AC Milan have gone from conceding several goals per game to looking back to their most solid, but the numbers suggest the current approach may just be a temporary one.
Calciomercato.com write how the three-man defence has brought about some solidity that simply needed to come back after the games against Lazio, Sassuolo and Inter. In the last three games against Torino, Tottenham and Monza, Ciprian Tatarusanu had less to do.
The shots on goal allowed dropped by half up to the hour mark of the game on average but then increases again in the final phase of the matches, such as the one at the U-Power Stadium last night where Palladino’s side threw everything at Milan, who stood firm.
Speaking of the individuals, Malick Thiaw is the added value at the moment and was MVP at Monza for the second consecutive game, bringing freshness and physicality but above all balance as Simon Kjaer failed to do previously, because he is not in the best physical condition after coming back from injury.
Fikayo Tomori is back from a hip problem and instantly looked at ease in the three-man defence, while Pierre Kalulu played at a high level in the last two outings thanks also to being on the right side of the back three, allowing him to tuck in for cover or push up the right side to support attacks.
Less chances conceded and the performance of the individuals has improved, but now the performances in general must too. Against Monza, Milan had less possession for the third straight game, something which has not happened since 2016-17 under Vincenzo Montella.
Now the defence has regained confidence, the focus shifts to getting the game under control more and generating more threatening attacking play.
