Well, it’s been a couple of days and I’m sure you’ve all read various ratings and commentary by this point. I actually meant to put this out last night but it was already pretty late for you out east so I waited. Plus, I wanted to give my thoughts another night to settle.
I don’t know that I’ll say anything new in this post, anything that I haven’t said before. Everyone sees things through their own lens and I’m always willing to share mine and hope you all enjoy reading it. Most importantly, and regardless of if you agree with me, I hope I give you all reason to think about something you read here. Something maybe you hadn’t thought before, maybe something you never put much credence towards but are maybe rethinking it. If anything, maybe it provided you clarity one way or the other, but in the end we’re all here because we love Milan and most of all want to share in them achieving great things.
This Champions League run was something I don’t think any of us expected but it was an absolute joy to watch. It’s in our nature to want more but I hope you enjoyed the run for what it was: unexpected. Much like the Scudetto last year, the unexpected run, the unexpected title, those are the best ones.
With that out of the way, let’s dive into this match and talk about what we saw.
Player Ratings
Goal Keeping
MAIGNAN 6.6 Maybe could’ve stopped the Lautaro goal but the rest of his team did him little favors, not just this game but both legs. So, while he could’ve done better, he was not what held Milan back in this series
Goal Keeping Overall: 6.6
Defense
HERANDEZ 6.8 Similar to the first leg in that he played well but didn’t imprint the offensive side of things the way the team needed him to. For better or worse this LB is a vital part of the an attack thin in attacking options, so when he doesn’t make is mark it’s just that much more noticeable
TOMORI 6.6 Decent game from Tomori and has been pretty good/steady these last couple of months. Tracked back well and didn’t let anyone get behind him which was key
THIAW 6.7 Solid game from the kid and he didn’t let Dzeko do much. Was also really good on dead balls which is a must when you’re the big man on the backline
CALABRIA 6.5 Did what he was asked to do in the game, so my gripe isn’t with him but with Pioli. I wish he wasn’t in the game and that the RB was asked to do something else
Defense Overall: 6.7 Just as solid was the 1st leg but without the terrible 5 minute stretch
Midfield
TONALI 7.5 Best player on the pitch for Milan on the day and would be the MOTM if we gave those out on losses. He was everywhere and did everything. Had a few really good chances created that just didn’t pan out but that wasn’t on him
KRUNIC 6.8 He was actually really good when he was in DM mode, just doesn’t provide much going forward. Which is fine except I just wish he was only asked to be the DM
Midfield Overall: 7.1 Did fine but probably needed more midfielders out there
Forwards
LEÃO 6 Didn’t look fully fit AND Inter slide their defense his way. Had 1 of the 2 best chances on the day but it just slid past the far post. Really would’ve enjoyed seeing him vs Inter to start the series. Sigh…
DÍAZ 5.9 Not a good game from Brahim and really should’ve done better on this shot on goal in the first half. Onana did well to get over but he was already heading that way so Brahim either needed to blast it or go for the opposite post. He did neither and cost Milan 1 of the 2 best chances the team had on the day
MESSIAS 5.6 Worst starter on the day. Didn’t create anything
GIROUD 6.5 Better game from Giroud in that he simplified what he was doing. Much better job receiving and holding onto the ball. But…he didn’t score (again) and that’s a forward’s main task
Forwards Overall: 6 Zero goals or assists over both legs. I know Leão missed the first game but that’s just not acceptable
Subs
KALULU 6.8 Came on for a banged up Thiaw and did fine. He should’ve started but I’ve already beat that dead horse PLENTY since the first Napoli game in April
ORIGI 5.9 He played. Again
SAELEMAEKERS 6.3 Came on and was better than Messias but still wasn’t much of a force getting forward and helping the attack
Subs Overall: 6.2 Very average but I guess that’s on par with what Milan has in the reserves
Coaching
PIOLI 5 If you read my comments in the matchday post, then you know that I wanted Pioli to start the fastest back line possible. I felt this would allow him to get more guys forward so that they could counter a crowded Inter midfield and win in the numbers game. During the match Lisi and I were texting and he said there was a big hole in the center of the pitch when the Milan had the ball and was getting forward, saying it was screaming for a Milan player to occupy that space. This is where I think the extra player could’ve helped had Pioli started the fastest possible back line and left his backline exposed some.
Being down 0–2 to start this game it was always going to be uphill. I think Milan could’ve done it but it was going to be hard unless they played very aggressively in the way I had talked about. In the end, they didn’t, they created few opportunities, and ended up losing 0-1 in this game and 0-3 over both legs. I don’t know that Milan is better than Inter this season, but they’re better than losing 0-3 over both legs. This much I’m sure of.
I’m definitely not a #PioliOut guy, and I’m still not, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t have done better over these 2 legs.
Final Thoughts
So, there’s a lot more that I’d like to say but I feel that most of it will be covered with our end of year wrap-up. In the end, I believe that the 2 legs of this tie showed what we’ve all seen all season and that’s a team that is limited when its main stars are not firing. Sure, things could’ve been done a bit differently here or a bit differently there…maybe Pioli could’ve started this player over this other player…played this high line instead of a low block, or vice versa. Regardless of all of that, I think the thing that did them in was the lack of depth.
Much like what we have seen in league play this season, Milan is just not able to overcome when their B team has to play. This is even more pronounced when it’s the top tier guys on the squad who are out. Milan is just short of options. Whether it’s been Leão who was out and the goals dried up, or when Magic Mike got injured and Tatarusanu was just not able to do anything to allow Pioli to continue playing his preferred style, the thin squad was just too much to overcome.
We still have some time before we know if Milan finishes the season in the top 4 in league play, but what we do know is this team is close. It’s close to really competing in Europe and on the domestic front at the same time. The squad is still young, it has talent, the financial side of the house is in good order, now it’s time for ownership to invest so that Milan can take the next step.
Now the focus is on league play and getting all 9 remaining league points starting Saturday. Maybe it’s enough, maybe it won’t be, but I hope and expect to see a fired up Milan these last 3 weeks.
Forza Milan
gillis
