Massimiliano Allegri is known for his desire to win by any means, even by the odd goal, but that has gone out of the window at AC Milan so far.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport report this morning, the 3-0 win at Udinese could have been a fluke, but the Coppa Italia win proves that Allegri’s Milan knows how to win while having fun. Far from being a pushover, his team instead reach the finish line much earlier than their opponents.
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In the league, they sealed the win against the Bianconeri early in the second half; against Lecce, they secured the result after an hour, without any particular pressure. The goal tally could have been even higher, both in the last league game and in the Coppa Italia round of 32. The ‘corto muso’ (winning by a nose) has gone.
This is a Milan side that plays well and entertains, without forgetting to be solid, just as Max likes. It’s his best start at Milan: in other years under Max, the Rossoneri had won a maximum of three in their first six competitive matches. This time, five.
Not only that, but it’s one of his brightest starts in general. In terms of goals scored, only in a couple of seasons at Juventus did an Allegri team score more, and they had Higuain and Dybala in 2017-18, and Cristiano Ronaldo the following year.
The entertainers
Milan’s 12 goals this season have been scored by various players. Christian Pulisic has five of them, but Youssouf Fofana and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have scored a goal each, Strahinja Pavlovic has one, as do the forwards Rafael Leao, Christopher Nkunku and Santiago Gimenez.
All the forwards in the squad have scored, as have half the midfielders. And the attacking potential is still partially untapped: Leao has been out since scoring a header against Bari, and is expected on the bench against Napoli.
Then there’s Jashari, a dynamic midfielder who Modric and Rabiot can push into finding space in the penalty area. The Swiss is expected back some time in November, so other solutions will have to do for now.
Another statistic confirms the attacking ambitions: Milan are clearly the Serie A team with the highest ‘Expected Goals’ in all competitions. They have hit the woodwork 11 times already too, and in second place around Europe are Real Madrid with six, just over half that number.
The 12th man
The fun is for everyone: every player in the squad, including David Odogu and the young Cheveyo Balentien have had minutes to show what they can do.
Beyond the youngsters and the great sages like Modric, there’s a group of players in the prime of their careers: from Alexis Saelemaekers to Fikayo Tomori, Santiago Gimenez to Adrien Rabiot. Everyone is involved and held accountable, and then shares in the successes.
Milan create a lot because they try to control the game, without, of course, neglecting the foundation: the defence. The team is – tied with Liverpool – the one that has allowed the fewest shots on target in the top five European leagues so far: nine.
Of the six matches, five have ended with no goals conceded. Now the rearguard will be put to the test by the Italian champions. They will take on Napoli with a 12th ready to lend support: the fans of the Curva Sud.
Allegri was always a top defensive coach, his record shows it. For the attacking part, let’s see games against Juventus, Inter, Napoli, Roma, Atalanta, Lazio…It is nice to score 3 goals against 10 men Lecce or Udinese but realistically those are average teams that Milan should beat 2 or 3 goals difference every time.
If we win against all the top teams you mentioned, I wouldn’t care less if it’s a boring ugly 1-0 or an exciting 3-0.
A win is a win.
Of course, but if. The articles are like Milan won 3-0 against those teams. We won games we should win always. So nothing spectacular for now, just ok. After 10 games we’ll see where we at since we’ll play Napoli, Juve, Atalanta and Roma by 11th matchday.
You don’t know football… even when Milan play like tr*sh they still manage to win inter last season and other big team. Now that they’re more solid you doubt.
To win a league you just beat all the lesser team not the big team. Go check the records not dropping points against the lesser team ensures you the top four and the title.
I am sure Milan will win. And if they don’t I am pleased with what I’ve seen so far, this is what no coach has been able to do not even pioli, to have Milan dominate a team and win without their star players.
Without leao now we know we are going to win. We no longer lean on Theo or leao one sided football. Now it’s a collective thing.
This team is on the best track. Allegri is doing or already has done a wonderful job by making this team solid without their best player.
Imagine benching leao and Pulisic or Theo last season against any team. We are sure of getting a beating.
Even a team at the bottom of the table are sure to beat us in the past, we struggle to even win a game comfortably.
This is how Milan should be, dominate and win your opponent even when they manage to win they will know they met a superior team
I agree.
Earlier we relied on magic. From Theo, Leao or even Giroud or Ibra. Now it’s not so much.
People complain on Gimenez, but you can see it differently. I don’t remember a Milan creating this many chances to goal scoring. It means we miss more, but right now we score enough to win every game.
I look forward to Napoli. I believe it should be Gimenez and Pulisic again, with Leao coming on for Gimenez through the game and Nkunku doing the same for Pulisic around the 60-70th mark.
We haven’t looked this good in our structure for a long time, not even in the scudetto season.
You said it all. Allegri makes this team to stop relying on certain players like we used to in the past. Even with the absence of stars, results are still positive. This is what we called a game plan.
Even single member understands of the squad understand their roles and play it according to the coach’s instruction. You could see it clearly whenever changes is made.
Lack of European competition is also of a great help in the recent performance of the squad. It gives enough time to train and practice tactics together over and over again before stepping on the pitch.
Forza Milan
To win the league you have to beat top teams. Beating lesser teams and losing to the big teams gets you to Top4, not the championship.
Also I love when people start with “you don’t know football”… Makes me take you so much more seriously.
“Now that they’re more solid you doubt.” Doubt what? You are too stupid too understand what I mean. That is the issue here. Obvious. It is beyond your mental ability to understand what I said.
So saying that we need to show it against big teams somehow says that I don’t understand football? Why are you re*arded? Honest question “light”, how can you be such a re*arded individual? It is embarrassing. I could say that you writing what you did means that you are under 70IQ and shouldn’t be taken seriously as you are mentally challenged? You’d probably agree with me.
Now which part you of what I wrote you didn’t understand re*ard? When did I say Allegri is not doing a good job? What I hate most is complete mo*ons like you that explain to me things that I didn’t even say. Like Allegri is doing a great job, no sh*t Sherlock, saying we need to show it against the big teams doesn’t negate that he is doing a good job. Buy some actual brain for next comments.
One thing that remains to be seen is if Leao and Nkunku can be on the pitch at the same time. Both excel on one half of the field. Contributing to the success thus far this season is Gimenez and Pulisic tracking back defensively. Will Leao and Nkunku do the same? Let’s hope so!
You said it all. Allegri makes this team to stop relying on certain players like we used to in the past. Even with the absence of stars, results are still positive. This is what we called a game plan.
Every single member of the squad understand their roles and play it according to the coach’s instruction. You could see it clearly whenever changes is made.
Lack of European competition is also of a great help in the recent performance of the squad. It gives enough time to train and practice tactics together over and over again before stepping on the pitch.
Forza Milan
Allegri gets an unfair rep for his time at Juve. Given the lack of talent he had at Juve, all he could do is play terror ball.
Milan has a better roster for him to express his ideas more. Milan create plenty of chances and don’t sit on a 1-0 lead all game so far …
Well it isn’t 100% true. He was there for a long time, you didn’t think they asked him about signings? I mean he wanted Chiesa and Vlahovic and got them, and for a lot of money, and many more players. But he was always a good manager, the thing is that you work with what you have. Juventus never had proper midfielders but Rabiot, I can’t remember 2 good ones in the past 5 years. I think that was the problem for him, you can’t control games without top midfield.