In recent games, AC Milan have struggled to score away from home and whilst it is part of a wider problem, questions need to be asked.
The game against Napoli was frustrating in its own right. It showed the end of the admittedly hopeful Scudetto push, but it also brought a few other issues to the front of the view again. From the formation to the attack, there are now several problems Massimiliano Allegri has to face.
Problems on their travels
The biggest, perhaps, could be the fact that away from home, the Rossoneri have not scored in two games.
Now, Allegri’s side have never been a goalscoring outfit. Instead, they have focused on a regimented defence that wins games thanks to its team-wide defensive efforts, as opposed to them scoring goals for fun.
Perhaps that is why Inter are ruling the proceedings at the top of the Serie A rankings. Either way, Corriere dello Sport (via MilanPress) reports that there is a constant feeling of ‘offensive impotence’ away from home.
Even with all five forwards seeing the pitch in Naples, none of them could make an impact. The lack of a difference maker is surprising, given Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao’s start to the season. Either way, it needs to be fixed.
With trips to Verona, Sassuolo and Genoa, you would imagine that this trend will end. However, one couldn’t be so sure after the recent showings.
It’s not that our attack is toothless, is that we have no attack.
Nkunku and Füllkrug are toothless anyways, be it in home games or away games.
And previously Leão+Pulišić showed that they can’t work together.
And Giménez isn’t good either.
So yeah in a front 2, we really have no options.
This!
It doesn’t matter who is on the pitch or how many attackers there are when our (only) tactic is DEFEND AT ANY COSTS!!!!!!
There are no attacking playbooks at all. Allegri is relying on pure luck for the attacks. Just watch any of the matches this year and tell me what is our attacking strategy. There isn’t any.
Our attacking strategy relies almost entierly on transitions. That’s why we’re more successful when teams press us rather than the other way around.
We could/should be better at set pieces, but that’s not the case.
Our biggest weakness is buildup, when we have the ball against teams that sit deep, we have no clue what to do.
But that aside, our attacking options are limited:
Pulišić is going through a bad phase and can’t play as a striker.
Leão is not in shape and can’t play outside of the left wing.
Nkunku is a disaster.
Füllkrug is a disaster.
Giménez is barely back, but doesn’t look good and didn’t look good.
We either counter or rely on individual brilliance. Problem is our offense only accounts for a small fraction of goals scored. Allegri isn’t one for quick incisive attack.
Yeah. Individual brilliance. That’s exactly why we bought Füllkrug, Gimenez & Nkunku, right? Because they are known to conjure chances for themselves just like that. 😀
The management have to start asking Allegri questions. All our attackers are under-performing. I don’t think they are all that bad. Giroud was not at his best when he came to Milan, so too, Ibra, when he came back, but, Pioli brought out the best in them. I’m not seeing that now. Allegri needs someone to help him with this, maybe a former striker, while he focuses on other aspects of the game.