AC Milan: Full Report Card for Every Position for November
AC Milan lost just once in November—but they also won only one game.
It was a month without much of a rhythm. Coach Filippo "Pippo" Inzaghi has tried to find different solutions at the back and in attack, but the results have been harder to predict.
As of this writing, Milan stand in sixth place in Serie A, just three points out of that coveted third slot. For a team without much of a plan—and six draws—that is some accomplishment.
The following slides contain the letter grades for each position (including the coach). Those grades are assigned based on an scale from A to F, much like a school report card.
Coach: C
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Inzaghi has made some obvious errors. Playing Daniele Bonera was one of the biggest.
The 33-year-old has two red cards so far this season, a suggestion that maybe he is not responsible or nearly good enough to defend at this level.
But the problem goes beyond Bonera. Inzaghi simply makes too many changes to the lineup. And even then it took a pile of injuries for Inzaghi to give Marco van Ginkel a start on the last day of November. For a team without much creative impetus, that was a head-scratcher.
And guess what: The young Dutchman did just fine against Udinese.
Inzaghi's biggest success has been Jeremy Menez. This is his man—his first signing—and Inzaghi has converted him into a fruitful false nine. The seven goals scored by Menez lead Milan. Credit must go to the coach for finding a way to play without a functioning striker.
Goalkeepers: B+
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Diego Lopez reclaimed his place in goal in November. And when he came back, there was a lot for him to do.
Lopez made 12 saves in the first two games of the month—one a loss to Palermo and the other a draw with Sampdoria. It could have been so much worse.
But things are getting better. On Sunday, he registered his first clean sheet of the year.
The position is now his to lose once again.
Full-Backs: C
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Both star players spent time out injured. Mattia De Sciglio missed time toward the end of the month, and Ignazio Abate hardly featured at all.
Inzaghi tried different players, and some of them fared well enough. Adil Rami was mobile and tough to beat as a right-back against Inter, and Daniele Bonera actually made a few nice crosses against Udinese. (Then again, Bonera hardly had to defend.)
Even Pablo Armero, the forgotten full-back, played a full 90 minutes.
But there is still a lack of consistency in this position. De Sciglio is not the best of passers (even when healthy).
Centre-Backs: C
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Philippe Mexes returned to the lineup in November, replacing the injured Alex.
He's probably been Milan's best centre-back since then.
Of course his game is not the cleanest. He collected yellow cards in his first two games back against Sampdoria and Inter. And sometimes Mexes is a bit too adventurous, running up the field and leaving a hole at the back.
But Milan have not lost a game with Mexes on the field this season.
With Rami playing in several different positions (and Cristian Zapata making all kinds of mistakes), it is funny that Mexes—ignored for the first two months of the season—is now the model of consistency.
Midfielders: B-
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November marked the return of Michael Essien.
Unfortunately, he finished the month on a bad note: with a red card he could hardly believe.
"Michael Essien’s reaction to being sent off is absolutely priceless… https://t.co/awxmz0gng1
— FootballFanCast.com (@FootballFanCast) November 30, 2014"
But Essien is still far too slow for this level.
The biggest blow came when Nigel de Jong injured himself while practising with the Netherlands. Without De Jong, there isn't much rhythm to Milan.
Still, there are a few bright spots.
Giacomo Bonaventura is looking comfortable in midfield. He is a high-tempo player with the ability to run up and join the attack. Even Van Ginkel, though understandably rusty, was a creative force in his first start against Udinese.
"Milan desperately need two creative midfielders to play the brand of football Berlusconi and Inzaghi want. So far, Bonaventura/Van ginkel 👌
— Matteo Bonetti (@TheCalcioGuy) November 30, 2014"
Riccardo Montolivo is also back after six months out with a fractured tibia. Suddenly there is a lot more life to this midfield.
Wingers: B
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Milan can thank their wingers for the majority of the goals so far, but Stephan El Shaarawy is still a concern.
The 22-year-old is still having trouble scoring, and he just doesn't look himself. It's a peculiar situation: This was supposed to be a comeback year for El Shaarawy, but we are still waiting for the boom to happen.
(Keisuke Honda has lost his scoring touch as well, even though he really isn't a winger. He would do much better as a trequartista.)
But the highlight here is Jeremy Menez, the winger and false nine who runs everywhere. In just 13 matches, Menez has tied a career high in goals (7) in a single season. Four of those are penalties, but he almost always scores goals when they matter most.
Strikers: D-
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Quite simply, the strikers have not been good enough. Fernando Torres and Giampaolo Pazzini share just one goal.
There is an argument to be made about the lack of service, but at some point they have to convert the chances that they do get. Torres has been wasteful, and Pazzini cannot find a groove. (After all, he has not started a match all season.)
But there is also a reason why Milan play better with a false nine.
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