While all eyes are now on AC Milan’s Champions League showdown with Napoli, the club have big decisions to make in the summer to address a key issue.
Stefano Pioli opted to rotate and rest key individuals last time out against Empoli, and ultimately it didn’t work out as those stepping in to fill those voids failed to deliver.
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While conceding goals has been our biggest concern this season, having let in 36 in 29 Serie A games, which gives us the joint-worst defensive record of the top 11 sides, there was also a glaring problem that raised its head again last week in our goalless draw with Empoli.
Olivier Giroud, Rafael Leao and Brahim Diaz were among those to be left out with one eye likely on the first leg with Napoli this week, and Milan failed to find the answers in their absence to break down a stubborn Empoli defence that frustrated us and ultimately nullified our attacking threat.
In came Divock Origi and Ante Rebic, and although he made a stunning impact against Napoli off the bench and perhaps deserved his start, Alexis Saelemaekers was also unable to find the answers to our issues.
The introduction of our big hitters in the latter stages couldn’t produce the all-important breakthrough, and so we dropped more costly points in our ongoing battle for a top-four finish in Serie A this season to secure Champions League qualification for next year.
Milan attacking depth not up scratch
Whether it’s Origi with two goals in 27 appearances this season or Rebic with three in 26 outings, those options on the bench haven’t done enough this season to contribute and to share that responsibility with those ahead of them in the pecking order by making a fundamental impact on games.
While Junior Messias has five goals and two assists in 26 appearances, he doesn’t provide enough quality consistently to be considered a solution in the final third, and especially if we wish to maintain our current standing and compete at the top level in Europe, we need more.
Charles De Ketelaere has experienced a brutal first year with us, and although it’s hoped that he can bounce back strongly next season and showcase his ability, there is no guarantee that will happen. Further, question marks remain over Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s longevity and contract situation as time will tell if his stay is extended again.
With the likes of Saelemaekers struggling to establish himself in the Milan XI and Yacine Adli barely getting a look in, something’s got to change this summer that gives us a more dynamic and effective attacking unit, and one that has long-term solutions too with Giroud not getting any younger.
Players who have been influential in the past are no longer delivering, expectations aren’t being met by key signings and our prudent approach in the market isn’t raising the quality level in the squad enough to be a more ruthless and clinical side.
Put all that together, and you get our current attacking group. Take Leao’s pace, power and goals away along with Giroud’s physical presence and goalscoring ability as well as Diaz’s creativity – when he’s in form – and there’s very little to excite us about the options we have and there’s far too much pressure and burden on those three.
It can’t be about adding depth for the sake of it and looking for low-cost signings that will fill holes and do a job for the team. Milan have to go for quality over quantity this summer, and almost overhaul the majority of the attacking department to replace those who have either had a limited influence or been completely anonymous this season.
