Milan took home an important 3 points away at Empoli over the weekend to keep their chase on the top 4 within eyesight. After a laborous first half, Milan got a jolt from the substitutes and overcame some adversity to find a way to win with second half goals from Rafael Leão and new striker Santiago Gimenez.
There were also some not so great things in this game, which we’ll get to, but in a long season these are the types of performances teams need to contend for the top 4.
The game got off to a slow start. Conceição decided to rest both Leão and Pulisic, Leão nursing a little bit of a sore ankle, and the lack of play from the wingers was very evident. João Felix started a LW, a position I’ve read he’s able to play, and Jimenez started at RW. It became clear very quickly that Felix’s best position probably isn’t winger and Jimenez is a better play when the opposite winger is one that can produce offensively at a high level.
So the Milan offense sputtered, Empoli didn’t sit back quite as much, and the two teams played a fairly even first half, perhaps symbolically heading into halftime 0-0. But the start of the second half is where things really got going and where the game was determined.
As the second half got started, Conceição brought on Leão, Pulisic, and Gimenez. Strangely, one of the players pulled was Fofana, who just returned to Serie A action after missing the last league game due to accumulation. I don’t think he was injured, and maybe he’s being saved for midweek vs Feyenoord, but interesting that we all thought he was vital…and he is, but maybe not against the smaller sides like Empoli. This could be a good player management move as we head into the final 3 months of the season, save some wear and tear since he’s our only standout DM (Bondo will hopefully help and Musah can do the job too but neither is the type of player Fofana is).
All 3 substituted players provided a much needed spark and the difference in quality was drastic and immediate. One other component to this worth nothing was that Conceição switched from the 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 after the substitutions, of course my favorite, but the impact for João Felix was huge as he was pushed centrally to the CAM position. Within the first 3 minutes of the second half, as João Felix received the ball centrally around the midway line, he had 2-3 Empoli players closing on him and he set up to let the ball run through beyond him, spin through the bodies, and broke through the traffic to start a beautiful series of possession.
I made a similar comparison in the last post match but this move reminded me even more of Brahim, particularly against Napoli that season where he did similar things to break away a couple of different times that led to goals. That unique skillset can do some real damage in the middle of the pitch and this absolutely needs to be the main formation and role for him.
The positivity didn’t last long as Tomori made a reckless challenge while already on a yellow about 10 minutes into the second half, getting sent off. I’ll return to this in a moment. Empoli, not content to take advantage of it, saw Luca Marianucci get into a kerfuffle with Gimenez after Gimenez’s hand inadverently got up into the face and neck area while trying to hold him off. Marianucci’s flopped to the floor, Gimenez kind of fell on top of him, and as they detangled Marianucci became frustrated and lifted his leg in a deliberate motion to try and catch Gimenez…somewhere…that somewhere being his balls. The contact wasn’t violent but any of you out there with balls knows you can just graze nuts and you’ll drop like a sack of potatoes. Just like that it was 10 v 10.
Pulisic found Leão 3 minutes later at the far post with a beautifully lofted ball, Leão headed it home, and we had our first goal of the game. About 8 minutes later Pulisic found Gimenez, who maneuvered to get a lane and hit a beautiful curling shot in the left corner and Milan had their insurance goal. The game would finish 2-0.
Now back to Tomori and his second yellow/red card. As mentioned above, his challenge was reckless and more importantly, dumb, as he clearly had time, Colombo was losing the angle, and Tomori could have easily caught him in time and defended without lunging in for a tackle. There was some question of whether Colombo was onside, as Kyle Walker’s sleeve/shoulder made it VERY close, but that would’ve only bailed out Tomori’s dumb decision to make that challenge. I honestly don’t know what he was thinking there.
I wasn’t able to watch the second half live and a few of you in the comments at’d me asking what I thought about my preferred starting CB. I responded some but let me state how I feel: Tomori is the only fast CB we have and like at least one of CBs to have this characteristic especially if we play a high line, and Conceição does indeed favor that. Pavlovic/Gabbia/Thiaw all have unique strengths and weaknesses but they’re all largely cut from the same characteristic cloth. If Conceição was to sit a little deeper than I would care less if Tomori started, although I don’t think he’s a dropoff from the other guys, not any more or less deficient than them just deficiently differently.
So until Tomori starts making these types of mistakes at a more frequent clip, or until his pace runs out or Conceição decides to change his high pressing approach, then I’m willing to trade Tomori’s more risky defending for keeping his characteristics on the pitch. You may decide you prefer something else, making a different tradeoff than I am, but his is where I stand.
What Happened in Serie A
Napoli (1st) dropped points in their second straight game, drawing 1-1 to Udinese (10th). Inter (2nd) played Fiorentina (6th) twice in the last 5 days, continuing a game from round 14, which was suspended when Fiorentina’s Edoardo Bove collapsed on the pitch and was rushed to hospital. Inter ended up losing that game 3-0 and missed a chance to catch Napoli. Inter avenged Thursday’s loss by beating Fiorentina 2-1 today, now down just a point after both teams have played 24 matches.
The back to back draws for Napoli have meant their projected point total for season drops to 87, which if they won the league at that total would be just 1 point more than Milan’s 86 points that won the Scudetto in the 2021-22 season. There was more parity that season than the last two and it looks like we’re back to that for this season, which only help’s Milan chase for the top 4 as I highlighted in the Empoli-Milan matchday post.
