Two players have been picked out for special praise after AC Milan opened their 2021-22 Serie A campaign with three points against Sampdoria.
As written by Tuttosport (via MilanNews), the performances of Mike Maignan and Brahim Diaz certainly helped Milan forget the departures of Gianluigi Donnarumma and Hakan Calhanoglu as the goalkeeper and the attacking midfielder put their seal on Milan’s victory at Sampdoria.
Both were immediately decisive as the Frenchman bailed the team out with his saves and also his distribution, while the Spaniard was the match-winner with his goal inside 10 minutes.
Brahim played like a true playmaker acting between the lines, putting all his talent at the service of the team. He played with intelligence, and if another playmaker does arrive then it will not be easy to immediately take the starting spot from the 22-year-old.
Maignan meanwhile showed his huge personality with a couple of decisive saves and some very confident footwork. He was also a vocal leader, organising the defence at set pieces and preserving the clean sheet with everything he has.
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This post flatters Diaz. Yes, he was the match winner. Yes, he played well for his level, but the truth is that Diaz is not a playmaker with visionary passing. There was not one single through ball or killer pass from him.
A playmaker makes your striker. Think Kaka and Inzaghi. Diaz can dribble and he will score some goals, but even at that his dribbling is not at Messi’s level. He needs to be able to dictate play to be a true playmaker.
The only playmaker was Maignan. Diaz tried hard and I respect it but it is Maignan who won 3 points for us. He made pre-assist to Calabria and he almost made an assist to Leao.
With maignan ac milan don’t build from the back because of so accurate long passes he delivers to the front leao need to work on his first touch and Diaz was great. He have to improve his vision, he can dribble for me he Is more of a winger rather than CAM cause we couldn’t see his through passes, there were chances for great through passes when Sampdoria were sitting deep but he went for the dribble so he need to improve this attribute, he has good feet and easily layed counter attacks yesterday with his pace.