AC Milan didn’t make it pretty, but they managed to emerge from Verona with three crucial points on Sunday afternoon.
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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.
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.