Atalanta (3rd) got back on track in the league with a big 5-0 win over Hellas Verona (15th), including 4 goals from Mateo Retegui. That takes Retegui’s league-leading total to 20 goals, 5 more than Fiorentina’s Moise Kean. Moreover, 3 of the top 5 Serie A scorers are Retegui, Kean, and Udinese’s Lorenzo Lucca. Who saw that coming???
Lazio (4th), inspired by Atalanta’s display the day before, put 5 on Monza (20th), beating them 5-1. After a poor stretch, Lazio has put together two straight wins to try and stem the bleeding. Juventus (5th), got a dubious penalty in the dying minutes to beat Como (16th) 2-1. Newly borrowed Kolo Muani has 5 goals now in his first 3 Serie A games. Considering all of Juve’s draws, no wonder it seems like no one was scoring for them before he arrived.
Bologna (8th) drew to Lecce (14th) 0-0, ceding 7th place to Milan. Roma (9th), bounced back on after their Coppa Italia loss to Milan by beating Venezia (19th) 1-0 on a Paulo Dybala 57th minute penalty. Their slim hopes for a 4th place finish are not dead yet as they sit 11 points back.
Torino (11th) and Genoa (12th) stayed exactly where they are in the table after drawing 1-1, while Cagliari (13th) beat Parma (18th) 2-1, extending Parma’s terrible run of form. They have just 2 points in their last 5 matches.
One last thing I wanted to point out: not one Serie A team has 5 wins in their last 5 league games nor does any Serie A team have 5 losses in their last 5 league games. In baseball we would call this time of the season, the dog days of summer (it’s mostly a summer sport). Not the beginning when you’re trying to get out to a fast start, nor is it crunch time when every game is magnified in importance. Everything feels kind of like a slog. Got to find a way to get points though as they all count the same!
Now, ratings.
Player Ratings
Goal Keeping
MAIGNAN 7.5 – With zero shots on target for Empoli, Mike didn’t have much to do. Did all the other stuff well, including coming way off his line multiple times to kill any over the top counter attacking attempts
Goal Keeping Overall 7.5
Defense
WALKER 7 – Solid. Love not worrying about the RB anymore.
TOMORI 5 – Was mostly fine until the stupid second yellow. I know he didn’t think his challenge was worth a second yellow (it probably was), but making that kind of a tackle puts the decision in the ref’s hands and then you’re at his mercy.
PAVLOVIC 7.5 – Hell of a run of form he’s on. Seems like every CB this season who was frozen out at any point gets a chance and then doesn’t give it back until some event (injury, suspension) removes them.
HERNÁNDEZ 7.5 – Did everything well but nothing extraordinary.
Defense Overall 7
Midfield
MUSAH 7 – I was really pissed at him after the red vs Dinamo, but he has put together 3 really good performances since then.
FOFANA 6.5 – Was fine after returning from suspension.
REIJNDERS 7 – Would’ve like to have seen him get more involved getting forward in the first half when there wasn’t as much firepower on the pitch. Didn’t play poorly, I was just hoping to see more.
Midfield Overall 7
Forwards
JIMENEZ 6 – Might have been his worst performance of the season. Just didn’t provide much of anything getting forward.
ABRAHAM 6 – Like the rest of the attackers, just lacked any real impact.
FELIX 5/7.5 – Was not very good in the first half at LW, then became a vital part of the offense once moved to CAM. Probably should have scored on a nice through ball but his chip wasn’t as lucky as the chip midweek vs Roma/
Forwards Overall 6.5
Subs
PULISIC 8 MOTM – Not very often a sub gets MOTM but he absolutely was. Once he and the other more offensive subs came on the game completely changed. Can’t wait to watch him, Leão, Felix, and Gimenez all play together from the get-go.
LEÃO 7.5 – Him and Theo are producing at an impressive rate since Conceição arrived and I’ll all for it.
GIMENEZ 7.5 – How about that finish?! Been a while since we’ve had a #9 who can score from a bit further out than the 6 yard box. A lot more to come?…I hope so.
THIAW 6 – First game time since Como in mid-January and did fine.
TERRACCIANO NA – He played.
Subs Overall 7.5
Coaching
CONCEIÇÃO 7 – I’m with Lisi in that you start the starters. I know he needs to rest guys but holding a lead is better than chasing one. Still…he’s getting results and for that he gets a 7. Plus, loved the subs right away. He didn’t wait until the 60th or 70th minute like we saw Fonseca do.
As for all the formation switching, I’m mostly fine with it. I think the players he’s been playing when Leão isn’t out there would play well if they stuck to the 4-2-3-1, but this is only a minor scab I’m picking at. As long as it’s the 4-2-3-1 with Leão out there, cool. But for what it’s worth, wouldn’t mind seeing a 4-4-2 when Leão isn’t out there and pairing either Felix or Abraham with Gimenez. Could be a good backup formation.
Final Thoughts
Midweek game looms as Milan travel to play Gimenez’s old team, Feyenoord, in the first leg of their first Champions League knockout game. Hellas Verona after that on Saturday.
Forza Milan.
gillis
