Rafael Leao has now not scored for over a month and in many ways he is symbolic of the problems AC Milan are facing in attack, a report has claimed.
This morning’s edition of Corriere della Sera (via PianetaMilan) writes that qualification for the round of 16 of the Champions League is still within reach of Stefano Pioli’s men, but they have not scored a goal yet and the most recent loss against PSG makes things difficult.
Milan are doing badly at the back as they are conceding too many goals, but also badly in the middle and up front. With zero goals in three Champions League matches, Milan need to get firing in Europe otherwise reaching the knockouts will be impossible.
That three-game run without scoring becomes five if you add the two semi-finals lost against Inter in the last edition of the tournament. The problem is serious: Milan, despite the presence of someone like Leao in attack, are yet to score.
The average has gone from almost 3 goals per game at the start of the season to 0.25 in the last four matches. Leao himself is the mirror of this attacking crisis of Pioli’s Milan. He has flair, dribbling, talent, speed, but in the end he never makes the difference on big nights.
In Paris the comparison with Kylian Mbappé was clear. Leao hasn’t scored since Milan-Verona 1-0 on 23 September and the 37-year-old Olivier Giroud is certainly not helping him: two months without a goal from open play.
Winning like this is hard, if not impossible. To try to have a chance of getting through the group, Milan will have to get at least 7 points out of 9 against PSG, Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund in the second phase.
To have a chance, a turning point will be needed both mentally and tactically. It will be up to Pioli to find a solution to the main problem: against the big sides – Inter, Juventus and PSG – they have lost.
The paper adds that when behind, Milan disappear Someone like Theo Hernández, who should be a leader, promptly goes missing. Against strong teams, who have fast attackers in one-on-one situations, leaving centre-backs like Malick Thiaw and Fikayo Tomori alone, defending very high, is a big invitation.
Not to mention tactical suicide. Napoli-Milan will be a crash test: not losing would already be a good first step for the Diavolo at the moment.
Something has affected Theo and Leao this season. They are no longer at the level they were the previous seasons. This a huge deal that our attack has not been able to produce any goals in UCL. If we dont react against Napoli, thats a full blown crisis
It’s formation that’s limiting them. They felt more comfortable in 4231 where they could combine, Theo higher and Leao wider.
We need to go back to 4231.
Sacchi said it best. There is a reason Leao isn’t a guaranteed starter for Portugal. Leao is young and talented but there are several aspects of his game that need improvement. He is a potential superstar but not one yet so he shouldn’t get the superstar treatment. I liked how he was held accountable last season and dropped for a few games. The backheel against Newcastle should have been punished. Not necessarily by subbing or dropping him, but stopping with the “pass first to Leao” that everyone on the team seems to be doing.
You can’t ask Leao to do everything and then blame him for being an incomplete player. The other players need to step up and take more responsibility away from him and the coach should help facilitate that.
Because when he’s not performing no one will.
The symbol of Milan’s crisis in attack of course.
Get back to form lad and do it fast.
Very weak team.
4231 will always be Milan’s best formation.
Theo Hernandez has lost it this season.
Chukwueze Pulisic Leao
Okafor
This will be Milan’s best attack. Put Giroud on the bench.
Milan has lost it, they played their best football matches this seasons after the first 3 games of the season. I don’t know what Pioli told this lads after the loose against inter.
Leao cannot be the center of the Milan project.
He can be a weapon but not the centerpiece.
He doesn’t have the right mentality, attitude, drive, passion that would inspire his teammates. He gives up too easily when things are going wrong. He rarely gives the maximum. If fans can see that so can his teammates.
I think his teammates respect his talent but don’t respect his work ethic or mentality.
The 2000s team was built around Sheva who was at the time even younger that leao is right now.
Sheva performed at the highest stage and his physical preparedness, work ethic, never die attitude and winning mentality was on another level. Installed in him from young age by Lobanovsky.
Leao has been pampered his whole career that’s why he has the need to call Cassano clown on social media because he criticized him.
I remember Zaccheroni saying that Sheva fitness was so good he could play 2 games back to back on the same day.
Leao looks tired by the 15th minute and laboring the rest of the game.
He hasn’t scored in a month which is something consistent with him throughout his years at Milan, nothing out of ordinary.
Perfectly written. Leao is not a superstar. To say he’s lazy is an understatement so I see why we should depend on him to carry the entire team. Pioli is not just good enough to get the team performing well on a weekly basis.
4231 but not with Pulisic in the hole, that’d be too exposed. We had it best when Bennacer played there or even Kessie.
I’d go with either Reijnders or Adli in the no10 hole.
the whole point of 4231 is for the AM to make the magic happen. If we have an AM thats physical and somewhat defensive, whats the foking point?
The formation is not the problem, its how they are being instructed to play.
In 433 both cm can jump up and be an AM which makes the thing unpredictable, but they are not doign that. At all. And we are not using the width of the ptich with the wingers. We are doing nothing, just passing, slowly, and nothing happens
You get more verticality with someone in the hole and you have two pivots dropping down along with a more physical AM. 433 spreading wide just doesn’t work because they leave too much space in between the lines.
Collecting precious points after collapse when either Bennacer or Kessie played in the hole was a fooking point last season.
Thats the point isnt it? You spread the opponent and create space for the cm to run in. I mean RLC did that a bit, but now nothing.
And last season we didnt have Kessie.
Its not the formation thats the issue. I’ll say it a million times if need be.
You can put them in 4231 and they will still play slow, boring, predictable football
Ok
Yes 4 -2 -3 – 1 …please revert back to that system..
I still have complete confidence in poili ,,,but I feel changing the system has meant loss of cohesion and
Changed the play and understanding of players positions on the pitch ..
We will however overcome these challenges and we can definitely win the scuddeto again this season ..
I feel this match against Napoli will hopefully be a turning point for us …Confidence will then return to our team .
This has nothing to do with formation. Its all coaching. Did we all forget how bad we played in a 4231. PPl will say what ever to not blame Pioli. First it was the players, now that he has those players he wanted its something else. ITS PIOLI. Nothing will ever be good enough for him and his supporters.
The number on your back doesn’t mean anything anymore in modern football. Wearing the 10 should mean you’re held to different standards than everyone else. Especially at Milan, the history of the 10 is massive. It demands a certain personality, professionalism, and talent. That should have stacked more pressure on Leo in a “$%^& or get off the pot” moment. No one really cares about numbers anymore. (ex – Adli wearing 7 when that should be Pulisic). There’s a bit of magic behind the meaning of those numbers and you disrupt the balance when it’s not applied correctly. PS – I agree with lot’s of you, 4231 as soon as Chuck is back, just do it.
This guy is an UNRELIABLE PERSON in our team. He ****s it up all the time! How many times have you rolled your eyes at his useless moves.