As Sinisa Mihajlovic trudged down the tunnel at the Stadio Artemio Franchi on Sunday evening, it all seemed rather underwhelming for the new look AC Milan. The Rossoneri showcased everything they thought they had left behind, as they were overran by Paulo Sousa’s Fiorentina ending in a 2-0 loss.
Rodrigo Ely didn’t announce himself as the next Paolo Maldini either, having received two yellow cards earning himself an early bath and an early season’s defeat for his side.
Cries can be heard from all around Milano, ‘Sign another striker!’ screams one. ‘Sort out the defence!’ yells another.
Calm Milanisti, there is no need to be worried. Not just yet at least.
Of course the worry and dread will set in, with all supporters knowing that anything other than a win at San Siro next Saturday against Empoli will spell panic stations ahead of the Derby della Madonnina.
A win versus a team easily brushed aside by Chievo would bring a shred of optimism in the camp, but if you want to secure three points you need goals. The cornerstone of any victory.
Luis Adriano and Carlos Bacca both made their Serie A debuts on Sunday, ready to showcase exactly why Adriano Galliani had decided to part with €38 million, yet neither managed to register a single shot on target.
This wasn’t for the fault of the forwards though, with the midfield seemingly just a shadow during the game, and the defence’s performance was nothing short of laughable. Yes, it is only the first game of the season and yes, there are a host of new faces including the coach looking to gel, but getting that opening three points is a true morale booster.
The stats tell the story – 18% of Scudetto winners that season draw their openers, 76% win on matchday one.
That leaves a tiny 6% of winners that lose the first game.
What Mihajlovic must do is not get bogged down by the loss and change the system he has put faith in. He loves his 4-3-1-2 formation, the style that worked so well at Sampdoria, and there’s no reason for him to opt out of this.
Although their attacking intent was somewhat nullified when there were 11 men on either side, their ability to counter attack was let down by the lacklustre midfield.
Once Ely received his marching orders and went off for an early bath, something must have clicked in Mihajlovic’s mind that the best thing to do now, in what is an already narrow formation, is to send his full backs forward.
It was probably not Sinisa’s finest moment, allowing Mattia De Sciglio to bomb down the touchline in an attempt to stretch the already vibrant Fiorentina.
It cost them dearly, and they were soon 2-0 down.
The dismissal of Ely was a pivotal point in the game, with the fact Keisuke Honda had to make way for Cristian Zapata. Oh how all the travelling support enjoyed seeing that change. As the aforementioned points note, it meant the new forwards had nothing to work with, and thus Milan crashed to a disappointing defeat.
Although Ely will not be available for the game with Empoli, Mihajlovic must side with his youthful centre-backs for the future. Alessio Romagnoli is set to become a star, and hopefully for Milan’s sake, Ely can become that too.
It will prove to be a massive gamble if the coach opts for the same centre-back partnership that lost to Fiorentina for the match with Inter, instead of the two that play next Saturday, but it could pay off. What better way to pay faith in your two young defenders than saying, ‘I believe you can stop the likes of Mauro Icardi and Stevan Jovetic in arguably our biggest match of the campaign’.
The Milanisti expected big things of their beloved Rossoneri, as does the new man at the helm in the shape of Mihajlovic, but is it expectations that exceed what the current squad are able to achieve?
As clichéd as it sounds, time will tell, but they must improve tenfold, and what better place than a home game with Empoli, right?
