How Philippe Mexes' AC Milan Comments Highlight Main Weakness at Club

French defender Philippe Mexes had a few words to say about Milan before the club plays in the Derby della Madonnina in two weekends. 

Mexes told the microphones of Sky Sports Italia (via Goal.com) that Milan lack a bit of steel, and the club need to toughen up if they want to find success in the future and get back to winning ways in Serie A:

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We need to get as many points as possible. The team has ability to be higher in the table, we need to be closer to the top three. We've drawn so many times in games we should have won. We need to win to stay up there. We know we are a good team and we can do better, but we just lack a bit of steel.

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The defender's comments ring an alarm bell, as the main weakness of the club has indeed been the defense and midfield.

For a side that was once built on the magical wall at the back with the Invincibles, the current crop hasn't been able to carry the metaphorical torch and maintain the identity of a club with a solid defensive look.

With the defense conceding so much, it has put an increased pressure on the attack to keep up the pace and simply outscore teams in lopsided affairs. 

The defenders haven't gotten much time to build chemistry, and have been bullied by lesser teams. The midfield certainly hasn't helped either. Often times, the backline is blamed but the real problems stems from the inability of the midfielders to hold the ball long and keep off pressure from the four behind.

The biggest problem has been the club's inability to dispose of provincial sides. Milan have only picked up two points from their three matches this season against teams that were just promoted to the top tier. 

Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

A statistic like this is a worrying sign for a club that wants to get back to winning ways and bring the Champions League back to the San Siro. Getting back to those winning ways means going back to focusing heavily on the youth team at Milan. 

Building players who understand the honor that the logo on the kit means, and bleed the colors through their play for the full 90 minutes.

Some of football's greatest legends grew up through the Rossoneri pulcini system. This same youth setup hasn't produced nearly as many talents in recent years. 

Despite Mexes rarely featuring at Milan this season, he maintains that he has no issue with new coach Filippo Inzaghi, saying their relationship is as good as it was with previous Rossoneri coach Clarence Seedorf, who was fired at the start of the summer. 

Inzaghi received his job with the senior side after spending last season coaching the youth setup, so he certainly has more knowledge than anyone else about which players have a future in the top division. 

More importantly, the ability to keep the fantastic youngsters and rejecting massive offers that could come from Europe's most lavish giants will be another factor in Milan improving the squad with homegrown talent.

For example, the move to sell young deep-lying playmaker Bryan Cristante to Benfica this summer was one that drew plenty of skepticism, and rightly so.

Once Milan do pluck out the youngsters that they feel will become integral parts of the club, resisting offers from other clubs and actually giving them important minutes will be key in seeing how the future pans out.

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