Amorim explains how Milan must improve and swats away unbeaten start: “For me, I lost today”

Ruben Amorim dismissed the talk of his unbeaten record as a Serie A coach so far given the two points dropped against Sassuolo.

Milan were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium on Sunday night. Adrien Rabiot’s 63rd-minute goal got things going, but then Odenthal’s equaliser five minutes later pegged the Rossoneri back, and they were unable to find a winner.

It was a game split into thirds in truth, whereby Milan dominated the middle part of the game before and after the break, after having started slowly. Then, the final portion of the match was quite open, with the Neroverdi generating the chances to make them feel they could have won it too.

After speaking to the Sky cameras, Amorim was present in the press conference room at the Mapei Stadium to offer further thoughts on what was a frustrating night for his side, and his words are via MilanNews.

How do you explain those five minutes after the opening goal?

“There are many reasons. The important thing is that after the goal, we should have managed the ball better, but instead we tried to press as we did and often found ourselves in one-on-one situations. There were no clear situations.

“These are difficult things to understand, but they happen. We conceded a corner, but we can’t concede that goal. In the second half, we transformed the game into transitions. There are several things we can improve.”

In the final minutes, the team didn’t seem to have any hunger or desire.

“Because I don’t think you attack more if you have more forwards. More midfielders sometimes help you attack more. Why didn’t I bring on another striker after their equaliser? I wanted to play the same way we were doing. Because it doesn’t matter who creates the chances. It’s a moment.

“We need to understand how the game changes after the goal. We tried to do that, but in the three minutes before the goal, we made the wrong decisions.”

Today it seemed like someone was missing who could take the responsibility of shooting. Rabiot was the only one…

“It depends. You have to understand that 95% of goals come from inside the penalty area. Sometimes we can also score from outside the box, but we have to understand where we are capable of scoring.

“We need to improve on our crossing, which we should have done better today. In terms of shots, I don’t think my players are afraid to shoot from outside the box, they just didn’t think it was the right time.”

Is there a mentality issue?

“I don’t know if it’s a mentality issue, because I don’t know if the whole point is, ‘I scored, so I’ll defend.’ I think it’s a question of experience, but we have to finish the game, kill it, take our time when we need it.

“There will be things we’ll improve throughout the season, but there are things we should have done better at the start.”

The feeling is that Milan sometimes turns off the light…

“Sometimes, yes, but not in this match. I’ve seen it more in other games than today, but I think we’re also a team that sometimes loses intensity but then gets back into the game. We’re trying to play in different ways and we’ll improve.”

You are still undefeated, unlike in the Europa League. Is Salzburg now crucial?

“Every game is important here. In my last job, I was doing poorly in the league but winning in Europe. For me, being undefeated means nothing. It doesn’t matter to me. For me, I lost today.

“I don’t want to be the undefeated manager who still loses points, because three draws are three points, so it’s like winning one game and losing two. We have to win, and we will. And we’re not undefeated, because we still threw away points.”

We haven’t seen the version of Milan seen in the Manchester United friendly since the game in Wroclaw. When will we see that Milan again?

“It depends. I look at the team and I know we’re improving. There are things that need to be tweaked, but we’re trying to always be dominant, but sometimes it’s difficult.

“I don’t think it was our best match against Torino. I think we played better today than against Torino. I understand, I accept all opinions, but I think we were better today.”

Why?

“Because we had more rotation, we understood the moments of the game better. And if you remember the first half against Torino, we were very static. Today we always defended 1v1. We struggled with some transitions, but today we played better than against Torino.”