Positives & Negatives From Milan’s Derby Defeat
Sinisa Mihajlovic may have lost his first
Derby Della Madonnina while on the Rossoneri bench, but there is more to the
story than just the 1-0 scoreline. From Mario Balotelli having added an
injection of life to the team to Keisuke Honda still unable to convince, there
are a number of positives and negatives that can be taken from the 214th
edition of the derby.
The Positives:
Romagnoli Continues To Impress
While he may have given away a penalty in the
opening Serie A match against Fiorentina, Alessio Romagnoli didn’t cave under
the pressure of a big occasion. Looking calm and composed throughout the game,
Romagnoli held strong, even pulling off a crucial interception to Inter into
the box. It was the first derby in a while in which Milan looked sturdy
defensively.
His Derby In Statistics, According To WhoScored:
Interceptions: 2
Clearances: 5
Blocked shots: 1
Fouls: 1
Overall rating: 6.59
Balotelli Is Back
After spending a year wasting away at Liverpool,
Balotelli’s super status had been revoked due to his poor form. The 25-year-old
was introduced into the game just after the hour mark and his presence saw the
team’s mentality and movement immediately shift for the better. Still not at
full fitness, great things are expected of Balo if he continues to display the
passion he did before, during and after the encounter. It wasn’t even evident
that his last competitive game was back in April, as Balotelli came inches
close to securing a point for Milan with his bullet, which struck the upright
with potency.
His Derby In Statistics, According To WhoScored:
Shots: 2
Shots On Target: 1
Key Passes: 2
Dribbles: 3
Overall rating: 7.34
An Increased Mental Approach
Since Carlo Ancelotti’s exit from the team,
the mental approach of the club took an overall decline. There was an evident
lack in discipline and more often than not the players had a tendency to give
up than fight for a point. Mihajlovic has turned this around by cancelling out
the overreacting on fouls, and by ensuring that the players stay concentrated
for the full 90. Even after Inter went 1-0 up, the players remained united and
Balotelli didn’t let Felipe Melo’s provocations get the better of him.
This was evident in the way they commanded
possession - 51.4% of it. They also managed an 80% success pass rate, and
bettered their cross-city rivals in dribbles and aerial duels too.
The Negatives:
Honda & Luiz Adriano Dispossessed
Last week’s hero, Luiz Adriano, took a turn
for this week as he struggled with being decisive in his touch. He was often
seen unsure of when to pull the trigger, and he was dispossessed a total of
five times during the encounter.
Similarly, Keisuke Honda was in the same
boat. The Japanese international didn’t look settled playing as a
‘trequartista’, and he often found himself losing possession easily or failing
to make his set-pieces threaten Inter’s backline. In total, Milan were dispossessed a total of
19 times to Inter’s six.
Adriano’s Derby In Statistics, According To WhoScored:
Dispossessed: 5
Shots: 3
Shots On Target: 1
Key Passes: 0
Dribbles: 0
Overall Rating: 5.97
Honda’s Derby In Statistics, According To WhoScored:
Dispossessed: 4
Shots: 2
Shots On Target: 1
Key Passes: 2
Dribbles: 1
Overall Rating: 6.34
The Lack Of Set-Piece Threat
Mihajlovic was a set-piece master during his
day, and since Andrea Pirlo’s exit from the team, there hasn’t been a player
who has threatened week-in-and-week-out when it comes to free-kicks. Honda is
considered as Milan’s natural set-piece taker, but he has failed dismally in
this department. His routine method is to float it into the box in hope of a
player heading it past the opposition’s ‘keeper, but there has been a lack of
menace from his efforts. As a team coached by Mihajlovic, there needs to be an
improvement in this department.
Milan may have been denied of a point, at the
very least, but the overall performance of the team was a positive one that
will certainly bode well for the overall confidence of the team. Slowly but
surely Mihajlovic’s methods are starting to creep in…
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