There are five key talking points from Milan’s 2-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico, as Gennaro Gattuso out-witted Eusebio Di Francesco.
Words: Ciro Di Brita
Patrik Schick gamble doesn’t pay off
There are five key talking points from Milan’s 2-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico, as Gennaro Gattuso out-witted Eusebio Di Francesco.
Words: Ciro Di Brita
Patrik Schick gamble doesn’t pay off
Eusebio Di Francesco brought in Czech youngster Patrick Schick in for his first start in eight games since he last appeared in the 1-1 home draw with Sassuolo on December 30. Schick has yet to score in Serie A for Roma and he never looked likely to change that tonight. Top scorer Dzeko has found the net just once in his last six and Di Francesco’s idea was to bring in some fresh legs after the 2-1 Champions League defeat to Shakthar Donetsk.
The Bosnian striker replaced Radja Nainggolan for the last half hour, as Di Francesco switched to two up front in an attempt to get back into the game. Neither Dzeko nor Schick threatened Gigio Donnarumma’s goal, suffering from a lack of service and coming up against a stout defence that they couldn’t penetrate.
Milan’s 4-3-3 was better than Roma’s 4-3-3/ 4-2-4
Both sides lined up with a similar formation at the start, but it was Milan’s front three that looked the more drilled side of the two, pressing high and unsettling the Giallorossi’s back line, while Di Francesco’s three forwards held their positions and waited to receive the ball from their midfielders and full backs.
Gattuso’s trident were more mobile and benefitted from being given the opportunity to express themselves with an attacking freedom that Roma’s strikers could only dream of. Di Francesco went with a 4-2-4 in the second half and that move backfired on him, as by taking out that third central player, he handed over the keys of the midfield to the Rossoneri.
Patrick Cutrone continues to impress
The young fox in the box striker struck again at the dawn of the second half, scoring his 14th goal of the season in all competition. The 20-year-old started the move off outside the box by playing the ball out to Suso and then made his way into the area to get on the end of the cross with a cheeky back-heel. Cutrone put in an excellent shift, even coming back to defend on the edge of his own box on occasion. He was replaced by Nikola Kalinic in the second half and the Croatian continued where Cutrone left off by hustling his socks off and getting involved in the build-up for the second goal.
The Leonardo Bonucci/Alessio Romagnoli partnership is starting to gel
Alessio Romagnoli was a rock tonight, mopping up every loose ball and winning every individual duel. His positioning was perfect and his partnership with Leonardo Bonucci has come a long way from the earlier part of this season, where they were both guilty of some comical defending. That was their fifth clean sheet in a row in all competition.
Gennaro Gattuso outwits Eusebio Di Francesco
Gattuso has worked wonders bringing a better shape to what was under Vincenzo Montella a disjointed and confused side. This Milan team works its socks off, has a newfound defensive solidity and is able to counter-attack with pace and purpose. Di Francesco, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to be able to get the best out of his team, relying on crosses from Aleksander Kolarov as their main attacking ploy. Nainggolan seems to be suffering under the new boss and Diego Perotti is asked to carry the team on his shoulders along a well-worn and predictable path without ever getting close to the goal.
Gattuso’s substitutions worked while Di Francesco’s made his side worse. By bringing on Kalinic when he did, Gattuso maintained his team’s pressure in the Roma half and they doubled their lead, while Di Franscesco’s subs came on looking like they had no tactical instruction other than do something, anything.