AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has demanded more quality from his side after a frustrating draw at San Siro on Monday.
Milan dropped yet more points on home soil as they were held to a 0-0 draw by relegation-threatened Sampdoria.
The Rossoneri failed to score for a third straight game and continued their woeful season of goalscoring in general as a resolute performance from Claudio Ranieri’s side earned a point.
Milan had a total of 13 shots with 11 being on target, but they could not find a way to beat Emil Audero despite the introduction of Zlatan Ibrahimovic early in the second half.
The result means that Pioli’s side remain in 12th place in the bottom half of the standings ahead of a tricky trip to Cagliari on Saturday.
Pioli spoke to Sky Italia after the game, and his words were transcribed by MilanNews.it.
“We wanted to win, to resume our season with a victory. I’m disappointed that we didn’t succeed. We played an impressive number of balls in their area but we lacked the quality, without which it is difficult to win. We didn’t lack the desire but we missed the right situation.
“From all the players more quality has to come, we have to have more precision and more quality in the passes, we have to get to balls better and get dirty. It’s a shame not to have won.
“Quality is not only in transition but also in the choices made. The disastrous defeat of Bergamo remained inside us, we macerated arriving at this game. We will have to be good at taking advantage of other solutions too.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his second Milan debut coming on not long into the second half, and Pioli was pleased with what he saw.
“The impact was absolutely positive, he immediately gave support, the team is not yet used to this presence, towards the end we could look for him more, his physical prowess gives us some more solutions.
“He is playing the centre-forward, then we will see if we will play with him and another. With Piatek? It can be done, just keep the team balance, there is so much more to do in our work, it can be done better.”
On the possibility of signing a midfielder this month: “Milan’s midfielders have good characteristics. We are going through a particular moment not with much confidence, but the qualities are there.
“In the first half we were organised, then the more time passed the more we were less organised, there are the qualities to do better definitely. There are still many games left.”
Suso was jeered on multiple occasions by the crowd, with the Spaniard having struggled with both his crossing and his passing throughout the game.
“All the offensive development that we will have in the future with the probable presence of Ibra is all to be studied and developed,” Pioli continued.
“I believe that the important thing in a football team is to put quality players in possession of the ball several times. Suso today had opportunities to decide the match and he did not succeed, but it also happened to other players. We were unable to take advantage of situations that could be handled in a different way, the presence of Ibra can give more solutions.”
