AC Milan’s top four hopes suffered another hammer blow on Saturday evening as they not only dropped points but lost to a rival in Juventus.
The signs from the first half were more encouraging as the two teams traded big chances, but everything fell apart for Milan after the break. It started when Samuel Mbangula’s shot deflected in off the bar, giving Juve a deserved lead after a sustained period of pressure.
Not too long after that they struck again through the substitute Tim Weah on the counter-attack, who got the better of Fikayo Tomori and Mike Maignan to double the advantage with a low shot. The Rossoneri never really threatened much after that.
The result means that Milan tasted defeat for the first time under Sergio Conceicao and they fell to eight points behind Lazio, albeit with a game in hand. Below is the tactical analysis from Rohit Rajeev.
A similar approach
Milan were outclassed by Juventus no doubt, but how much of it was down to tactics? Milan, like in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final win, played a very narrow system to try and constrict spaces while keeping Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez wide as counter attacking options.
Juventus, however, played through the press by overloading and committing numbers to the wide areas. If anything it shows how ineffective Milan’s pressing is, as the players are not able to close down the spaces.
Juventus meanwhile tried used a man-marking system higher up the pitch with the centre-backs being marked to cut out passing options.
Adjustment made
This led to Milan’s best chance of the game. Ismael Bennacer drops back between the centre-backs allowing them to split wide and push the full-backs up. A quick one-two between Youssouf Fofana and Theo helps Milan to break the man-marking and find space behind McKennie.
— Rohit Rajeev (@MilanYouthFocus) January 20, 2025
Aside from the manoeuvres shown above Milan’s main source of threats were counter-attacks, but they didn’t have enough attackers to drive forward and create threats so they often simmered out quickly.
Defence breached
The first goal came courtesy of some poor man-marking and passive defending from Milan. With Yunus Musah not keeping tabs on his marker to Nico Gonzalez easily able to find space in the centre, the chaos was just too much. Bennacer and Fofana marking nobody didn’t help either.
— Rohit Rajeev (@MilanYouthFocus) January 20, 2025
The second goal showed the difference in energy levels between Milan and Juventus. Pierre Kalulu made a wayward pass and it was intercepted by Fofana. His bad touch saw Juve spring into a counter-press and not a single Milan player was anywhere close to the action to stop the resulting attack.
Routine almost works
In each tactical analysis we pick out the interesting points of set pieces, and under Conceicao so far there hasn’t been a great deal to praise with questionable ideas and execution.
Milan’s corner routine was a very interesting thing to watch this time though, with a chance falling to Tijjani Reijnders in the first half that was clearly straight off the training ground.
— Rohit Rajeev (@MilanYouthFocus) January 20, 2025
The data
Risk and reward are always proportional, and when you are in attack you need to take risks while passing. Who was Milan’s biggest risk taker? Reijnders leads the numbers with 37% of his passes trying to break the lines.
If one thing we can gather from the passing speed is how slow Milan were. In Conceicao’s style of play teams must play the ball vertical quickly to prevent opposition from getting back into defensive positions.
Lastly we can see how our passes were less than half of the passes Juventus played in the final third of the opponent.
Very interesting analysis as usual, but this time it is extra depressing. In a normal season, a loss away to Juve wouldn’t be such a disaster. It’s one of the hardest matches on the schedule in any season. But with the way this season is going, we’re going to need every point possible to keep top 4 at least a theoretical possibility.
The last part is very interesting and important. Passing speed determines so much the attack speed and sharpness, and shows how effective the player movements are. The low passing speed summed up why Milan are so frustrating to watch. It reminds me of the banter era.
Bring some of this player:
1.Igor Jesus(ST)“Arsenal is
interested in him”
2.Sverre Nypan(AM or CM)“who has been likened to compatriot Martin Odegaard in his homeland and also linked with Arsenal”
3.Arthur Vermeeren(DM)”A deep-lying playmaker who is not afraid of the physical side of the game but Atletico loaned him to Leipzig“.
4.Tah(CB)
5.Paul Wanner(AM)”An extraordinary talent for Bayern but loaned to Heidenhem”
6.Agustin Ruberto(ST)“Golden Boot winner at the 2023 Under-17 World Cup”
7.Eli Junior Kroupi(ST)Barcelona and Real Madrid are both said to be keeping tabs on the versatile forward.
8.Petar Sucic(DM)“Inter is keen on him”
& Sell this player:
1.Emerson
2.Tomori
3.Okafor
4.Chukwueze
Finally,the line-up will be like this:
(4-3-3)
Leao-Igor Jesus-Pulisic
Reijnders-Vermeeren-Fofana
Theo-Thiaw-Gabbia or Tah -Walker
2nd line-up: (4-2-3-1)
Leao-Agustin-Pulisic
Wanner
Reijnders-Nypan
Theo-Thiaw-Boscagli-Walker…