AC Milan didn’t make it pretty, but they managed to emerge from Verona with three crucial points on Sunday afternoon.
Having been largely frustrated by their resolute hosts to that point, Milan broke the deadlock a few minutes before the break as Rafael Leao slid Adrien Rabiot through on goal, with the French midfielder slotting past the onrushing Montipo.
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The Rossoneri were generally unconvincing and they left the result in doubt until the final kick, though they ultimately did bank an important win in the top four race. With Roma, Como and Napoli all dropping points, second place has been reclaimed and the gap to fifth is eight points.
Still, the performance was hardly reassuring in the eyes of many given the lack of scoring chances created against a defence that has really struggled, and with Juventus to come on Sunday. Ivan Stoev has five talking points from the game.
1. The Duke strikes again
Milan were struggling to create chances in the opening 40 minutes as Verona sat deep in a 5-3-2 block. As he has done on so many similar occasions, it was Rabiot who again was the pivotal player in red and black, unlocking the contest.
The Frenchman scored the first and only goal of the game after making the most out of a lovely through ball by Leao and once again was the difference maker for his side. His smart movement and ability to often take the first chance that presents itself has already won many points.
Rabiot now has six goals and five assists in 24 games in Serie A this season and has arguably been the best Milan player since joining in the summer from Marseille for around €10m. That now seems like an absolute bargain given how the more expensive signings have (under)performed.
2. Keeping it clean
Hellas Verona didn’t have too many chances in the game, but with the inefficiency up top meant that Milan couldn’t allow themselves to concede even once. Mike Maignan played a big part in that as he managed to keep a clean sheet and help his side to three big points.
The goalkeeper made a huge save in the first half to deny Verona an equaliser through Rafik Belghali as he made himself big in a 1v1 situation. Sometimes when a game is quiet it’s easier to switch off, and after being questionable vs. Udinese it was important to bounce back.
It’s also refreshing to see Milan achieve a clean sheet as it seems like it’s been quite a while without one, and hopefully there will be some more to come until the end of the season that will help Allegri and his men achieve Champions League qualification.
3. Three is the magic number
Whilst Maignan came in clutch in the first half, it was Matteo Gabbia who did the same in the second half as he made a crucial block on Orban to deny Verona a late equaliser. The Italian also scored a goal that doubled the Rossoneri’s lead but it was later ruled out for an offside on Santiago Gimenez.
Fikayo Tomori and Strahinja Pavlovic were also solid at the back, limiting the hosts for the majority of the game and doing their bit in the build-up phase too. Koni De Winter was the man to perhaps harshly make way, and he will have to fight for his spot back.
Verona have not been great at either end this season, but when it is a game of fine margins – like a one-goal lead right until the final kick – it is important that the defence remains as attentive as they did on the day.
4. Toothless and troubled
Leao did get the helping hand for the winner as mentioned above, halting a streak of four games without a goal or assist so the goal involvement was more than welcome. Excluding that, the Portuguese was not effective at all as he failed to really create much, and barely got on the ball.
Christian Pulisic managed to be even less effective as he contributed nothing again and his stats are underwhelming, to say the least. Just one assist in his last 15 game is bizarre, with this rough patch of form becoming something quite concerning.
We can look for all sort of excuses for both players, like the fact that Leao isn’t his best down the middle and is better on the flank, both have suffered injuries and have failed to build chemistry, but the reality is that a lot more is required at this stage.
The Portuguese and the American have even let the team down in simple situations, Leao’s assist aside, and Milan need to seriously evaluate if building a squad around the two can result in a team fighting for trophies. It sure hasn’t looked like it since the start of the year.
5. Allegri redeems himself
Massimiliano Allegri experimented with the formation against Udinese and it backfired massively, with the Rossoneri losing 3-0 in a very delicate moment. The coach’s choices were heavily criticised following the game since it was not the time for experiments.
Against Verona, however, the coach was back to his trusted 3-5-2 formula. Yes the performance wasn’t the best and the result might have been a scrappy 1-0 against a struggling side, but once again the base line was a clean sheet.
More often than not, if Milan can consistently keep goals out at one end they will find enough at the other to win games. The proof of this is the fact that nobody has won more games 1-0 in Europe’s ‘top five’ leagues than the Rossoneri (eight).
In fact, only Napoli have won more games by a one-goal margin (14, to Milan’s 13). Corto muso is nerve-wracking, it is low-event low-margin football, yet it acknowledges the limitations of this squad. So, we have to compliment the coach for reacting swiftly following last week and getting the job done.
I don’t think we’ve learned anything from this game we didn’t already know on the sporting side of things:
1. As sad as it is, 352 is the only way this team stays compact and concedes little at the back, at the cost of complete sterility upfront. This is due to a poorly assembled squad with many holes.
2. Allegri isn’t dumb – he knew exactly the kind of team he had and what its limits were. Perhaps anyone calling for Allegri’s dismissal doesn’t grasp this.
