he struggles more.”
On the Champions League…
“We’re six points away, two wins away. We need to be more focused in the final 25 meters. Am I more relaxed? The result is the sum of the points. This is an important point because now we are six points away, not seven. Now let’s prepare well for Sassuolo.”
Milan will be up against Sassuolo next, which is a game they should absolutely win. The good news is that none of the players at risk of suspension were carded today, so they will be available against the Neroverdi.
Pulisic is a sensitive guy is code for he’s a p##sy. He can leave.
Hopefully he does. Don’t see him putting up with this crap football next year.
He’s not the one crying every time he gets benched or booed (not that he’s ever getting booed because he works for the team). So, who’s the real p##sy here, eh?
“Allegri: You cannot expect Leao to have consistency in his performance. He never has been, not even four or five years ago.”
Milan decided to make him a center of their project. A player from who you shouldn’t expect consistency because he never had it is the player Milan decided to build around and they wonder why they are in the current predicament.
Milan will never see the best version of Leao again as long as he is being played as a 9.
Perfectly said!! He is not and will never be a 9
Again and again, why do the team have to adapt to a single player? It’s the other way around. It’s not like he’s being move to be a midfielder for God sake. Too many examples of players being moved from wing to striker (or simply can cover both roles seamlessly) and still performing.
And he’s still able to drift to his left side when needed, as showed in the last match. So it’s beyond just his position on the field. It’s more towards his fitness and mentality issue.
The skillet needed to be a winger and a CF aren’t same.
The skillet needed to be a CM is different from that of a DM and they both play in the midfield.
If your style of play is flare, speed and dribbling, then you’re a winger every day of the year.
Your point stated was why Di María was moved from being a winger to CF at Man United and he flopped badly after scoring 26 goals as a winger the previous season.
As far as im concerned. Leaos time with milan is up. Sometimes its just time to part ways and its that time. We thought after his great scudetto season that he would take the next step and be world class but hes got worse every season. He cant even dribble and beat his man no more.
“He needs to improve, but I don’t think he can expect consistency; it’s something he hasn’t had even in recent years.”
Allegri saying it out loud. Sure he’s being played out of his natural position but I also think he’s at the end of his natural cycle with us.
Leao is lazy, has 0% grinta to run after the ball when he loses it, and especially very predictable in his dribbles.
He doesn’t produce anything new, the same old dribbel and try to pass the defenders with his pace.
Defenders aren’t morons, they know exactly what he will do and so he fails everythime he tries something.
He should leave Milan asap.
LEAO u Barci, Realu, Sitiju ili Bajernu bio bi sasvim drugi igrač !!! bio bi bolji sa više ljepih dodavanja i prodora sa više vica u igri i više golova !!! Milan i njegova taktika i igra prema nazad Leaa ubija — da ne govorim da je na krivom mjestu !! A kad i dobije loptu mora sve sam a ima dva ili tri igrača na sebi – ustvari nema sa kime igrati i kombinirati Ako se i dogodi nešto to je jednom ili dva puta po utakmici !! O klubovima koje sam naveo on bi bio opasan i u prilici barem DEST DO PETNAEST PUTA VIŠE nego sada !! Dakle tamo bi bio drugi BOLJI OPASNIJI Leao !!!
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Well, if this was Leao’s best game you really have to question Allegri’s decision to start him over and over again.
Objectively speaking, his performance last night was better than most of his recent matches. And you know Allegri, he’s the protective figure and it seems like he just want to avoid Leao being fallen even deeper.
I know that it was. And that’s what bothers me. You can’t wait for someone to perform again for that long time. Not when you try to stay on top.
But on the other hand, when you prefer Füllkrug over Gimenez (again….) you can’t be taken serious any more. Even coaches have their blackouts sometimes.