Here we are again, talking about a Milan that simply didn’t show up. But things can always get worse compared to the past. Because unlike other matches, such as the one against Bournemouth, this time there is the aggravating factor of the comeback. Once they took the lead, Milan stopped playing, except for a few irrelevant flashes. Once again, the Rossoneri lost while exposing all their shortcomings.
Offensive and Defensive Failures
Offensively, ideas were sorely lacking, with players running on empty. Nobody attempted a creative play — just an endless series of crosses into the box, symbolising a complete lack of imagination. Defensively, an unending disaster. Not only are individual players incapable of marking their opponents or stepping up, but the entire defensive line looks increasingly disorganised. Since the start of the season, Milan have been conceding goals from set pieces and low crosses through the middle of the box, which points to a deep structural disorganisation in the defensive unit. These goals were being conceded even with Gila on the pitch, so there’s no excuse. The entire defensive approach needs to be rethought. It cannot be acceptable to keep leaving so much space as defenders fail to press up and midfielders fail to track back.
The January Transfer Window: No Hope?
Anyone who wants this team to win something needs to help it fix its problems. The fatigue of individual players and the inadequacy of some elements could be addressed with a series of January reinforcements. Reinforcements that, obviously, will not arrive. When has it ever happened that the club stepped in during January to truly help this team? Never.
Let’s brace ourselves, because we’ll keep watching tired, mediocre players. If the tactical issues aren’t fixed, we’ll also keep seeing a defensive line adrift. And things will keep getting worse, until those who should be helping this team finally take notice.
The Season: Highs and Lows
Because that’s exactly what it comes down to. The Rossoneri’s fanbase cannot celebrate wholeheartedly, because several negatives have already emerged this season. Strong performances alternate with shameful displays. High-intensity spells alternate with total blackouts, even within the same match. The squad is riddled with problems — a shallow bench and unworthy players among them. And while the league campaign is going reasonably well, the Europa League is already seriously compromised. The choice to prioritise one competition over the other is, at the very least, debatable. However, whoever is responsible for this decision should commit to staying true to their own choices.
If the decision is to focus on the league, we’ll see it play out this week with the matches against Bologna and Inter. After last Thursday’s disaster, Milan seem to have regrouped slightly. But, once again, it’s all about consistency — and, as we’ve been saying since the start of the season, the potential to do well is there. Because Milan have now shown they can perform even without some of their key players like Rabiot and Gila.
A Confidence Boost
This victory must serve as a confidence boost — both for the players, who managed to win yesterday, and for the fans. Things already said before, true, but improvement must always be the goal. Also because, as mentioned at the start, despite all their problems, Milan are right there, just 4 points off the top. It would be a shame to take something good that’s been built and throw it away. Because let’s not forget — we are Milan. Aiming for the very top wouldn’t be a bad idea.
