Buying quality and a puzzling winger: Five things we learned from Man Utd 2-4 AC Milan
This afternoon, AC Milan faced Manchester United and came out 4-2 victors. It wasn’t always pretty, but they got the job done.
When Milan went behind in two minutes, there was that inevitable feeling of dread, you know the one. Yet, it didn’t go that way. Manchester United didn’t really threaten past that point and the Rossoneri got a foot (and more) in the game.
So, when Samuel Chukwueze levelled 30 minutes later, it wasn’t exactly undeserved. Unfortunately, they went behind again early in the second half and that feeling of dread sank back in.
However, the Diavolo didn’t back down; they played their way and stayed on the front foot and eventually got their reward. Goals from Alphadjo Cisse, Goncalo Ramos and Ruben Loftus-Cheek wrapped up a 4-2 win.
With it being the final game of pre-season, we are returning to five things we learned from the game. So, here we go.
1. Amorim ball works… it just needs time
It’s best to start with the head coach and work from there. Ruben Amorim has faced plenty of questions already this pre-season from fans – and rightly so, we’re not contesting that – but today was spot on.
Tactically, he outclassed Michael Carrick, refusing to change his principles, even when falling behind twice. Yes, there are issues, but they are mainly defensively as we saw today and in the game against Chelsea.
Yet, he’s not had a full defence to work with yet. So, in other words, with a bit more time to work on the system and hopefully some investment, things should improve.
Going forward, his Diavolo team are beyond fine. Once the defence clicks, the future looks bright.
2. Puzzled with Chukwueze
Again, Chukwueze was fantastic today, but we need to highlight his attacking game. A goal – where he got into the right place at the right time – is already a good start. However, adding two assists is brilliant, too.
From that, you’d urge Amorim to play him as that left-footed No.10 that is being sought in the mercato. That could actually hinder him, though.
His best came when out wide and working in; his cross for Ramos was from wide – not central – and for Cisse’s goal, he probably shoots to the far post from cutting inside.
So, playing him in the wing-back position, where he will be allowed that space to play high and wide, may actually be the solution. Yeah, he’d probably still have at least a goal and an assist if he played where Loftus-Cheek did on Saturday.
But he got three contributions from wing-back; it’s a puzzling one, but Amorim may have struck gold.
3. What happens when you buy quality
Who’d have thunk it. When you buy quality, you get quality. Ramos is living, breathing and importantly, scoring proof of that. The Portuguese did fantastically today and is it really any shock at all?
For the first goal, he was unselfish and slotted the ball across to Chukwueze for an easy goal. However, it’s his second that makes you excited. The ball was fantastic, but it’s how he positioned, rose and delivered.
Whenever we discuss strikers failing, the benchmark has been Olivier Giroud; coincidentally, his goal today was something out of the Frenchman’s playbook. Just a quality finish, proper No. 9 play.
So, when you invest in quality, what do you get? Gonçalo Matias Ramos. A fantastic performance from the new striker.
4. Jashari will hold the keys
We’ll just start this subsection by just saying Ardon Jashari was quality on Saturday. His passing was solid, but it’s his pressing work that deserves the credit. He was everywhere that Amorim wanted him to be against United and he probably should’ve had an assist from it.
Indeed, the Swiss won the ball back and gave it to Loftus-Cheek – who wasn’t great in front of goal, despite scoring in the second half – but he couldn’t finish. However, he got his reward from the first equaliser, where his pass to Ramos was eventually given to Chukwueze.
We know Amorim wants to press high and relentlessly and Jashari did that in Poland. For that reason, it doesn’t feel bold to say that he could hold the keys to the midfield this season and beyond.
5. Torriani deserves Torino
After a pretty solid pre-season, it’s Lorenzo Torriani who should start the first game against Torino. Whilst Mike Maignan returned to Milanello on Saturday, technically a day early, the Italian deserves a start in the league.
He has played the full pre-season and he was pretty solid against United on Saturday. His performance was headlined by a penalty stop against one of the best takers (and players) in the world: Bruno Fernandes.
Just on merit, he deserves that start in Matchday 1, even if he’s only given that game.
