GdS: A ‘true disaster’ – scrutiny intensifies as Milan sink to new low in Ferencvaros loss

By: Oliver Fisher

AC Milan fell to a third Europa League defeat in four games last night at San Siro, losing against Ferencvaros who maintained their perfect start.

La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) begin a report by asking the obvious question: what is the real Milan? Is it the aggressive, focused and at times dazzling side seen in the derby at the weekend, or the listless, disjointed, and sterile team witnessed yesterday against Ferencváros?

In all likelihood, the real Milan are both – doomed, partly due to structural limitations, to oscillate between positive performances and lacklustre displays. To be clear, the Rossoneri won’t get far in any competition this way, as there can be no ambition without consistency.

Their last six matches have been a constant see-saw between victory and defeat. On only one of five occasions have Milan managed to come back from a deficit, a sign of a profound struggle to react.

Yesterday, their Europa League campaign became dangerously complicated: direct qualification for the next stage is now little more than a pipe dream, and even reaching the play-offs is hanging in the balance.

As things stand, Milan would be eliminated, and the schedule includes a daunting away trip to face Olympiacos and a home match against Sunderland, followed by two theoretically easier fixtures. The ‘Version A’ of Milan would have no trouble finishing in the top 24, but ‘Version B’ risks falling short.

One must also ask how much they truly care about the Europa League. While it is true that the squad lacks depth and injuries provide a valid excuse, Amorim’s team selections made it clear that Sunday’s away match in Genoa was considered the higher priority.

Yet, making such choices hinders growth. So far in Europe, the Diavolo have delivered three embarrassing performances in four games in Europe. It is a hard pill to swallow, but this is Milan: an international competition cannot be treated like a midweek friendly.

The match against a very good Ferencváros side was handled poorly: a terrible approach, an overly convoluted tactical set-up (even accounting for absences, which must be considered but do not justify such absolute mediocrity), and a complete lack of intensity.

It was as if the players were still suffering from a hangover following their derby celebrations. Amorim opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, tasking Jashari with orchestrating play, while relying on the pace of Hutchinson and Cissé to disrupt the disciplined Hungarian defence.

The problem, however, was that there was no bow from which to launch those arrows. Jashari once again displayed a concerning lack of personality. Borbely assigned Bero to mark him, and that move alone was enough to reduce the Swiss player to performing only the most basic tasks, which he executed poorly.

Another issue in the build-up phase was the advanced positioning of Rabiot, who was drawn too far toward the final third, making him easy to shield. Unlike in the derby, he found himself receiving the ball with his back to the goal, almost always forcing him to pass backward.

Rabiot’s true value lies in his box-to-box quality: mobility is essential to maximizing his strengths, yet yesterday he was effectively caged by Amorim’s tactical design. Then there is Ramos, who touched the ball just three times (yes, three) in 30 minutes, despite the team holding 68% possession.

What is the point of maintaining possession if your best player remains on the periphery of the match and your centre-forward is never provided with a service? It was fortunate for Milan that, in the first half, Joseph displayed the worst of his repertoire, squandering two prime opportunities.

Realising the issues, Amorim tried to jolt the team into life by bringing on indispensable starters (Pulisic, Moreira and Gila) and dropping Rabiot deeper. It yielded no positive results, as the team’s build-up play remained predictable and their defense lacked cohesion.

Joseph made amends for his first-half finishing errors by scoring twice into an empty net. The first goal was gifted by a reckless back-pass from De Winter that Torriani failed to control; the second coming on a counter-attack, set up by an intelligent touch from Zachariassen.

Meanwhile, Milan’s first shot on target didn’t arrive until the 36th minute of the second half, courtesy of Hutchinson. By that point Ferencváros were down to ten men following Yusuf’s sending-off, and Amorim had deployed both Modrić and Camarda.

The coach opted for an improbable 4-2-4 formation with Moreira playing as a left-back. It was a move born of resignation, or rather, desperation. Which version of Milan will show up at Marassi on Sunday? It’s a question that naturally piques one’s curiosity.