AC Milan’s form in Serie A has stuttered in recent weeks, and Stefano Pioli will hope to see key individuals lead us back on a good run to get back on track.
The Rossoneri have won one, lost two and drawn one in our last four league outings, with individual errors and sloppy play proving to be costly and a common theme running through those disappointing results.
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That in turn has allowed our city rivals Inter to leapfrog us into top spot in the standings, as we now have a one-point deficit to make up while we prepare to face Napoli in a top-of-the-table clash this weekend.
A key issue for Milan and Pioli in recent weeks has been the form of important players who have struggled to produce their best, and in order for us to get back on track and challenge, we need those star names to rediscover their top form.
Theo Hernandez
The 24-year-old has looked well off the pace in recent games in terms of his defending at times coupled with his sloppy play on the ball and ineffective attacking effort.
Milan heavily rely on the injection of pace and directness that he can provide down that left flank, but he just hasn’t been as threatening as we know he can be in the last three games as he has failed to register either a goal or an assist.
On one hand, it could be argued that that’s not his primary job in the team and others must produce. However, with his talent and the influence he has had previously, we need Hernandez to step it up again and be far more aggressive and threatening.
Franck Kessie
As uncertainty continues to cloud his future at the club given his current contract expires next summer, Milan need the dominant Kessie back that we’ve seen in the past.
While he has put in top performances at times this season, it has been far too sporadic and that’s something we can’t afford to have in midfield as we look to control games and be on the front foot.
Sandro Tonali has emerged as an almost undroppable figure in the side such has been the impressive nature of his performances, but we need Kessie to get back to his best quickly and become a pillar in the XI again even if this might turn out to be his last season with us.
Brahim Diaz
Things started well for the 22-year-old this season as after being handed the responsibility of the No.10 shirt, he had three goals and an assist in his first six games of the Serie A campaign.
In the time since though, and perhaps no coincidence it has come after a stint out with Coronavirus, Diaz hasn’t scored in his last seven league outings and has just two assists to his name.
We can’t afford to have our main creative playmaker not be a bigger influence as it is a big factor in stunting our attacking play. While it’s hoped that he can continue to create for others, we need Diaz to also be decisive in the final third through goals too.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
With seven goals and two assists in 14 appearances so far this season, it could be considered harsh that Ibrahimovic has made this list as that is a more than decent return.
However, this is a time when Milan need our influential talismanic leader to set the tone and example for the rest to follow and get us back on a run of form that will put us right back in the mix for the title.
He has still been decisive for us in front of goal, but it’s the general influence on our play and the way in which he brings out the best in those around him which has been missing recently and we need that back to be a relentless unit.