Theo Hernandez quickly gained esteem for his attacking performances but he is now showing himself to be much improved at both aspects of his game.
Calciomercato.com‘s write up on Theo begins with the famous Pirelli slogan ‘power is nothing without control’ which reflects the need to find a balance, and in the case of the left-back it was important to find one between an extraordinary attacking skill set and a defensive one that was not always solid.
Despite those concerns, the games against Torino, Genoa and Lazio showed signs that Theo has turned himself into a full-back very capable of keeping attackers at bay, but the game against Fiorentina where he gave Nico Gonzalez virtually nothing was a stamp of approval.
The Argentine winger ended the game without even having a shot and he is regarded as one of the better wingers in the league. Paolo Maldini has likely had a hand in the growth of the Frenchman, because between the two there is a direct and straightforward relationship of mutual esteem, meaning Theo gets advice.
The former Real Madrid man’s target has always been to become the best in the world in his role and he is on the right path, with Pioli having tried to engineer a tactical instruction that does not compromise his ability to attack.
Against Fiorentina the movement interchange between Theo and Leao was smart and created openings in dangerous areas, with the former playing so far forward that only Giroud and Leao were ahead of him in average position.
Crucially, he did so without forgetting the coverage of Nico Gonzalez. With more performances like that and perhaps even some crucial goals and/or assists, Milan could sprint towards the 7 point target.
It is true; Theo’s defensive performances have clearly gotten better and better. He’s in better positions, cutting off dribblers, stopping crosses, winning tackles. Hustling back on defense when he’s forward and Leao loses possession, he runs back to stop opponents counterattack.
Keep up the good work Theo!!