MN: ‘Fragile foundations’ – Allegri needs help in January to avoid season collapsing

AC Milan’s season is at risk of fizzling out unless the management intervene with some help in January, according to a report.

MilanNews write that the Supercoppa Italiana defeat to Napoli in Riyadh has sent a message to the hierarchy: Massimiliano Allegri is already exceeding the limits of his squad, keeping Milan in second place in the league with a performance that almost seems miraculous.

However flattering, the table must not hide a clear reality: Milan, given the quality of its squad and its depth, cannot continue like this or things could collapse quickly.

Limitations exposed

The semi-final against Napoli once again highlighted the team’s issues. Up front, the Nkunku-Pulisic partnership had zero impact. They showed plenty of movement, but no real presence in the penalty area, no ability to make an impact against organised defences.

Without a striker, Milan will keep struggling to convert possession into chances. Allegri tries to compensate with order, balance and pragmatism, but he can’t continue to invent what the squad doesn’t offer. This is why Milan are pushing so hard for Niclas Fullkrug, but is he really the answer?

Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images

The problems don’t stop up front. In defence, the absence of a starter in Matteo Gabbia gave Koni De Winter another chance, but once again he struggled against a physical striker like Rasmus Hojlund. The situation is worrying: with injuries or in the event of needing rotation, there is no adequate back-up.

Without worthy alternatives, the fight for fourth place would be jeopardised. Allegri has said many times that a Champions League place is the target and perhaps now it is being seen why the Scudetto remains a mirage.

Let Riyadh serve as a warning: without a true centre-forward and a reliable central defender, the risk is that the ‘fragile foundations’ crumble.