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AC Milan knew when hiring Massimiliano Allegri that he gave them as good a chance as anyone of fixing the defence, and the signs are positive.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write this morning, in the win over Lecce before the break Milan were exactly the kind of team that Allegri wants to see. They were solid, compact and almost never in danger.
A couple of numbers confirm this. Despite some lapses in concentration against Cremonese, Milan have conceded only 11 shots after two games, including shots on target, shots off target and blocked shots.
This is clearly the lowest figure among the 20 teams in the league. Napoli are at 17, Inter at 21. This weekend’s opponents, Bologna, are at 27. There’s another indicator to consider: Milan are the Serie A team that has conceded the fewest expected goals, or rather, the fewest chances: just 0.5 per game.
A significant statistic? Well, the small sample size and the quality of their opponents (Cremonese and Lecce) detract from the data, but you can only play what the fixture list says.
One key phrase
Allegri repeated the same concept over the summer to the point of boredom: “Perceive the danger.” It’s as if there were triangular road signs at the end of every corridor at Milanello, the ones that warn of hazards ahead.
The coach wants this to become an automatic thought for the Milan players: to ask themselves how their opponents can be dangerous and act accordingly. Max is much less interested in attacking now: he is focused on protecting Maignan.
So he added a defender, switching to three pure central defenders – a five-man defence – and asked his players not to get distracted, to help each other and to be alert in the penalty area.
Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic are the starters for now. with them, things went badly against Cremonese and well against Lecce. There will be time for changes but Koni De Winter will soon have an opportunity, and Davide Odogu will aim to impress.
Key players
Yes, but how do Milan defend? The team drops back, tries to protect the penalty area, and asks for help from everyone except Leao, who has let’s say a partial exemption from the defensive phase.
Against Cremonese, the team increased the pressure, but less so against Lecce. Milan often defended tightly, with Saelemaekers playing a key role in two roles: off the ball, he defends down the flank, and with the ball, he’s the third forward.
Furthermore, Luka Modric may have some problems in front of the defence, but Youssouf Fofana definitely helps him. Adrien Rabiot, who is known more for his attacking contribution but also makes his presence felt in his own half, will be a factor.
Tests to come
What does all of this mean? It shows that the mentality has changed since certain nights with Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceiçao, but Milan must be tested in terms of consistency and against superior opponents.
Before the October break, Milan will have Bologna at home, Udinese away, Napoli at home and Juventus away. Overall, four top teams. Maignan will get a close look at Castro, Orsolini, McTominay, Hojlund, De Bruyne, David, Vlahovic, Yildiz and more.
Mike will be traveling to Iceland during the October international break, and at that point, he’ll know if his Milan team is still giving away a lot or if he is now protected.
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