AC Milan were dumped out of the Europa League by Roma on Thursday night, and the team once again failed to turn their chances into goals.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport report, the stats say that Milan shot 20 times during the 2-1 defeat in the return leg at the Stadio Olimpico. An overall figure (source Opta) that is then narrowed down to four shots on target, with six off target and 10 blocked.
The only goal of the entire tie for Milan was scored by a central defender and it came when the game was over. The numbers don’t add up, especially with the aggravating circumstance that the Rossoneri played for over an hour with a man advantage.
Speaking of aggravating factors, to complete the gloomy scenario of the match against the Giallorossi, it is necessary to underline the data from the match at San Siro within the same parameters: 25 total shot, five on target, nine off target and 11 blocked. Roma produced 10 shots, and won 1-0.
The 25 shots at San Siro are not a record, but to find more – without having scored – you have to go back to January 2023 (34 against Torino in the Coppa Italia). The statistics from Milan-Newcastle last September also remain well imprinted in the memory: that time too 25 shots – of which six on target in the first twenty minutes – but not goal.
The total disproportion between the number of attacks/shots and the goals scored is a fact that clearly becomes a condemnation, especially in knockout ties, or in any case in the context of a group stage where there are only six games to play.
The reflection is simple and bitter at the same time: if at least one of those shots had gone in with Newcastle United, the Rossoneri’s European journey would have continued in the round of 16 of the Champions League, radically changing the way the season is viewed.
The Rossoneri’s attack is second in the league with 63 goals in 32 games, therefore with a not bad average of two goals per game. Olivier Giroud, apart from the difficulties of the recent period, has once again worked miracles at 37, while Christian Pulisic is experiencing his best scoring season in his career.
Noah Okafor is the king of Serie A in terms of goals off the bench, Luka Jovic has an excellent minutes per goal average and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in 2024 is scoring almost like a striker. In short, there are a lot of positives.
What is missing is being clinical in the decisive moments. That is, in situations where if you make a mistake, you’re out. Returning to the double match against Roma, the names of those who took the most shots also stand out in the context of the 45 shots: Reijnders with six and Hernandez with five.
Now all players should go to social media and put some motivational quotes as always 😂 instagram footballers
Many moons ago Donadoni was Italy coach at the Euros and Luca Toni was his “star” striker. Toni missed about 5 sitters and Italy ended up going out in a penalty shootout. Toni does his job, Donadoni’s a hero. Toni fluffs his lines, Donadoni’s a villain.
The manager the players they can all go they let a club like our ac milan completely down and the supporter s so let’s get pioli out leao get the money for him i have seen such a lazy footballer and for the rest of them I honestly don’t no what to say.
Shoulda, woulda, coulda!
It goes the other way too. If Roma took their chances too…
Anyways City had 33 shots, they didn’t win either with a superior coach and team and playing for vastly more of the second leg better than Real.
Such is the game of football. That’s just how it is .
If Dudek didn’t make that miraculous save in Extra time in 2005, we’d have 8 UCL trophies. Small details matter. And in cup competitions some luck is needed too
Even in attack there has to be a system. We don’t seem to have one outside of run down the flanks, pass it into the box and shoot, which Roma had no problem clearing out of.
Exactly. Our only attacking strategy is “pass the ball to either winger and pray”. That’s it. It’s so bloody obvious when we approach the penalty box and everyone without the ball is standing and watching the ball and the one with the ball has no idea what he (or the others) are supposed to do. So he’ll pass the ball backwards. Rinse and repeat.
This is not a defense of Pioli as I think he should go not because of the offense, but because of the defense and overall setup this season. Roma played in a low block. There was no way Milan was going to pass or dribble their way thru Roma’s defense. You could make some runs down the sides to maybe get better angles to put crosses in. These types of games become ugly. All you can do is put runners into the box and maybe overload the back post for crosses. I have said this, I think the ref allowed Roma to get away with holding players that was always going to make it difficult for Giroud and others to get to crosses. Overall, the crosses weren’t very good. The real problem was the defense. As soon as Roma got the first goal it was going to be game over.