AC Milan won again in the Champions League last night and are heading towards the knockout stages of the competition, yet there isn’t much positivity.
As this morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes, it is a third consecutive victory for Milan in Europe and Paulo Fonseca’s side are now well placed to push on for a top eight finish, which would mean direct qualification to the last 16.
The only good news though is the result, which continues the positive run after beating Real Madrid and Club Brugge prior, because there were plenty of worrying signs yet again.
It certainly can’t be said that Milan won easily yesterday in Bratislava, against the side who are bottom of the table. Indeed, am inferior side (on paper) put them in serious difficulty, keeping the game open until the final whistle.
The Slovakians had scored two goals in four games in Europe before yesterday, a figure that explains everything. It was yet another game in which the Rossoneri went in bursts and never gave the impression of doing what could be expected: total domination against a lesser side.
What dragged Fonseca’s team along was more the plays of individuals (the assists from Tammy Abraham and Youssouf Fofana, the dribbles of Rafael Leao) or the errors of the opponents (the back pass from Strelec).
The three points arrived anyway and with games against Red Star, Girona and Dinamo Zagreb to come it is mandatory to think about being able to repeat the streak and gain direct access to the round of 16.
On paper, the next three games should be three victories for Milan , but we know that this season it has become impossible to predict their performances. This is also due to the total lack of balance in the defensive phase.
Even yesterday, the rearguard were in total difficulty and the open space left to the Slovakian champions for the first equalising goal is inexplicable. In his post-match comments, Fonseca underlined how the cause is more linked to incorrect individual readings.
It may be true, but it seems that the whole team are too unbalanced, with Fofana often left alone in the middle of the field having to hold the reins of everything. With 22 goals conceded in 17 games, a deep run in the competition is impossible at present.
Fonseca’s insistence on playing Pulisic as playmaker and Reijnders and Fofana in a double pivot is baffling.
Everyone can see that we are only solid when there are three natural midfielders such as the Madrid game, where Reijnders/Fofana/Musah created an actual midfield, and even then, the whole team has to help out or we get overrun.
Fonseca has tried to implement some needed aspects to team but he needs to go so the team can aim for at least 4th place in the league and qualification to the next round of the CL.
Madrid game is actually the problem imo. People think we played well but reality is that Real flopped during that game. We saw that strategy fail vs Juve… Musah being Emerson bodyguard is insane…
either use the guy as RB or keep developing him into a double-pivot defensive midfielder.
The issue with Puli being 10 is that Chukwueze can’t deliver Puli level game, even more since Emerson Royal is useless. We need midfielders but Ibra already gave us a preview of winter mercato… Bennacer will be our only “signing”…
But people will still keep glazing the management… only 1 useful fullback and midfield where Pulisic is more effective than either 4M/year RLC, perma-injured Bennacer and Musah who I honestly don’t know what his role is… not to mention Zeroli who isn’t being given time and atm is too raw…
Bring Frendrup and Ricci in winter and we won’t need to waste RW threat anymore…
“Musah being Emerson bodyguard is insane…
either use the guy as RB or keep developing him into a double-pivot defensive midfielder.”
Exactly! I would prefer Musah as the RB over Royal every single time.
I agree that we need Ricci or Frendrup but Musah’s position against Juve was different then how he was deployed against Madrid.
In the Juve game , Fonseca mostly made him mostly do wing work whereas against Real he played in his most effective and natural role as a RCM.
It was basically the same. The false-winger doesn’t change the fact that he was to stuck to the hip to Emerson Royal.
4-4-2 which we used against Madrid for defensive phase had Musah as RM, Tiji as LM that would go inside and give Theo and Leao space on the left. similar how RLC would be basically a double-pivot against Cagliari, similar thing happened with Puli that game. Sometimes even Leao was LM if Puli was more up the field…
Fonseca has a very fluid system, too fluid if you ask me. disposition and having hard time defending comes from this, it’s like a double-edged sword atm… and it’s not even useful because we have 2 people defending opposition’s left-side attackers…
Basically everything that was wrong with Pioli’s last season, only worse, because players at least had respect for Pioli, mainly those who won the scudetto with him. Seems like both him and Fonseca see themselves AND our squad as capable of replicating Guaridola’s system in City. I truly don’t know what to say anymore.
Winning against Real Madrid was crucial but we must keep winning all games ahead of us. Fortunately, all our future opponents are approachable, but all matches must be approached with the winning mentality, seriously and without underestimating the opponent. Only in this way can we hope to finish in the top 8.
Anyone notice how our game started falling apart after our third goal when we should’ve routinely closed off the opponent? I counted at least five ridiculous mistakes in our passing game, without even counting whatever the hell went on in the 2:3 episode.
Milan will always play confused football as long as fonseca remains the head coach of the squad ,a good coach does not fight his players for respect .he earns it with his personality and ideas .imagine a good coach with the caliber of players we have milan will be dominating seria a and Europe
They do realize other teams have to play right? To borrow from K, don’t they know they have a game in hand… Only this time if they win it WILL matter in the standings. Haha 😅