AC Milan have made eight reinforcements this summer and three of them have been for the attack. Taking a look at the players who are currently at Stefano Pioli’s disposal, the attacking focus is clear.
As highlighted by today’s edition of Corriere Dello Sport (see photo below), Milan have clearly made investments for the attack. Combining the goals of the attacking signings and the Milan forwards last season, we have a total of 70 goals.
Olivier Giroud bagged 18 goals in all competitions last season, while Rafael Leao found the back of the net 16 times. Samuel Chukwueze, who will meet his teammates for the first time tomorrow, bagged 13 goals for Villarreal.
Noah Okafor scored 10 goals for RB Salzburg and Tijjani Reijnders, although he is technically a midfielder, bagged 7 for AZ Alkmaar. Finally, we have the return of Lorenzo Colombo, who scored 6 goals for Lecce.
Milan struggled to find the back of the net last season and it’s clear that the management has been focusing on strengthening the attacking department this summer. Pioli will certainly have more tactical solutions for the upcoming season, even off the bench which was one of the main flaws last season.
Christian Pulisic only got one goal for Chelsea last season (not included in the 70 tally) but it’s clear that he also could be a very important player in attack for Milan.
To get the most of this attack we need to play Okafor along side Giroud or Play with Giroud as a Sub. Giroud as the main man is gonna slow down or rob the attack of pace and dreamless movement. My candid observation.
Agreed, but im sure they’ll be those that disagree saying this isn’t FIFA. Realistically you don’t have to be Leão pace but Giroud is extremely extremely slow
Leao is not a “through pass ball” striker. He has no speed. He is more “cross ball striker”…with his big body and heading
I mean Giroud…not Leao. Sorry
I really don’t think Giroud slows down attacks. I think it has been more a matter of defenses knowing they don’t have to worry about anyone else except Giroud and Leao which ends up leaving those two little space. Hopefully that changes this season.
What? Giroud is top at making spaces. After Benzema’s departure, I can say maybe the best in Europe right now. He must play as a starter, he is best at playing like a pivot, picking up the long balls at pass them to midfielders coming in from behind.
Just think about playing with Giroud who is perfect at making up spaces in behind the opposite defense, and with Leao and Chukwueze, who will exploite those spaces created by Giroud.
The fact that giroud is leading our attack next season is a sign we didn’t strengthen up they, we still going to be leao dependent for goals and assists
We have Leao and Chuk. We have Noah. We have Pulisic and Reijnders. Don’t think Oli will be the permanent starter.
Pioli may disagree, that’s my main fear
Giroud should start. He will be much more effective with more than just Leao soaking up defensive pressure. I wouldn’t put youngsters over Giroud’s experience just yet.
Sometimes, some things are simply impossible to predict. This way, last season they could also count on the goals of CDK from the Belgian league, and they screwed up quite a bit there… so, time will tell.
Giroud is the main man .he is not a man with pace ,but he never did have that ,but what he has got is physical strength and for a big man great technique.
This man is the best man to have inside the 18 yard area ,,,that’s where he belongs as long as he has got pace around which he has ,he will score goals ,around 20 in all competitions this season which is not a bad return .please never ever write this man off ..
We have a superb team squad this year ,and a great manager ,,.but it will take time for this new team to gel together, but they will …This squad has got goals in them …We can challenge for the scuddeto again this season and do well in the champions leauge,,
That man Olivier Giroud will be a threat ..yes he will .
I have been involved in football for a long time .
Please remain positive…We won the scuddeto two seasons ago ,last season we reached the champions league semi final …The team we will have now is a better team …it takes time ,but we will be ready .
The attack seems fun, particularly with Okafor added to the mix.
If they do click it could be really interesting.
The main problem will be when we play against the teams lower down who we failed to beat last season, because they’ll drop deep which will neutralise our pace.
There we’ll need a dead-ball specialist. Is that supposed to be Pulisic?
Leao can be CF and pulisic,Chukweze on the wings
Only problem is midfield not who starts on front 3 attack.
Now It is depend on pioli how he can improve himself as a coach, 2 season ago he become champion by brilliantly bring the team boosting the spirit and pace after inter slip, last season he couldnt find any solution about the problems we have, this season he got all new reinforcement so now is on pioli’s hand to bring milan on the track, forza milan
What an absolute embarassment of an article. 70 goals between 7 players is supposed to show the midfield and attack is potent?!?
* 6 players.
This season Pioli got all-new reinforcement. Now It depends on Pioli how he can improve himself as a coach. I am worried!
Last season it was “pass to Leao” football. Now there are many players up front who can cook. It’s up to Pioli to make it work from both flanks not just Leao’s. And Giroud is one of the best target strikers inside the box. With players like Leao, Chuk, Pulisic, Okafor he should have enough proper service inside the box.
The new attack will cook up a 3 course dinner, I just hope there’s enough solidity all round in the midfield to help the defense
You say pioli is not good, yet he won’t the scudetto and manage a champions league finish with injury last season. What killed Milan last season was injury and lack of dept. origi rebic, sale, couldn’t do enough when called upon, especially when we have to rest players for the champions leagues. All loads where on leao without him, winning is not assured and that shouldn’t be.
Be honest
If we are losing and we need to score which player would you bank on to come on and create something or score last season.
We had no one. Orgigi was a waste, rebic lost it.
We had no go replacements for any first team
Player.
But now we have options. Hopefully they will do well.
But please don’t say pioli is bad. You can’t compare the dept inter Milan has with ac Milan. From attack to defence they have more good quality players than us. So why wouldn’t they compete more.
This man pioli since taking over has matched the feet of great coaches like saccchi statically for Milan, with such a squad compared to what sacchi had.
So
I am very sure that this season beside winning the scudetto. Milan will define make the top3 without stress
Agreed Pioli is great.
He’s 1 of 3 coaches in Serie A who have won it – the other two being Allegri (who we sacked) and Mourinho (who is an idiot).
However it’s a myth we didn’t have depth, and Pioli’s two biggest failings are how long it takes him to integrate new players, and his use of depth…..
Most of the new players he’s worked with struggled in their first season including Tonali, Leao, and Brahim. It took months for our best signing last season (Thiaw) to be integrated.
And last season, contrary to popular belief, Pioli did best when he had fewer players available during an injury crisis in the first half of the season when he kept up with Napoli. It was the second half of the season when he had the full squad available (30 players) that he made some bad calls including rotating
7-8 players in Serie A games against Cremonese and Bologna.
To be clear, the reason we struggled to finish 4th last season is because we failed to beat these types of teams, not Juve or Napoli.
So this season he needs to integrate even more new players and he’ll be even more tempted to rotate.
Hopefully he can fix those two aspects of his game.