With injuries continuing to complicate our season, AC Milan defender Theo Hernandez has stepped up and done a job for Stefano Pioli in recent weeks.
While we’ve grown accustomed to seeing the 26-year-old make his trademark marauding runs down the left flank and add a key attacking dynamic to our play for the last four years or so, he’s been asked to take on a new role and position in the absence of so many important defensive individuals.
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In a show of great maturity, leadership and discipline, Hernandez has filled in at centre-half admirably, using his attributes and strengths to mask certain deficiencies that could be exposed in that positional switch, while showing great tactical intelligence, awareness and adaptability to evolve and still be effective.
That said maturity on the pitch was matched off it too after the win over Empoli, as Theo spoke about his positional switch: “There are many injuries, the coach asked me if I was available to play central and I said yes,” he said, as per MilanNews. “I’m happy, now we have to continue like this. Great match today, now let’s think about Wednesday.”
For a player with his attacking tendencies and second-nature actions to make certain movements and focus on aspects in a different phase of the game, to understand the responsibilities that come with the new position and carry them out, has been a fundamental boost for Milan in a difficult period.
Playing as a centre-half in our last two Serie A games, we’ve kept back-to-back clean sheets too, and while the experience and know-how of Simon Kjaer alongside him will make the world of difference, it’s been an impressive showing from the Milan backline to deal with the absences we’re faced with, while Theo also impressed in our Coppa Italia win over Cagliari too.
With the recall of Matteo Gabbia and the potential for another new arrival this month, it remains to be seen how long the French international is asked to fill that void, but his form to date in doing it has been vital, and it will hopefully continue to be a foundation on which we can maintain our winning run for as long as possible.
“He’s putting in great performances,” Pioli said of Theo, as quoted by MilanNews. “Today he was impeccable from a defensive point of view and he was very good in the setting phase. It’s true that we’re losing his forward drive a bit, but we have Leao and it’s not bad to leave him space for one-on-one.
“Theo is very strong, equipped with intelligence on the pitch and physicality that few have in the world,” he added. “He is applying himself with an intensity and attention as a central defender that at times he didn’t put on the pitch as a full-back. He is performing at the highest level today He didn’t miss a single intervention and made several positive points. I think it’s right to continue like this at this moment.”
With no reason to change it given how well it’s working, albeit there is an element of being limited on how much Pioli can change given our current situation, it’s fair to assume that he will stick with it and Hernandez will remain in the heart of the defence.
It’s not an ideal situation and perhaps the longer we lean on it, any potential concerns will become more prominent, but it’s such a positive sign to see Theo stepping up in a big moment for Milan and delivering as one of the leading players in the squad, setting the example for others to follow in the process as our youngsters get chances too.