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Whilst AC Milan have gotten some big results this season, they have been made to look smaller due to their performances elsewhere. As a result, Scudetto dreams may fade.
There have certainly been some standout results so far this season. Unfortunately, both good and bad results fit into this bracket. Wins against Napoli and Roma have only been good until the draws against Fiorentina and Genoa bring the meaning of those results down.
It has been the constant of this season, for every good win, there has normally been a disappointing draw soon after it. As a result, hopes of a Scudetto have dwindled, especially with others beginning to pick up the pace.
Capello’s worries
Unfortunately, that may not be it, though. If the Rossoneri are not careful, their spot in the top four could be lost, which would be catastrophic, given what Massimiliano Allegri has repeatedly voiced.
Today, Fabio Capello discussed the very real threat of this with Gazzetta dello Sport, whilst also making a comparison involving Christian Pulisic.
“I didn’t like the team we saw against Fiorentina at all. Milan played the opposite of how Inter and Napoli showed us that evening. The Rossoneri walked; the others ran. I saw a Milan team that was too slow, even in passing the ball, lacking ideas and play.
“Everything was too basic, I’d almost say academic. That’s how you struggle to get results.”
Yet in the first half, there was no shortage of scoring opportunities…
“Pulisic did it all, with the kind assistance of Füllkrug. The attacking duo created two or three chances to score out of nowhere, but the American uncharacteristically missed them all.
“Mistakes uncharacteristic of him, like when he tried to beat De Gea instead of shooting, even though there was no space: in that space, only Ronaldo Fenomeno managed to dribble past the goalkeeper and score.
“But beyond the incidents, Milan’s attitude didn’t convince me right from the start.”
Allegri also made a lot of rotations…
“Okay, maybe Max exaggerated a little, but above all, the ruthlessness and the desire to attack the opponent were lacking. And in these details, the turnover has little to do with it. If you always wait and retreat, remaining passive, sooner or later, you’re going to concede.
“In fact, when Fiorentina raised the tempo a little, they took the lead.”
Some singles seemed out of place. For example, Estupinan…
“I saw him struggling even with simple plays. In the first half, he made a cross-field pass that made you want to tear your hair out, handing the ball to Gudmundsson 30 meters out. Estupinan was lucky not to have a goal on his conscience.”
I’ll give you a statistic: Milan, without Modric from the start, have won only twice out of five games (against Bari and Lecce in the Coppa Italia). What do you think?
“It doesn’t surprise me. When I say the game was academic, it’s no coincidence. With Modric’s changes of direction and passing quality, Milan are a completely different team, even if the decline seems general, even physically, due to dips in form and injuries.
“There’s obviously a huge difference between Modric and his replacement. In Florence, the midfielders dropped back and very often returned to Maignan in possession. What does that mean? There’s little movement around them, and those in possession never find the right instinct.”
The question arises spontaneously: can a Milan like this dream of winning the Scudetto?
“If it’s the one in Florence, definitely not. But I’d go even further: Milan had improved a lot in the first few months of the season, but now it seems to have slowed down. The standings say Inter are just three points behind, but Juventus and Roma are climbing from behind.
“Allegri is right about this: the Rossoneri need to focus on fourth place before thinking big.”
If nothing else, Nkunku has picked up where he left off against Verona: a goal and a point. Is he a fully recovered striker?
“His movement and his clean shot at 1-1 make me say yes. He did something great, something he probably wouldn’t have even attempted a month ago. Plus, I also liked him in a couple of tight exchanges with his teammates. We’re finally seeing a real striker, mentally unlocked.”
You mentioned Inter and Napoli: was last Sunday’s match the title match?
“It was an entertaining match, with a Premier League pace, thanks in part to excellent refereeing, who didn’t disrupt the flow of play by whistling at every breath.
“Both Chivu’s and Conte’s teams proved they’re at the top for good reason. I believe there’s nothing better in Serie A right now than Inter-Napoli in terms of combining quality and physicality.”
Are Inter and Napoli superior to Milan?
“If we look at last Sunday’s matches, the answer is clearly yes. Milan have one point more than the Italian champions, but as I said, they seem to be slowing down considerably.
“If we then talk about the squads, I think the Nerazzurri have something more than anyone else, especially in terms of depth. Also, because Conte has several key injuries: Lukaku, De Bruyne, Anguissa, Neres…”
European competitions are about to resume. Can Milan hope their rivals drop some points in the league?
“Definitely. And I’m not just referring to Inter and Napoli, but as I said, Juventus and Roma, who also play in Europe. Milan will have an advantage; we’ll have to see if it’s for the Scudetto or fourth place…”
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