3. We will get destroyed in Europe next season without significant upgrades. There are only a few players on this team good enough for CL next season and that’s sad.
4. I’m confident of clinching Europe but the real question is whether this management will continue the status quo by just “participating in CL or if they plana on elevating this team. Top4 is no longer a viable goal starting next season. The goal has to be Scudetto contention and at least the knockouts in CL.
5. What is the end goal for this club – that’s the real thing we need to learn. If Gerry is getting his ducks in order to simply offload the club to the next buyer (CL, stadium, NBS team) then there will be no significant investments into the sporting side until Milan is sold.
It’s crazy that we’re 4 years in and still have ZERO idea what Gerry’s plan is for our beloved club.
Gerry ain’t leaving anytime soon.
He wants a return on his investments and he ain’t getting it with this club floundering and the Stadium plans in jeopardy of collapsing.
The only way he’ll sell is when Milan’s value is high enough to justify a sale, which would only come if the Stadium was approved, completed and this team were consistently earning money on it’s own.
“3. We will get destroyed in Europe next season without significant upgrades. There are only a few players on this team good enough for CL next season and that’s sad.”
If next season we lose some games by big margins (like Atalanta, Napoli & Inter) I think there will be huge expressions of discontent from the fans towards the management and once again the coach (in this case Allegri I presume) will be the one to pay the price.
But then the question will be what is going to happen next and what the management would do to fix (or pretend to fix) the issue ?
If Italian teams get smacked around by European teams in the UCL what could be the issue?
The short response is: they’re simply much weaker and poorer.
The longer response is:
– Serie A coaches are remnants from the cretaceous and have simply have no clue how to deal with most of the fast teams, high pressing teams out there.
– Since the mid 2000s the serie A lost its status as the richest and most attractive league, meaning it’s incapable to attract world class players. Serie A current best players are rejects from other leagues and players way past their primes.
– Italy doesn’t form good players anymore, meaning teams can’t rely on domestic products who are simply much worse than their Spanish, English, French, German and even Norwegian contemporaries.
I probably missed other factors, but all of those I’ve named create negative feedbacks that amplify each other.
I disagree with you in that Italy produces plenty of talent that never sees minutes in Serie A because of the structure of the league and lack of incentives for clubs to play them instead opting for run of the mill overseas talent on a cheaper tax bracket. Look at most of our U teams in European competitions. Look at Milan’s youth talents for example in Liberali, Camarda and Comotto…
@ACM1899:
We won’t know until few years how good Camarda, Comotto,… actually are.
Italy is in fact producing less quality players. Not necessarly because of lack of “raw” talent, but the rigid system, ever since they’re youth, have them focus on tactical discipline and fitting into systems rather than allowing them to fully develop as players.
Baggio pointed this out and wrote 900 pages on how to fix it. We all know what happened then.
Of that happens Allegri deserves it. Aside from beating Inter twice the rest of the season is boaring
It would probably be a good idea for you to go back to the Twitter of the team you actually support because you are clearly clueless about what Milan’s issues are.
They didn’t and don’t keep spending vast sums of money to maintain the status quo. The aim is to win the league and become one of the top clubs in Europe.
And have you seen this management guide the club in that direction in the last four years?
Will “we” get destroyed in Europe without “significant upgrades”?
Can you tell the future?
When Milan won the Scudetto they didn’t make “significant upgrades” and made it to the semi-finals.
That then triggered “significant upgrades” which then saw the squad do worse.
Now perhaps they weren’t the “significant upgrades” that were in your imagination, but it is tricky to know your imagination or indeed to follow the recommendations of some randomer posting on the internet.
What is the end goal for the club?
Well if people like you have your way there’ll continue to be “significant upgrades” every few months.
Question for you :
Suppose this season we played against Bayern Munich or PSG, how do you see those games going ?
Ah a hypothetical….well given Milan have been awesome against the top teams and awful against the bottom teams, I don’t know, maybe they’d have hammered PSG!
Awsome against top teams is a bit of a hyperbolae. We won twice against Inter by the skin of out teeth, won once and lost twice to each of Napoli and Lazio, 4 points against Roma and Como, draw to Atalanta,… same teams will be pummeled by Bayern, Bodø/Glimt, PSV,…
But I will assume that you at least understand why people don’t fancy our chances against the teams I mentionned.
Milan hasn’t been upgrading. Maldini called for upgrades after the Scudetto season. Instead Furlani started dismantling and reassembling. “Upgrading” means keeping the strong pieces you have and adding to them.
I agree with you 100% about the system, Allegri and the dire need for quality reinforcements.
But I don’t believe that the ownership plans to sell the club or keep it mediocre. That would not make any sense. Gerry has invested a lot of money in Milan and he wants to do good business.
AC Milan won’t overspend but I am quite confident that Gerry’s goal is to grow the club value step by step. That is only possible with at least decent sporting success with an upward trajectory.
