Massimiliano Allegri has insisted that AC Milan are not looking at what Inter are doing, and responded to the idea his side are not improving.
Milan took the lead against AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday night, but ultimately had to settle for a 1-1 draw. The word ‘settle’ might be slightly inaccurate though, given that Roma dominated large parts of the game and generated many more chances.
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When Koni De Winter headed in a corner in the second half, it looked like another potential smash-and-grab under Allegri in a big game. Davide Bartesaghi’s handball inside the box and Lorenzo Pellegrini’s penalty meant that the spoils were ultimately shared.
After the full-time whistle at the Stadio Olimpico, Allegri spoke to DAZN about his side’s performance, then he headed down the tunnel to speak at his post-match press conference. MilanNews published what he had to say.
Are there games that, if you can’t win, you shouldn’t lose?
“Looking at the game, in hindsight we’re all good. In the first half, Roma, after a good start, took the upper hand. Maignan had two or three important shots.
“In the second half, it was a different game and it seemed to be going the right way, but in that case, when that’s the case, then comes the penalty incident.
“We need to make fewer mistakes when teams press. But there’s a good point: we gained a point on Napoli, we’re ahead towards the final objective.”
Is there any disappointment in seeing Inter five points ahead or are you more satisfied with the point gained over their Champions League rivals?
“Regarding Inter, we don’t think about anything, we just think about ourselves. It’s a difficult period. We’re still playing away. In the last few games, we’ve played six away games and three at home. We’re thinking about one thing at a time.
“As I always say, Milan’s goal is to finish in the top four. Whether someone has the ambition to do their best is another matter, but the reality is that Milan must finish in the top four. We’re currently second, but we still have a long way to go. And there’s a lot to improve on.
“Athekame came on and had a good game, and De Winter is also growing well. So, let’s take it easy, keep our feet on the ground, and focus on what we have to do.”
We don’t see any progress in terms of performance levels. Why?
“The first half was a struggle, except for the first seven or eight minutes. I said, ‘Look how clean we are technically tonight.’ Then we made a lot of mistakes and struggled. Of course, keeping up the pace Roma maintained in the first half for 95 minutes would have been difficult.
“We took the lead, and the perception was that it would have been easier for us to score 2-0 than for them to draw 1-1, but there was a penalty.”
Allegri-Ball is becoming tiresome and predictable without a line-up to play it well.
Roma’s press mandated that we play Route 1 ball, but neither Nkunku nor Leao (who should rest/heal) are >70 kg, and aren’t hold-up players.
Roma’s strategy dictated Fullkrug as the starting 9.
Let’s give him and Pulisic 65-70 minutes as starters next time so we have a prayer of breaking the other team’s press and having any semblance of attack.
What’s the fun in that? Allegri wants us to suffer. That’s why he only plays Füllkrug & Pulisic for 15 minutes. Otherwise the fans would/could enjoy the performance too much.
We olay Pulisic and Fulkrug before for but Pulisic was wasting scoring opportunity
So… Pulisic failed in a couple of matches to score goals. That has NEVER happened to Leao, right? Or Nkunku? Remember the sitter in UCL last season where Leao managed to shot wide from an empty net 2-3m from the goal? Or the numerous breakaways he missed last season? LOL, of course not. It’s only Pulisic who has failed to convert chances. 😀 😀 😀 😀
Oh btw, Leao hasn’t been even able to get into scoring chances lately. I’d rather have a player who wastes a couple of chances every now and then than a striker who goes missing the whole match and can’t even get a chance.
Better to create opportunities and waste them than create nothing at all isn’t it?
Yes. It is (even mathematically) impossible to score goals if you don’t get any chances. I thought it was bloody obvious to everyone.
Leao is not HURT…..hE IS lazy,lazy lazy ! He could not win one ball the other day.He cannot play in the middle of the pitch,he needs to be on the wing (1 vs 1) other wise he is USELESS. I blame the coach for this result ,the forward starters should definitely be PULISIC and Fullkrug. WAKE UP COACH !!!!!
Lazy or injured or whatever. The fact is that currently he’s absolutely useless on the pitch.
*play
The attack lacks so much planning. You have five strikers including Gimenez but it looks like a mess. It almost feels like we put together the attack by going out on the street and just bring in the first few people we come across.
This. All the other teams have tactics and trained passing-sequences (or at least they make it look like it’s trained) while we have Nkunku & Leao trying flicks that end up in opponents lap. We have no idea what to do when we enter the last quarter of the pitch. And usually we’ve lost the ball way before reaching that far.
