Milan came up short at Fiorentina last game and with Inter winning their game in hand yesterday, Milan will need to find a way to take back to Milanello all 3 points or they’re going to find themselves more than game out of first place for the first time all season.
MATCHDAY:
LAST FIVE
COMO: LWWWD
MILAN: LWWDD
FORMATIONS
COMO (4-2-3-1): Butez; Van Der Brempt, Ramon, Kempf, Moreno; Perrone, Da Cunha (C); Vojvoda, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas
MILAN (3-5-2): Maignan (C); Tomori, Gabbia, De Winter; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modrić, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Nkunku, Leão
*Lineups updated
TIME/LOCATION
TIME: 2:45pm EST/7:45pm GMT
PLACE: Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia
WHERE TO WATCH:
Paramount+ and FuboTV here in the US of Aye (Spanish broadcast on Fox Deportes in the US); FuboTV and TLN for Canada; TNT in the UK (maybe?); ESPN for Mexico; DAZN for Germany, Austria, Switzerland; a website called GXR for our friends in India; and illegal streams that support dictators and oligarchs everywhere.
*Let us know if this needs updating or if you have additional broadcasters to add*
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
I unfortunately didn’t have time to do a post match after the Fiorentina game, so let me say a few words here. I thought the team played ok, not bad and not great especially considering the squad rotation. Pulisic, for as great as he’s been, and he has been great and single-handedly responsible to at least 2-3 wins by himself, absolutely botched this game. How bad was it? Prior to the game he had 8 goals on an xG of about 3.5. After? It was 8 goals on 5.5 xG. Yikes. Two very big blown chances. Doesn’t mean he should be benched or any other drastic measure, but it’s important to call a spade a spade.
Some of you may ask, “but doesn’t that mean Allegri-ball is working because if he doesn’t blow that chance Milan win?” Well, I think the bigger take away is that Milan are only getting 1, maybe 2 truly quality chances per game and are needing to be perfect. It’s how Pulisic was carrying them early with his near 100% shooting conversion rate and it’s also why Pulisic’s missed chances and Fofana’s in the game before are so catastrophic. Milan just aren’t generating enough quality chances so the averages fall in their favor. They’re needing to be perfect offensively and because the quality chances are so few, any ineffectiveness results in dropped points. Which is really unfair to the attacking players. Soccer/football/fútbol is not a game that deals in high offensive percentages.
On that last point, and it won’t be a surprise to many of you that I’m souring on Allegri, but I just don’t think this is good enough. Milan have 7 draws already this season through 19 games (half the season), with 5 of 7 coming against bottom half of the table teams (and 1 loss). They’ve averaged 8.6 draws over the last 5 full seasons. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be Juventus and I don’t want to watch Juventus. Allegri needs to change particularly in reference to playing smaller clubs although I have ZERO hope or expectation that he will.
As for this game, Como is a formidable opponent and not a smaller club in budget and on the field performance. They are currently 6th and are top 5 in scoring and defense. They play solid football led by one of Europe’s best young players, Nico Paz. The Spaniard is just is 21 years old and valued at €65M. He is 2nd in the league in goal contributions with 6 goals and 6 assists. I’m excited to watch him even though Milan will need to keep him in check.
For Milan, there is some uncertainty who will start up front but it appears it’ll be Leão and either Pulisic or Nkunku. The midfield returns to Fofana-Modrić-Rabiot, Bartesaghi in for Estupiñan (thank god), and De Winter for Pavlović who suffered knock to the head last game and around 9-10 stitches.
I’m less worried about all the things I usually am in this because Allegri will commit to defending rather than some in-between approach, so it will sure up the defense and should provide some good counter-attacking opportunities (so it’s important Leão is out there). I read that Como typically play on a slightly more narrow pitch but that Cesc Fàbergas asked to have it widened for this game, obviously worried Allegri is going to pack it in and he wants to stretch them. Should be interesting.
PREDICTION TIME:
Draw or a narrow 1 goal win in either direction is my best guess but who the hell knows. Need a win to keep pace with Inter though so LETS GO.
Forza Milan
gillis
*Lineups updated