Ruben Amorim explains his Milan tactical changes, including the introduction of Luka Modric, but they ‘cannot concede that Sassuolo goal on a corner’ and is ‘sad’ for Matteo Gabbia.
The Rossoneri had gone into the break for international duty feeling they had found their identity in a 3-0 victory over Lecce, so retained the four-man defence at the Mapei Stadium.
However, after Adrien Rabiot surprised Arijanet Muric at the near top corner with a ferocious strike, Cas Odenthal prodded in the equaliser, confirming Milan’s problems defending from set plays.
Amorim evaluating Milan alternatives
“We deserved to take the lead, but then after the goal we didn’t control the game, and we need to control the game with the ball, we cannot drop or try to defend,” Amorim told DAZN Italia.
“We continued to push, because the momentum was with us, but not in the right way. When we had the ball, we lost it really fast. That can happen, but what cannot happen is to concede that goal on the corner.”
Luka Modric came on at half-time and pushed Rabiot into a more advanced role, so does that help the France international give his best closer to the goal?
“I don’t think it’s about individual players, it’s the rotation of the team and they have different characteristics. You know Rabiot is going to get the ball down near the midfielders, Moreira is a completely different player in that position,” replied Amorim.
“Modric gave us more possession with the ball, but then we suffered a little more in transitions. It becomes us trying to control the game in their half and them going just for transitions, even on corners.
“I think we defended quite well man vs. man, but when we scored, we needed to kill time a little bit, and we didn’t do that.”
Moreira was asked to attack the space and even cut inside on occasion, so is the Belgium international’s versatility providing different alternatives?
“It depends on the game we think is going to happen. We know Ramos and Pulisic like to touch the ball and sometimes we need players who will make the opposite run.
“I felt in the second half we would have more possession, so I needed players near the opposition box, and it’s better to have a midfielder rather than a runner down that side.
“I also thought Sassuolo closed down the middle really well and the guy open was always Estupinan, so I rotated the team to take advantage of the space.”
The worst news of the match, however, was the sight of Matteo Gabbia stretchered off in tears with a serious injury.
It was only the defender’s first start of the season and he over-stretched, clutching his left thigh with a suspected flexor tear.
“I don’t know what kind of injury Gabbia has, but I’m really sad for my player, because he works really hard, he deserved his spot in the team, and then to have this situation so early is hard for him.
“Football sometimes has these things, we had a few weeks with no games and everyone was fit, now we have games, we have the situation with Alexis Saelemaekers and Gabbia. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
This was an opportunity to close on the leading pack, but instead Milan remain on 12 points from six games, so are unbeaten in Serie A, but drawing half their fixtures.
Next week, they have a trip to RB Salzburg in the Europa League before hosting Atalanta in Serie A.