AC Milan 2-2 Fiorentina: Five things we learned – lacking basics and strikers shining | OneFootball

AC Milan were in need of a win in their pursuit of European football, following the defeat to Napoli, but the game against Fiorentina ended 2-2. We take a look at five things we learned from the game.

Just ten minutes into the game, it seemed like the Rossoneri were heading for yet another defeat, as Malick Thiaw first scored an own-goal and Moise Kean then doubled the lead. Once again, the Rossoneri started a game poorly.

However, in the 23rd minute, Tammy Abraham pulled one back in a wonderful manner, combining with Christian Pulisic before beating the goalkeeper. In the second half, Luka Jovic found the equaliser in the 64th minute and while Milan pushed for the win, the game ended 2-2.

Below are five things we learned from the game…

1. Musah needs a timeout

The American has enjoyed plenty of playing time since Conceicao joined, but it might be time for him to stay on the bench a bit as he has been struggling a lot as of late. Against Fiorentina, it felt like the final straw.

Photos by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Musah continues to be sloppy with his passing, especially with short passes that one wouldn’t expect a Milan player to struggle with, and that was seen on Fiorentina’s opener. The fact that he was subbed off after just 23 minutes says everything.

The midfielder can run all he wants and make the occasional good dribble, but both his attacking and defensive contributions continue to be close to zero.

2. Abraham keeps up good form

After the lovely goal against Inter, Abraham was given the chance from start again and he repaid the coach with another excellent performance. He pretty much created the goal himself, showcasing a lot of confidence with that action and reaching double figures for goals scored.

He picked up the ball close to the midfield, dribbled past a couple of opponents, combined with Pulisic, and slotted it home nicely to bring Milkan back into the game. Hopefully, he can stay fit and continue in this manner, especially in view of the Coppa Italia semi-final decider.

If he were to continue like this, it would almost be a no-brainer to secure him on a permanent basis, having made the difference several times.

3. Unlikely game changer

Having said the above, Abraham isn’t the only striker who has stepped up in recent weeks, making a difference for Milan. Indeed, Jovic scored a goal against Napoli and followed that up with the crucial equaliser last night.

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Unfortunately, it didn’t lead to a winner but that wasn’t exactly Jovic’s fault, having opened up space for his teammates and combining to create multiple chances. Indeed, it was a really surprising performance by the Serbian international, who most likely has earned himself some more play time in the next few games.

4. Defence all over the place

When you concede two goals in the opening 10 minutes, it speaks volumes about the defensive status. Even when we factor in the fatal mistake of Musah, the defence was still beaten too easily even in the exposed situations.

On the first goal, Tomori was beaten easily by Gudmundsson and even if you could say Thiaw was unlucky, we have seen similar own-goals from him. He might need to work on his positioning, or at least try to clear it first time rather than taking a touch.

On the flanks, Walker and Hernandez were equally as bad, with the Englishman getting a silly booking in the first half and losing the ball in a very poor manner on a couple of occasions. He was better than most but as for the future with Milan, it remains uncertain.

Hernandez, meanwhile, lost almost all duels with Dudo and his defending was all over the place, with poor positioning and effort. Not to mention that he wasted a few very dangerous chances going forward in the second half.

5. Conceicao can’t settle on a starting eleven

Whilst it’s probably tough to choose a starting eleven, given the inconsistency of most Milan players this season, giving the same lineup the chance several games in a row has its benefits. Indeed, the Rossoneri seem to lack the basic communication and understanding that comes with time.

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

The centre-back pairing especially has been a hot topic and Conceicao changed yet again for yesterday’s game, with a negative effect. The coach also keeps changing formations and making very early substitutions, giving the impression that he never gets the approach for the game right.

There are a lot of other issues with the coach and his gameplay, but it feels like the low-hanging fruit is to just pick eleven players and rely on them as much as possible. The season finale will be interesting to follow in that sense.