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AC Milan extended their unbeaten run to eight games in Serie A, but had to make do with a draw against Atalanta at the New Balance Arena.
Milan got off to the perfect start and silenced a hostile home crowd when Samuele Ricci fired in from 25 yards out via a deflection after a corner had been cleared to him. It was some way to get off the mark for his new club, but from there Atalanta put the Rossoneri’s goal under siege.
By the time that Ademola Lookman equalised towards the end of the first half with a powerful near-post shot, it was fully deserved. Milan grew back into the game in the second half before La Dea finished stronger, but neither side could find a winner.
It means back-to-back draws for Massimiliano Allegri’s men after the 2-2 with Pisa on Friday, while Atalanta have now drawn five games in a row across all competitions. Below are five talking points from the game.
1. Knocked off his surfboard
Rafael Leao has been crucial in recent games, with a brace against Fiorentina to help Milan come back and get all three points, and then a goal against Pisa that made it three goals in two league games, but unfortunately didn’t help his side win.
Given the above, it was expected that Leao would be the main man against Atalanta. However, the reality was that the Portuguese offered little to nothing in the opening 45 minutes and was subbed off at half-time. Underwhelming would be an understatement, given the build-up.
Despite the goals in recent games Leao has not appeared 100% fit, and Allegri confirmed after the match that he was battling a hip problem. The issue against La Dea was that he didn’t try to get involved at all, despite the potential to be a useful outlet in transition, especially one goal up.
Leao must do a lot better especially when key players like Adrien Rabiot and Christian Pulisic are absent, and he needs to take on the responsibility himself.
2. No threat
We already mentioned the underwhelming game Leao had but we also need to address the rest of the front line as well.
Santiago Gimenez had a horrible game where his passing, movement and ball control were all dire. He can’t seem to build up on the couple of good games he had earlier in the campaign, and is back to being a liability more than he is an asset, unfortunately.
Then we have Alexis Saelemaekers who, to his credit, looked for the ball and tried to make things happen with some good dribbles. The end product was sorely lacking, and at the other end the Belgian was partly at fault for Lookman’s goal as well as he was too slow to move up the pitch.
Off the bench, Christopher Nkunku was as underwhelming as Leao, if not more. The Frenchman has had a couple of months now with proper training but he still seems as sluggish as he was at the start of the season. Considering he cost €37m plus bonuses, he needs to get firing quickly.
3. Mixed midfield
Samuele Ricci scored the opener for his side and sadly it wasn’t enough to be a winner, but at least it will give the midfielder a confidence boost. A lack of regular starts had him looking rusty, but against Atalanta he moved quicker, his passing was sharper and he generally didn’t shy away from the duels.
Luka Modric had his worst game since arriving, giving the ball away in the build-up to the equaliser. Yet, at 40 years of age and having been consistently brilliant in nine consecutive starts, a bit of fatigue was bound to show. Allegri must give the Croatian a break when his other players recover.
Youssouf Fofana who was shielded a bit by Modric and Rabiot in the games prior to the international break, but with the Frenchman out and Modric struggling, the Frenchman was exposed, looking clumsy and frustrating to watch.
He was not tidy in possession, and at the other end he was too slow to step up for the goal allowing his opponent to have the space and time to punish Milan. With Ricci improving and Jashari nearing a return, Fofana might just sit on the bench in a couple of weeks.
4. January intervention needed
The thin squad might’ve not sounded too bad prior to the summer – especially given the lack of midweek commitments in Europe – but the multiple injuries Milan have had ruined any Scudetto bid hopes as Allegri scrambles to figure out a solution.
Having only 19 outfield players by choice is a difficult starting point, but when those who are available such as Gimenez, Fofana and others aforementioned are not contributing, it’s actually a miracle that Milan are this high in the table.
The team were playing brilliantly with Rabiot in Pulisic in the starting XI, but given the struggles in recent weeks the management must address the depth in January if they want the team to fight for silverware, which is completely doable if the right additions come.
A striker and a centre-back seem the obvious areas to address, to solidify the rearguard and add firepower. Hopefully the midfield will be in better shape when Rabiot and Jashari come back, while the jury remains out on the wing-back areas.
5. Bend don’t break
One of the strengths for Milan so far this season has been that the team defended as a unit, with the forwards being the first line, then very little space between the midfield and back line. This time, the front two departments did not help, and it left the rearguard much more exposed in the first half.
Mike Maignan made a couple of decent saves – including a brilliant one late on to deny Zappacosta – and he couldn’t be blamed for the goal given it was a failure by those in front of him and a rocket of a shot from Lookman.
Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic were solid as usual barring a couple of shaky moments, as they continue to establish themselves as undroppable. Fikayo Tomori was more shaky: his positioning on the goal was poor, and he also dived in a couple of times without getting the ball, like for Zappacosta’s big chance. He might have picked up a knee injury too, by lunging in on multiple occasions.
Saelemaekers and Davide Bartesaghi probably get a passing grade. The latter in particular was well up for the physical battles he engaged in, and moving forward he was the one who surprisingly broke Atalanta’s lines.
Considering the pressure the back five were put under, it was a night and day display compared to the one against Pisa. One goal conceded against this Atalanta side is not the end of the world, all things considered.
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