Of course CEO Furlani is not given a carte blanche to buy best players in the world. Of course not. They have been making really good economic decisions though, for years now, and that’s what we should expect to continue.
I am sure that we will have a better team next season. Am I the only one who has faith in the club management? 🙂 I think they have done quite a good job considering all that turbulance they started with.
Gerry wants a return on his investment. He has shareholders to report to. He’s not an angel investor. He runs s fund which he is obligated to run at a profit.
How do you get a return on your investment? Keep the club profitable, break the ground on your stadium and push the NBA expansion over the line. He gets that done and he can sell in all for 2bil+… (While keeping costs/expenses at a minimum). That’s why I’m convinced there will never be a truly competitive and ambitious sporting project at this club until that happens.
We learned one thing and one thing only. We are mediocre team with mediocre mentality with a coach that plays boarding safe football. I honestly enjoy watching Como more then my Milan lately. We are in a sad state of dispair. I fell asleep during this game, it sums it up
Do you talk about your loved ones that way?
Or turn your back on them LIKE YOU DID? HYPOCRITE!!!
What’s the point of continuing to support a team and moan about the team and create such a toxic atmosphere that the club has no longer term future?
“What’s the point of continuing to support a team”
Because true fans don’t choose their teams but the team chooses them. I was born a Milanista and will stay as one until I die. Just because there are things I don’t like I’m not going to switch teams like a pathetic pu55y you are.
Nothing new learned. Pulisic is still in his slump. Leao isn’t the same since he lost his speed. The other attackers aren’t good enough. The defense is much better with 3 at the back. Pulisic and Leao are proven quality up front but one needs his confidence back and the other needs his speed back. Even though it hasn’t been pretty it’s a big upgrade from last years 8th place finish.
Ryan — thanks for the measured response. I understand how zealous fans can lose perspective. Folls want to dismiss that we beat Inter twice. Pulisic is in a slump, but he put Leao through in the second minute, and his footwork almost helped Rabiot score before he did. Leao his a perfectly weighted pass for the goal. AC Milan lost a second goal by a foot through a build up offsides, and a third to a defender on the line.
Cheer up, we are a strong hold up striker and a bullish central defender form being a very competitive Championship side.
Exactly.
The negativity is off the charts.
I might start positing on Inter boards they probably say nicer things about Milan.
So many people can’t see a bigger picture and are lead by emotions, especially negative emotions. Just ignore it.
You must be new here or started following Milan this season maybe? Where have you been last 4 years under Gerry’s rule? Would you say there have been constant palpable improvements under RedBird?
We learnt:
1. Gabbia is essential;
2. Milan don’t need a defender because De Winter was unlucky to be dropped;
3. Leao got some confidence from that lovely assist (he’s always had a beautifully weighted pass);
4. Pulisic needs a goal and he’ll get his confidence back.
5. If people don’t like it they can find a new hobby.
“5. If people don’t like it they can find a new hobby.”
Como-fans criticizing Milan-fans can find semprecomo.com and go bash Milan-fans there.
Still don’t understand….
No.
We definetly don’t understand how someone who openly bragged about supporting Como on a Milan website because he didn’t like what Milan is doing back then still thinks he can lecture people about anything related to how to support a team.
Seriously dude, your lack of self awareness and/or hypocrisy never fail to astonish me.
“Corto muso is nerve-wracking, it is low-event low-margin football, yet it acknowledges the limitations of this squad. ”
LOL. Be real, even the midtable teams can beat Verona easily so let’s not kid ourselves that with our material we shouldn’t be able to get a comfortable 0-2 or 0-3 wins against relegating teams. The others can do it so so should we. We barely got one corner-kick in the match and Verona had +20 shots against us. Did they have better players than us? I don’t think so.
Stop dragging down the team with your endless negativity and toxicity.
I’ll stop once you stop bashing true fans and acting all superior while you turned your back on the team a year ago.
We are eight point ahead of fifth place so credit to Allegri and the team for almost guaranteeing CL football next season. This was the goal, quick fixes to bring us back into the CL. The worry is, what happens next?
1. Modric, our most important player, is 40 and his contract expires in the summer.
2. If we stick with a 3-5-2, we will lose three or four of our forwards.
3a. Leao, who sacrificed a lot this season by playing out of position, delivered decent numbers but is being turned into the villain of the season. The management did this to Krunic then Bennacer then Calabria then Theo. I am starting to see it with Fofana as well. Meanwhile, Musah and Loftus Cheek were given a plethora of chances.
3b. This random scapegoat culture demotivates and devalues our players and scares away talent.
There has to be a clear plan moving forward focusing on top signings for the starting eleven. Depth can be provided by our youth teams. Camarda, Cisse, Comotto, Eletu,…etc.
Just look at the money saved by integrating Bartesaghi, who had a decent season for his age.