Milan x Roma

TIME: 12pm EST/5pm GMT

PLACE: Stadio Olimpico, Roma

WHERE TO WATCH:

Paramount+ and FuboTV here in the US of Aye and Canada, BeIn for our Aussie pals, ESPNPlay for our fellas in T&T, JioTV for our Indian leoni, and illegal streams that support dictators and oligarchs everywhere.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

After a full week off, Milan come in about as fresh as one can expect this late in the season and the timing is important: a BIG round 32 matchup between the two teams tied for 4th on points and goal differential. The loser isn’t out of it but it does make it more difficult for them. Plus, for Milan, the late draw to Roma just after the World Cup restart started Milan’s disastrous January streak, so payback will be top of mind.

Lisi covered much of what Roma is dealing with here, namely lots of games and injuries (Lisi’s Weekend Whip Around is a great read if you haven’t had a chance yet, covers all 10 games every round). Injuries and fatigue are everywhere at this point in the season, so there will be no sympathy coming from here or anywhere else. So expect to see Roma come out with whatever they have and from a strategy standpoint, if Mourinho was one to play Mourinho-ball before, well it’s going to be that on steroids today.

Pioli will likely start his strongest lineup, so what we’ve been seeing vs Napoli of late, and while it is rumored that Calabria will start at RB, if Kalulu is healthy then I feel it has to be him. I think with Roma wounded, Pioli needs to press the sh*t out of them, similar to the first 80 minutes of their previous matchup, and not relent all game. If they’re going to do this then the counter is the only way Roma can sting them going forward, so if Pioli does this then Kalulu starting is that more important to me. If Calabria does start at RB then it should be Kalulu or Thiaw at CB beside Tomori if Milan does engage in a very aggressive high line/high press. Pioli needs to go for the throat and go for it early.

Going forward, same song and dance: get Leão, Theo, and Brahim cooking. One goal will very likely unlock Roma and Roma unpacked will be juicy with Roma’s expected backline of Ibanez, Kumbulla, and Mancini. I wouldn’t be surprised if all three get carded today.

One final note on Milan’s expected lineup: it seems Pioli has settled on Bennacer as the CAM and Brahim out at RW. Loyal readers will know that I prefer Brahim centrally and you’ll also know that I hated Kessie/Krunic as the CAM last season and well, really, at any time. This has not changed. Last season I mentioned wanting Tonali moved into the CAM if Brahim wasn’t there, and while I didn’t say it I would’ve even been happier with Bennacer there than Kessie/Krunic, because basically the same logic applies: you want a more defense player there in the CAM, ok, but they have to be able to help facilitate some offense and Bennacer as done that better than I expected.

Bennacer at CAM has also made Brahim at RW more fruitful because Bennacer moves around and interchanges positions with Brahim, so they keep the width needed for the formation but it creates shifting responsibilities for the defense and lots of overlapping movement, which drags defenders and opens up lanes. More importantly, when Milan is deep in their own half, Brahim moves in centrally to provide an outlet and that helps kick-start their counter-attacking. Much like last season, Pioli has found a unique solution to the RW issue but with Bennacer as the CAM this time and I believe it is a BETTER solution than last season.

Let’s hope we see the same Milan of the last month today and they start to create some breathing room on the domestic side. Go get those 3 points, boys…

Forza Milan

gillis