Milan take back a 0-1 deficit to the San Siro next week after a very disappointing loss at Feyenoord. It was one of those games where an early error changes the course of the match and everyone kind of sees what they want because the reasons for the disappointing showing are…hazy. And I don’t mean the good kind of hazy like rollin’ in a ’64 hotboxing.
I actually re-watched this game, which is not something I always do (due to time constraints, usually), because the game had such a nebulous feel to it. Some of my initial observations we’re correct, but a good number of them weren’t. Let’s dive into some of what I saw.
We should first get this out of the way: this game was mostly lost due to Maignan’s howler 3 minutes in. Yes, Milan had plenty of time and firepower to get back into the game but whatever the plan was for Feyenoord it undoubtedly changed after grabbing such an early lead. The change itself was very likely playing even more of a deep block as they didn’t need to take as many risks since they already had a goal. Maignan’s error was just as costly as Gabbia and Musah’s errors vs Dinamo.
One of the things I noticed initially and many others did as well was the lack of a midfield presence. That didn’t change upon the re-watch but what did was how that impacted the team and how what many of us felt was the remedy, namely a Musah or other type of ball carrier, would have only provided moderate relief. Why? Because Feyenoord remained packed in and the gap between the lines was so small that there still wouldn’t have been that much space to utilize.
With Feyenoord not pressing, and they REALLY had no desire to pressure Milan while in the Milan half, that meant nearly everyone was sitting back, organized. Usually Milan can get the opponent to bite some and when they leave their spots to press, Milan can exploit the spaces they had just vacated. Due to this, a ball carrier maybe would have helped with the ton of back passing the team was doing, but I’m not convinced they would’ve had any luck causing more damage beyond the initial defensive line.
So all of that was only part of it. The other issue that has me convinced that a ball carrier would have only helped some was that Gimenez didn’t do a very good job of doing #9 things in the final third. He came back a lot, which was fine at times. Don’t mind helping in build up. The problem was that he wasn’t doing anything to pull the backline back and separate them from the midfield line. Surely Feyenoord knew he had this tendency in him. Other players could’ve and should’ve made runs too but the lack of movement meant Feyenoord could stay tight and compacted without much space between lines that could be exploited. A ball carrier like Musah needs some space between the lines to carry but too many bodies and not much separation and what works better there is a dribbler, although even they have their limits.
So Feyenoord wasn’t pressing to help separate them at the top, Gimenez (and others) didn’t do anything to help separate them at the back, and this tight block made for a frustrating night. How Milan could have attacked this has a few paths. I would’ve liked to have seen more crosses in the box, as you can achieve penetration easier that way than trying to dribble or carry your way into dangerous areas. You would need Gimenez or whoever was playing up top to be making runs into the box but that’s an easy adjustment. If you do that then all kinds of crazy things can happen as you might get a lucky deflection or a fortuitous bounce onto a fellow Milan player’s boot.
The other thing that should be acknowledged is that Leão and others needed to be better. Reijnders had a super poor finish right before Feyenoord scored, and Leão needed to do anything on that breakaway (Thiaw’s pass could’ve been hit more centrally but because it was hit a little to the outside, that tracking down Leão had to do allowed the defender to catch up by a step or so).
Finally, I just wanted to state the lineup wasn’t the problem. The execution was poor or the tactics were depending on if Conceição told his guys to do the things I mentioned above (and/or others as I don’t have a monopoly on ideas for attack). Watching the game again and I can unequivocally state that João Felix wasn’t a problem or why Milan lost. He actually put in quite a shift and led Milan in km covered for the game, second only to Moder from Feyenoord. He ran more than Reijnders and Fofana and Pavlovic. He has a skillset no one else on the squad has and needs to play and play centrally.
Moreover, this going to the well reaction to say, this guy or that guy or the squad isn’t good enough is just a lazy analysis. Milan just brought in all these quality players! Leão isn’t a bum because he was poor with his final ball. Or Musah needs to start over Felix because what? He’s got a ton of assists and goals (he has 2 assists in the league, zero goals). Musah has been playing a ton, and I really like the player (hated that dumb ass red card vs Dinamo), but he’s not the difference maker in this game 99/100 times.