Firstly, Allegri needs a strong back four or even consider switching to a 433 or any notion of attacking football. Our CB’s are still very average, I think people tend to forget that. Last season with the same CB’s we got sliced and diced in transition and lost games.
Secondly, what are the attacking options given to Allegri to play more attacking football? Leao and Puli are wingers which means that if they were to attack off the flanks, we need a poucher in the box. Santi is not that even when fit, Nkunku is more a mystery than a striker. Fullkrug is the only one in theory but Allegri won’t start with him because of the first point I mentioned above. And Vlahovic, while we all think would be Allegri’s choice, neither plays well with his back to goal nor is a good hold up option…
So what are we wanting Max to do exactly here? Corto Muso gets us to CL and he knows it. Whether we will see any of CL money next year for better attacking options is anyone’s guess. But for now there’s isn’s a whole lot to work with.
We can always go back to conceding a sh!+ ton of goals in transition like last season for the sake of more attacking play.
Oops, failed to reply to the correct spot. Look down. 😛
Last year you had a disaster at left and right back. Royal was crap and so was Theo. Also, being honest Mike was poor. I suggest that the biggest difference this year is how good Mike has been. Probably he has saved 9 points. Plus last year there was disruption within the team. The problem this year is that the ball doesn’t get to the forwards or is really advanced to the final third. I’ve stopped judging the strikers because they don’t get the ball where they want it. This is Allegri ball- worthy of a small and fearful team. Yes, they’ll make top four under him but that’s it not just this year but going forward. His last spell at Juve showed this. I know you like to look at the Como game. Como is a team that is over achieving, ACM will be a team that makes the top four in Serie A, but that’s it. Didn’t Pioli get fired for this.
Como took 0 points home that game. Milan took 3. That’s all that matters. Coming off last season, Milan need to clean up and focus on results no matter how they get them. Allegri is doing just that.
It’s not pretty by far, but we’re second and staring at CL positions next season so far. I hope this is a transition year and we improve stylistically next season. But that will depend on Management and who they spend money on.
The formation isn’t the problem. Inter plays the same formation and scores plenty of goals. The lack of personnel to play the formation is the problem.
“The lack of personnel to play the formation is the problem.”
And playing the wrong players too. Nkunku instead of Pulisic. I rest my case.
I’m fine with Corto Muso, Allegri’s strategy is that the Serie A team that gives up the least goals assures itself of a run at the Scudetto.
Our challenge seems to be the build-up from the back against a team like Roma or Como who press. Allegri speaks of the need for more triangle play – which as a former player I know doesn’t always work. Mixing Route 1 ball with some triangle play is needed to unsettle the defense, and to your point, Leao/Pulisic are wingers and Nkunku is a withdrawn striker at best next to a Fullkrug.
Net net, Fullkrug needs to be a 70+ min player more often than not, not a 70 minute substitution, to balance our on-the-ground build-up. I’m less concerned about who the withdrawn striker is but imho Leao needs to rest for a few weeks, he’s useless out there. Hopefully Giminez can be the holding striker backup when he’s healthy.
“Secondly, what are the attacking options given to Allegri to play more attacking football? Leao and Puli are wingers which means that if they were to attack off the flanks, we need a poucher in the box. Santi is not that even when fit, Nkunku is more a mystery than a striker. Fullkrug is the only one in theory but Allegri won’t start with him because of the first point I mentioned above. ”
So… You’re saying that instead of using 3 players (Leao, Pulisic & Füllkrug) on their natural positions, Allegri prefers to use strikers and the strikers he chose are wingers trying-to-be-strikers-and-failing-miserably? Sounds like an effing masterplan. People get Nobel Peace prizes for lesser ideas.
*prefers to use 2 strikers…
I’m not sure if you’re being sarcastic or not, but my point is that Allegri is having to sacrifice an extra attacking player to add stability at the back and defend with 5 because our CB’s aren’t good enough to play with 4 at the back.
It was sarcasm 🙂
After everything Pulisic has done this year you folks still don’t realize that the guy can play anywhere. The Fiorentina game proved that he and Fullkrug could develop some chemistry. Nkunku has always been a second striker. Leao is the guy that doesn’t fit.
This. It’s not about Pulisic “not fitting Allegri’s tactics” because he’d get the job done everywhere in midfield, wings or up front. Allegri has other motives here.
Agree Shaggie96 , LEAO does not Fit !!!
For the first time in the years that i’ve followed Milan, I’m thinking that Leao might be best sent elsewhere. Not sure what for. Transfrmkt has him at $70m value, which would be an absurdly good haul as long as Pulisic is re-signed. I do know that Allegri likes him. My 2c.