The Biggest Winners and Losers for AC Milan so Far in Serie A

With Milan having gotten off to a very inconsistent start, there's bound to be plenty of winners and losers throughout the squad or management.

While some players have shined, others have withered away into anonymity and could be phased out by Filippo Inzaghi.

Milan tend to have many similar players in various positions, so a string of poor performances could mean a month on the bench and the individual must seize their opportunities.

Here are the biggest winners and losers for the Rossoneri so far this season.

Winner: Jeremy Menez

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Even though Jeremy Menez's performances have been inconsistent, he has shown he can be pure quality on his day when he decides to take over a match.

Menez is virtually impossible to stop when he takes on his defender one-on-one, and he always looks to take a chance on goal.

His downfall is when he falls in love with the dribble a bit too much instead of looking for the surging through ball. 

The Frenchman has three goals so far this season, and he continues to be a favorite in the lineup, where he has even terrorized opposing defenses as a false nine.

Loser: Daniele Bonera

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There aren't many words in the English dictionary to describe just how poor Daniele Bonera was to start the season. Whether or not Inzaghi picked him due to familiarity, one thing's for sure—the Italian defender has lost his place in the starting lineup.

You wouldn't expect a center back with the experience of Bonera to commit the amateur mistakes that he has been accused of time and time again this campaign. Whether it's being woefully out of position, or committing a penalty, he's been shocking and has been replaced by the likes of Alex, Adil Rami and Christian Zapata.

If there's one big question mark on this side, it's that there isn't really a preferred center back pairing yet. Inzaghi has been rotating the back line constantly, searching for the best duo.

Winner: Keisuke Honda

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After being poor last season, Keisuke Honda has been one of the most pleasant surprises for Filippo Inzaghi in the new season.

Now that he's adapted to Serie A's style of play and assimilated himself more with Italian culture, Honda looks more at ease despite still playing out of position as a right winger, and has been influential in Milan's success.

The Japanese international has scored four goals and tallied a few assists along the way. His goals have mostly been fantastic. A rifled shot from outside the box, a thundering header and an Andrea Pirlo-esque free-kick from 30 meters out have been some of his highlights so far. 

Hopefully this isn't just a phase and he can deliver the goods on a weekly basis throughout the season.

Loser: Diego Lopez

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Diego Lopez's last match came against Parma when he conceded four goals and had one highlight-reel type of blooper, where a simple back-pass from Mattia De Sciglio led to an own goal as Lopez couldn't control the ball and even picked up an injury on the play.

A lot was expected from Lopez when he signed over the summer from Real Madrid, where he had a fantastic domestic campaign after fending off Iker Casillas in La Liga.

Diego Lopez has now missed the last three games as the veteran Christian Abbiati has taken his place. It'll be interesting to see how Filippo Inzaghi handles the goalkeeper conundrum going forward, even though the latest reports on the Sky Italia News broadcasts say that the Spaniard should start in between the pipes this weekend against Hellas Verona.

Winner: Ignazio Abate

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While Ignazio Abate had a down year last season, he has really emerged as one of the top right-backs in Italy under Filippo Inzaghi.

Abate's world-class speed certainly helps, but his usually suspect delivery has improved tremendously as he's been a catalyst in creating a few goals for teammates.

Inzaghi knows he can use a high line when he has two quick defenders like Abate and Christian Zapata, a luxury for a side that wants to play an offensive style.

With Mattia De Sciglio on the opposite flank, the Rossoneri are covered at the full-back position.