AC Milan’s slim Scudetto chances were put on the line against Napoli on Monday night, and they were ultimately finally ended.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) report this morning, the ‘Fab Four’ – De Bruyne, Anguissa, Lobotka and McTominay – were back in the starting lineup after 190 days, and they piloted Napoli into space, like the four astronauts aboard Artemis II.
They overtook Milan by two points, leaping to second place. While league-leaders Inter are on a distant moon (seven points away), the eight point gap over fifth-placed Juventus means they feel they have a Champions League spot in their pocket.
The Rossoneri’s lead over the Bianconeri remains wide too at six points, but considering that there’s a direct clash to play and that Luciano Spalletti’s team are brimming with optimism, the issue is certainly not closed.
Familiar caution
Massimiliano Allegri again opted for a conservative approach, only daring to push harder when trailing. Once again, he got nothing from his strikers and was abandoned by his most trusted man (Rabiot). Once again, the best player was the defender, Pavlovic.
His team had only one shot on target in 96 minutes. Having lost Hojlund at the last minute, replaced by Giovane, Napoli struggled for a half and won when Conte, more courageous, unleashed his arrows from the bench: Alisson, who set up the goal, and Politano, who added the finishing touch with 11 minutes remaining.
The first half was slow and soporific, as if everyone had just risen from the Easter table. The tactical rationale was obvious; the game was defused by removing the elements that could have made it explode: the wingers and the strikers.
Politano, Alisson, Pulisic, Leao and even Hojlund – sidelined by a stomach bug – were all out. The result was a jumble of midfielders who muddled together and canceled each other out. Milan performed a bit better, more responsive in transition.
Allegri’s move was to keep Nkunku, the second striker, wide to stretch Conte’s defense and bring in Rabiot or Pavlovic, who started from deep and made a dangerous run into the heart of the Azzurri penalty area.
It was Pavlovic who created the most dangerous chance, anticipating Milinkovic-Savic’s outbound header and narrowly missing. Napoli struggled to build, partly because they played the ball too slowly, partly because the Rossoneri compacted very well without the ball (5-4-1) and didn’t give a passing lane.
Only once did Spinazzola break through and shoot dangerously (23′). Giovane had a better chance of getting a pass on a run in open play, but Pavlovic recovered and blocked the ball imperiously (37′). Hojlund would have covered the ball with his body in a different way and with a different pace.
Fofana’s volley was the only shot on target (let’s call it that) of the first act. The fear of going behind visibly outweighed the desire to go ahead. Understandably, the Curva A called for 11 lions.
Changes make the difference
The start to the second half suggested a change in pace. Bartesaghi attacked a space created by Nkunku, who has once again moved wide to the left, but didn’t find the right moment to shoot on goal.
On the counter Giovane did well, dribbling free and firing a fierce diagonal shot. Maignan had to be alert and parried it for a corner at full stretch. The Azzurri took their first shot on target with that. The Maradona roared, and Napoli took confidence from it.
Allegri took a step back (Athekame-Saelemaekers) and changed striker, with Gimenez on for the absent Fullkrug. In the same minute (29th minute), Pulisic and Politano came on. Alisson had already taken Giovane’s place, with McTominay moving up to centre-forward. It’s time to be daring.
Napoli did it first and with more courage, and they were rewarded. With 11 minutes to go, Alisson burst down the left, Olivera crosses and Politano volleyed in at the far post. As usual, Max finds courage in desperation: Leao, Loftus-Cheek and the 4-3-3. But now the horse has bolted.
To manage a six-point lead (over fifth) with seven games to go, the Diavolo won’t be able to simply speculate, and they’ll have to summon the courage they lacked in Naples.
Napoli meanwhile has the same 65 points they had a year ago. Despite countless injuries and deep crises, they’ve maintained a title-worthy pace. This is a medal that shines on the chest of the excellent Antonio Conte. Can they scare Inter even more?
Courage? Conte got every single player he asked for. Allegro barely got Rabiot for under 10M.
This loss is all Allegri. When he decided to bring in Athekame for Saele, he ruined the game. We had them by the throat if we wanted to, if we put high pressure on them their only solution was to pass it to their GK which automatically ment a long ball to one of their little strikers. Athekame should’ve been brought for Tomori and play 433 (Nkunku was basically playing as a LW in second half anyway) and later bring Leao and Puli on the flanks. But no Allegri decided to be a big wuss and play in the cards for Napoli. We played with one winger the second half with Leao shifting from left to right and ‘o idea what Pulisic’ his role was when he came on
Max, we get it. You’re obsessed with Max. But this loss is 100% on him. His atrocious “tactics” failed miserably again and it’s not the players’ fault.
I mean, we were kind of expecting it didnt we? . We needed to be perfect (which we havent all season) and we needed Inter to stumble, (which they havent much). Top 4 was the target and we are still on track. It feels like missed opportunities but as i said before. Max will continue his conservative play (that has worked all season and got us here) until UCL is guaranteed. He will tinker all he wants after that and during the offseason.