AC Milan`s head coach, Max Allegri, expressed his dissatisfaction with the team after their surprising home defeat to Cremonese, stating that Milan “cannot keep conceding such soft goals” and that the team lacks “a sense of danger” and “determination.”
The Rossoneri began their season to jeers from their own fans at San Siro, following a shocking 2-1 defeat against newly-promoted Cremonese. This marked the worst possible start for Allegri on the bench, as he had missed the previous week`s 2-0 Coppa Italia victory over Bari due to a touchline ban.
“If we analyze the performance, we had eight shots on goal, but the key difference lies in the determination shown in both attack and defense,” Allegri told DAZN Italia. “We conceded two avoidable goals that could have been prevented with a bit more focus. Fortunately, it`s only the first match, and we have time to address these specifics.”
Allegri Highlights Milan`s Vulnerabilities
Although Luka Modric and Pervis Estupinan were the only new signings in the starting eleven, the former Brighton and Hove Albion full-back was substituted at half-time after struggling defensively in Serie A. Ardon Jashari entered as a late substitute, while Samuele Ricci remained on the bench, raising questions about whether Allegri needs further reinforcements.
“I don`t believe it`s an issue of a missing player. When you play in Serie A, you face tough opponents like Cremonese who fully deserved their victory by playing a smart defensive game, and we made two errors. It`s not about the squad; it`s about having more determination, both with and without the ball.”
Allegri deployed Milan in a 3-5-2 formation, which could adapt to a 4-3-3 depending on the roles of Estupinan and Alexis Saelemaekers. “The first match of the season is always complicated. These are games where you need to keep a clean sheet. We managed to get back on track by half-time, created some good scoring opportunities, but failed to convert them,” Allegri explained.
“We knew Cremonese had strong crossers and should have defended the box more effectively. We must improve in these areas because we cannot afford to concede two goals in every match.” He further elaborated, “Considering the goals we let in, it`s clear that our defensive phase requires improvement. We don`t sense danger effectively enough. There were five of us in the box against three opponents, so you cannot allow a free header, just as you cannot let Pezzella run freely to the by-line.”
While acknowledging Strahinja Pavlovic`s significant error on the first goal and his subsequent equalizer, Allegri also noted Santiago Gimenez`s sluggishness in tracking back to aid the defense during both Cremonese goals. The Mexican international joined pre-season late and appeared to be out of optimal condition.
Allegri confessed, “Santiago did arrive late and isn`t fully fit. He did his best tonight, had a great chance at the end with a header, but it didn`t go well. We all must prepare in a specific way, because we cannot continue conceding such soft goals.”
It was hoped that Allegri would bring stability to a Milan side that struggled immensely last season, yet the stadium atmosphere also felt somewhat negative.
“Regardless of what happened last season, we need to transform the negatives into positives,” concluded the coach. “Lecce is a strong and consistently tough team for next week. We must be prepared for challenging matches. If we only aim to play beautifully, we risk drawing or losing against anyone, just as we did tonight.”
