AC Milan Defeat to Juventus Highlights Sinisa Mihajlovic's Tactical Limitations

AC Milan fought hard but were unable to take anything away from their Saturday night clash with reigning Italian champions Juventus at the San Siro, going down 2-1 after a rousing effort.

The Rossoneri put in a dogged defensive shift to deny and frustrate their visitors, but they found it difficult to open up their opposition’s back line, once again highlighting the limitations of Sinisa Mihajlovic’s tactical approach in his first season with the club.

Milan went 1-0 up on 18 minutes thanks to an Alex header from a corner kick, only to be pegged back by a Mario Mandzukic finish within nine minutes of taking the lead. Mario Balotelli then brought two superb saves out of Gianluigi Buffon on either side of half-time, the first with a free-kick, the second with a rebound from close range.

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While for brief moments Mihajlovic’s side promised, they couldn’t deliver the killer blow, and Paul Pogba struck the winner with an awkward finish that bounced before looping over Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the net on 65 minutes.

This match showcased elements of this Milan side at their best. When the pressure is on, they tend to perform. They did so in beating Fiorentina 2-0 at home and in hammering city rivals Inter 3-0 in the Derby della Madonnina. They also did well to grind out draws on the road against Roma and Napoli.

Those results were perfect illustrations of the team Mihajlovic has built. Rugged, organised and full of physical exertion, they generally thrive when facing attack-minded opponents. This is because, with a more open game, there is more space for them to attack on the counter.

Unfortunately on Saturday night, Milan came up against a side who are as good, if not better, defending as they are attacking. Per Squawka.com, in Europe’s major leagues only Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid have conceded fewer goals per game than Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus. Even without Giorgio Chiellini, the Bianconeri’s back three of Daniele Rugani, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli proved very tough.

As Milan struggled to penetrate this solid defensive trident, the match also served to illustrate the major drawbacks of Mihajlovic’s tactics in an attacking sense.

The Serbian brought in his favoured 4-4-2 system in place of a 4-3-3 last November after watching his side fail to score for two consecutive league games. The decision was one made predominantly to improve his team’s offensive capacity, with the new system allowing for two strikers instead of one.

However, the system modification hasn’t correlated with any change in style. While Mihajlovic has improved Milan off the ball, on it they have continued to look sterile and without the creativity needed going forward, regardless of the formation used.

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This theme was prevalent against Juventus, where apart from moments of individual inspiration from Balotelli, the Rossoneri looked short of ideas on the ball. Without effective possession and combinations in the final third, Carlos Bacca was left frustrated due a lack of supply.

This sterility can be evidenced statistically. According to WhoScored.com, Milan are 10th in Serie A in terms of both pass success and successful dribbles per game. On Saturday night this was again in evidence, as they had less possession, a lower pass-success percentage and completed fewer dribbles and key passes.

Mihajlovic has undoubtedly improved the team since taking charge last summer, something that can be seen in their league position but also in their improved collective defensive shape and work ethos. But against solid defences, such as Juventus’, and against teams that defend deep and seek to counter, they encounter trouble.

Addressing these attacking limitations is something that, with six league games left, could make a key difference in the race for a top-six place and European football next season.

After the game, Mihajlovic told Mediaset Premium (h/t Football Italia):

"I saw hunger, character and intensity. Gigi Buffon needed two or three great saves and he made the difference. We must continue with this determination, as the psychological aspect has always been our real problem."

Some of those buzzwords, such as hunger, character, intensity and determination, are quite rightly associated with this Milan outfit. However, while their defensive resolve is impressive, something more is needed.

In order to continue the progress of this season, Mihajlovic must build on the tactical groundwork he has laid down so far and marry flair to his team's existing functionality.