It was a strange atmosphere at San Siro yesterday as AC Milan drew 3-3 with Genoa amid fan protests, and it is a result that feels more like a defeat.
As this morning’s edition of Corriere della Sera (via PianetaMilan) writes, Milan have now gone six games without a win across all competitions which is simply unacceptable at the decisive moment of the season. The fact they were unable to protect a lead late on adds a further negative slant on the evening.
The game started badly with the fan protests meaning that there was an eerie atmosphere inside San Siro, then Fikayo Tomori’s foul on Alessandro Vogliacco led to the penalty kick for Genoa which Mateo Retegui converted.
Milan woke up and equalised through Alessandro Florenzi but then Caleb Ekuban’s goal in the second half gave the Grifone the lead back. Matteo Gabbia’s header from a corner and Olivier Giroud’s volley put the Rossoneri ahead, but they could not hang on.
The Curva Sud, with the score at 3-2, left the stadium, further demonstrating their protest against the club. Stefano Pioli then threw on Malick Thiaw for Samuel Chukwueze and started defending with five.
The move had the opposite effect: the team were split in two, at the mercy of the counter-attacks from Alberto Gilardino’s side and that eventually led to the equaliser from Retegui, who somehow beat Tomori and Thiaw to a low cross.
With 42 goals conceded in 35 games – of which eight came in the last four games – the defensive worries remain. In fact, only Sassuolo and Salernitana did worse in that period.
It was yet another flop from the big players too. Giroud did little beyond his goal and missed a big chance, while Theo Hernández and Rafael Leão also struggled, with the latter even being jeered off.
During the summer window it will be necessary to find players with character and personality who know how to take charge of the team in difficult, crucial moments: a quality that has been sorely missing this season.
We need an aggressive leader, I would certainly not say that Theo and Leao lack character but they are not that and not everyone can be everything.
Furthermore we need a player with good foul management, someone who can draw fould snd foul himself to break up the play while avoiding cards.
A proper DM to hold the team together like Kessie did would be good. He was a threat both forwards and helped well at the back and could fill in as a CB if the CB went on a run forward. I feel we haven’t had someone who plays like that since he left.
Van bommel will be the idea winner coach