Finding positives after another defeat in a big games is tough, but Luka Jovic’s recent resurgence is something that gives Stefano Pioli more options.
La Gazzetta dello Sport recall that Jovic only ended up at Milan because they failed to sign Mehdi Taremi from Porto and thus had to turn to him right at the end of the summer mercato, and he took a while to get his first goal.
It came during the 3-1 win against Frosinone and it was the goal that got Milan going, while he doubled his tally during the 3-2 loss to Atalanta on Saturday, meaning that Jovic is showing important signs of life.
Consistency is the key, and not randomness. There have been other positive signs though as well such as against Borussia Dortmund when he drew a save and hit the post plus the through ball for Theo Hernandez against his former club Fiorentina that earned a penalty, and then the assist for Fikayo Tomori to make it 3-1.
The game at the Gewiss Stadium ended in the worst possible way, but Jovic’s impact off the bench was something to salvage from the wreckage as he now appears confident in front of goal and able to make the right movements.
Why did he struggle at first? Those who have the opportunity to observe him at Milanello provide two explanations. One is of a psychological nature: like many team-mates in the department, Jovic is a striker who feels the exhilaration of goals but also the depression of drought.
The other is of a physical nature: his petrol runs out too soon and Pioli’s staff are struggling to get him up to speed athletically. Luka is no longer the phenomenon who made Real Madrid fall in love with him during his stay in Eintracht Frankfurt, and yet those numbers in Germany tell a story.
This is why the Serbian is considered an important weapon for the second part of the season. Doing well will serve Milan and obviously also the striker himself because he wants to earn a stay at the club beyond the end of the season.
From the €60m paid four years ago by Real Madrid to being pushed out towards Milan by Fiorentina, Jovic has a desire for revenge. Olivier Giroud will certainly need to be joined by another centre-forward who can provide guarantees in terms of goals, but Jovic doesn’t want to be counted out yet.
