It is true that, however it goes tonight, Milan will still be leading the league until next Sunday, but this is the moment to make a “drawer”, that is to collect as many points as possible to get ready for that period of the season when physiologically, there could be a decline. It is an ant-style Milan what Stefano Pioli wants and the management also wants, because you know what happens to the cicada when winter arrives. The AC Milan coach does not make fancy flights, in Milanello there are no points tables nor, much less, reasoning about the Pindaric classification. We think game by game, opponent by opponent and with such a tight schedule, the work that the Pioli staff does off the pitch is fundamental. In particular, that of match analysts, who over the course of the days prepare all the situations relating to the opponents and make them available, through a specific app, to the whole team group. An intuition desired by Pioli and developed by his collaborators, which allows AC Milan players not only to have all the images on individual opponents and global situations available, but also to be able to see each other again at the end of training. A fundamental method to optimize times, both on and off the pitch, because with few training sessions available, it is important to know the opponent even only visually to prevent dangers. Even the goalkeepers, with the trio Dida-Ragno-Betti, have personalized video sessions, in order to standardize the working method.
Another fundamental element, in the next round of games, is that relating to turnover. Up until now, Pioli has used 21 outfield players, partly out of necessity and partly out of conviction. The fact is that, now, every player – albeit with his characteristics – always knows what to do within that game system, the 4-2-3-1, which is well defined around the forms of the team. Consequently, it is not surprising that Krunic’s performance against Celtic as well as that of Diogo Dalot or the lightning of Hauge, on which the coach counts but the Norwegian must first learn some more dictates before being able to consistently apply for a starting shirt. But he too is a weapon that can hurt from the bench, during the game, like at the Park on Thursday night. It will be essential to keep everyone (or almost) on their toes, to understand that everyone is the owner and that when one no longer has enough, one does not go into trouble. Of course, even if the power plant battery were to be fully available again, it would not be bad but Gabbia is still in isolation at home while Musacchio needs more weeks to be enlisted in the group.
The fact is that today’s Milan is a real team, which knows how to hurt opponents with more than one interpreter and this, for those who play against them, is certainly an additional danger factor. Because if Ibra doesn’t take down the doors, the others are ready to do it for him. This Milan is no longer a child of chance, it is a reality that in the pandemic championship, can and must think big without setting limits, but keeping the focus on everyday life. The real extra weapon of the Pioli group.
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