QUOTE (Forza Milan! @ Oct 18 2020, 05:19 PM)
Indeed.
For weeks I keep reading (on various forums) stuff like "inadequate team; horrible mercato; we barely won against week teams (like Crotone), better teams (like Juve) surely will dominate them; first game we will play against a tough opponent (like Inter) we will get trashed". Yet ... we are winning games where we would have struggled in the past, conceded only one goal (from a high scoring Inter), and other teams have their problems. Only teams that really worries me is Napoli (all others have shown their limitations).
Yes, this is a long way from winning CL. OTOH, we have been little more than a mid-table team in recent years, and we are not going to go back to the old glory days overnight.
Let's enjoy the moment. Forza Milan!
Agreed.
Napoli and Atalanta for me are both the scary teams in the league due to their attacking acumen. Napoli absolutely destroyed Atalanta yesterday, but on any other day, it could have easily been the reverse.
Juve drew to Crotone yesterday, Roma are losing to Benevento atm. I thin this is going to be a crazy season, with crazy score lines. The Covid effect factoring in, not to mention the compressed fixture list.
That being said, we've started the season out strong. Complaining right now, is pointless. Yes we haven't really geared up to the level of play we were at after the restart but certain things have factored into that, mainly the limited preparation going into the season, the loss of Zlatan, Rebic and Romagnoli and fatigue playing a part as well. Our run of games after the restart we were incredibly fit, and were managing to outrun our opponents in most games, I expect us to regain those fitness levels in time, and with that the more fluid play will come.
All in all, I'm very happy with how things are going so far. We have a strong group and it is clear that the team spirit is high with everyone playing for each other
QUOTE (Forza Milan! @ Oct 18 2020, 05:35 PM)
Yes, we did get lucky. OTOH, after reading some commentaries on the game, I think I understand Pioli's strategy a little better. As I understand it, Pioli played a risky game for the first 60 minutes, using players (like Leao) that could exploit Inter's defensive weakness, but leaving us exposed as well (in particular, Roma and Theo struggled). The strategy worked in the first half, but Inter was getting way too many chances after the break. Bringing Krunic and Samu was all about shoring up the defense and preserving the win. Going to a 4-3-3 closed Inter's attack lanes, and Samu was favored over more attack-minded (but risky) options (like Diaz and Hague). Inter still had chances, but less so.
I still think Samu needs to be replaced with someone better, and we need upgrades as well as more depth in multiple areas.
Agreed. I scratched my head when he put on Krunic as well. But I think it helped out in closing the spaces, especially with Kessie and Bennacer tiring out.
Re Theo and Romagnoli. You have to also look at the fact that Leao was on their flank, while Alexis was on Calabria's side, and he goes from doubling up as a FB to attacking, while Leao doesn't help out as much, plus this being Inter's stronger side with Hakimi