GdS: ‘The defence is scary’ – the problems for Milan and Fonseca’s possible fixes

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·11 November 2024

GdS: ‘The defence is scary’ – the problems for Milan and Fonseca’s possible fixes

AC Milan go into another international break with questions asked about their defensive ability, all while the top four places got further away.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) reports this morning, the management and Paulo Fonseca are worried seeing the ease with which the team concedes goals. By now all the opponents have understood to target the right wing and then put the ball into the middle, as the nine goals conceded that way shows.

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A familiar issue

The two goals for Torino in the first game of the season came from moves down that side, then the two for Parma, the two for Lazio, the 3-1 goal for Liverpool, the equaliser for Inter in the derby, Fiorentina’s opening goal, Club Brugge’s equaliser and again on Saturday.

One fact from the game at the Unipol Domus must lead to in-depth reflection: Augello, Cagliari’s left winger, knew of Milan’s difficulties in that lane, and pushed hard, putting eight crosses into the centre. Emerson couldn’t stop the supply, but Samuel Chukwueze did not help him much.

The errors of others must be highlighted too. Theo Hernandez has often revealed gaps in his coverage of his area and does not like to track back, Strahinja Pavlovic’s position and aggression are sometimes off.

Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw and the midfielders who are expected to help – Tijjani Reijnders, Christian Pulisic and Youssouf Fofana – were not always perfect either. In short, the problem is a team problem and Fonseca is called upon to find a definitive solution.

Fonseca’s plan to fix

The Portuguese coach has not hidden from the issues and in the next few days he and his staff will plan the work to be done especially next week, when the international players will begin to rejoin the group.

Milan have let in 20 goals in 15 games this season across all competitions, with 14 in the league and six in Europe. The most striking data, however, is where the goals were let in: of the 14 in Serie A, 10 were away from home.

There is an absence of personality but also organisation, given the departments often become stretched leading to space to attack on the counter. How will Fonseca fix it? A change of formation is not foreseen.

Fonseca seems to want to move forward with a 4-2-3-1, ‘without even taking into consideration the possibility of using two midfielders and a 4-3-3’. Perhaps a helping hand could come from finding a solid and reliable pair of central defenders to interrupt the mass rotation.

Consistency and collective help

After the break Matteo Gabbia will return, Thiaw is back to a good level, Tomori alternates good performances with big errors, while Pavlovic has spirit but has yet to understand the tactical discipline required for Italian football.

The help of the wingers is needed too. Against Cagliari, Leao ran more than Chuwkueze which is a comforting indication for Rafa, less so for the Nigerian. Then, the midfielders must do their bit to provide an effective shield in the non-possession phase.

In 11 league games so far this season, Milan conceded at least two goals against Torino, Parma, Lazio, Fiorentina, Napoli and Cagliari. It is no coincidence that in these six matches, they won zero but in the other five games they won all of them.

Then there is the data on clean sheets: four in Serie A and none in Europe. When the season resumes, the trend must be changed or dreams of glory will be over. Fonseca knows this well.