AC Milan have made four signings so far this summer, and they already smiling about one of them – Strahinja Pavlovic. The Serbian has been impressive, even if the Rossoneri have been poor defensively.
In the same way that one player does not make up an attack, one player does not make a defence, no matter how good that player is, and this is the case with Pavlovic. Whilst Milan have been on the end of two poor performances, there has been a player to take notice of according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
Although the biggest issues lie with the defence, the Serbian defender has been a shining, ‘smiling’ light providing something to hold onto when the ‘ground is crumbling’ around the Diavolo’s feet. As a collective, the defence is poor, but Pavlovic is keeping them respectable.
After Malick Thiaw’s performance against Torino, change was needed at the back, and that arrived in the form of the Serbian’s first start. Of course, there was a short period of embedding himself into the team against Parma, but after the defender was fearless and ‘took possession of his new team’.
With a yellow card in the 34th minute, Gazzetta suggests there were two ways of continuing – cautiously or courageously. Pavlovic chose the latter and impressed by doing so. He held his head high, his choices were great, he played with bravery and his actions were fantastic – things that cannot be said for his teammates.
With seven tackles won, 16 duels won, and three positive passes – the most of anyone on the team – Milan can look to Pavlovic in difficulty, and if the match against Parma is anything to go by, they will find a rock.