Milan is not Real or any other of those extremely loaded clubs, but those other teams routinely go out there with ultra attacking lineups and still get it done. With Pulisic and Felix’s work rates combined with that of Fofana and Reijnders, Milan had more than enough out there. Fix the tactics, get these guys in better positions to affect the game, and let’s win this over the two legs.
Player Ratings
Goal Keeping
MAIGNAN 3 – Gabbia got a 3 for his howler, so does Mike. For all the crap Leão and Theo have gotten for subpar years, Magic Mike is right there with them. I’m not saying bench any of them (there’s no better option) but Milan really need them to start producing at their career levels.
Goal Keeping Overall 3
Defense
WALKER 6.5 – Did fine. Not even mad at him for the goal. He turned to help cover the overlapping run and gave a little bit of an opening for Paixão but it was from distance and Maignan had an unobstructed view.
THIAW 6.5 – Did fine in his return to the lineup. No complaints.
PAVLOVIC 7.5 – Milan’s best player on the night by a mile. The engine and work ethic is to be admired as is the passion. Maybe Conceição should give him the armband…
HERNÁNDEZ 6 – Average.
Overall Defense 6.5
Midfield
FOFANA 6 – Invisible for much of the match.
REIJNDERS 6 – I thought that run within the first 2 minutes was a sign of things to come but that was really it. Could’ve carried it more in the middle third but again, where to go after that with Feyenoord so packed in?
Midfield Overall 6
Forwards
PULISIC 6 – Got close a couple of times but just didn’t get things going.
FELIX 6.5 – You can see the talent and creativity but it just didn’t work this game. But again, as mentioned above, he put in the effort and I’m more than happy with him at the CAM.
LEÃO 6 – Did some good things but the final ball/decision was lacking all night. One thing worth noting, and it doesn’t mean he wasn’t poor with that final decision, because he was, but multiple Feyenoord players had some, what I would say lucky, but surely timely challenges to deflect balls away. More than once they just seemed to stick out their foot, whether intentionally or not, at just the right time. Extremely frustrating.
GIMÉNEZ 5 – Too early to say what he can and can’t do as a player, but he’s definitely got do better than he did this game. I’m not saying Tammy Abraham is a better player, but I’m sure Tammy (and Morata) would’ve put in the kind shift making runs to help loosen that Feyenoord backline. It’s the type of work that doesn’t get noticed or appreciated until it’s not done.
Forwards Overall 6
Subs
TOMORI 6.5 – Did well when he came on.
CHUKWUEZE 6.5 – His ball carrying helped but as I mentioned above, it had its limits with Feyenoord so tightly packed and many of his carries fizzled out (using more of his right foot would help).
ABRAHAM NA – Didn’t have much time to impact the game.
CAMARDA NA– He played.
Subs Overall 6.5
Coaching
CONCEIÇÃO 6 – I loved the lineup and aside from not starting Tomori, I would run this out there most games especially vs smaller clubs or clubs you expect to play a low block. Yes it’s ultra attacking and you lose some of what Musah and Jimenez and other more grinta players bring, but we’ve seen these types play in these games and Milan still struggle for breakthroughs.
But where I knock Conceição some, and this is just speculation because it’s difficult to know if his tactics were wrong or if the players just didn’t execute, but the tactics allowed Feyenoord to stay tight and compact and didn’t really make them work in the final third. He obviously needs to get Giménez or Abraham to work in the box more, occupy those CBs and help make room, but more diagonal runs from others would help too. With Feyenoord coming into town next week, and surely they’ll be playing it safe and packing it in trying to preserve their 1-0 lead, Conceição will get to show all of us if he did his homework.
Final Thoughts
One last thing before we go is that I wanted to state that we do not tolerate racism, sexism, homophobia, or fascism of any sort. Inappropriate comments or slurs will be addressed, warnings will be given, and those continuing to break the rules will be banned from the site. We are an inclusive site and we want anyone who wants to come be a part of this community to feel welcomed, regardless of who they are. This grace is not extended to racists, sexists, homophobes, or fascists.
So don’t be shitty. This really isn’t that difficult.
Hellas Verona awaits us this Saturday. Let’s continue that top 4 climb.
Forza Milan
gillis
