5 Positives AC Milan Can Take from Serie A Win over Napoli

Milan got an unlikely result over Napoli on Sunday, beating the Partenopei by a 2-0 scoreline. It wasn't so much the win but the clean sheet that made the victory the most pleasant of results.

The two goals came from a lovely Jeremy Menez run and a thundering header from Giacomo Bonaventura.

The win lifts Milan ahead of Saturday's encounter against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico, which would really be an incredible confidence booster if the Rossoneri were to pick up points.

Here are five reasons why you should be optimistic about Milan's chances after that great display against Napoli.

Jeremy Menez with Another World-Class Display

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It was one of those performances from Jeremy Menez in which he made everything look far too easy.

Apart from emasculating Napoli's defense on multiple occasions, the Frenchman scored his eighth goal of the season following a beautiful run, which saw him take on two defenders before gently caressing the ball into the far corner, away from the flailing arms of Rafael.

Menez made several of those runs against Napoli, and the defenders simply had no answer for him. Despite that, he didn't seem to hog the ball nearly as much as he has in the past, when he'd just run around the pitch like a headless chicken without a set destination in mind.

It seems like Filippo Inzaghi is trying to slightly tweak Menez's playing style by ironing out its frustrating side.

The Mexes-Rami Partnership Looked Imposing

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In another setting, Philippe Mexes and Adil Rami would be an imposing wrestling duo. Against Napoli, the two central defenders—who know each other well from their time with the France national team—were outstanding against arguably the best attack in Serie A.

Mexes and Rami didn't give Gonzalo Higuain any space to shoot. Mexes looked sharp with his timing and was winning every aerial duel in the box. Their distribution out of the back was also accurate, and they hardly made a mistake throughout the 90 minutes.

All of the sudden, they look like the best option for Inzaghi at the back. He needs to stick with a pair for consistency and to allow them to gain chemistry. Mexes and Rami should be that pair for Milan, especially after such a formidable performance.

Riccardo Montolivo Is Back

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Filippo Inzaghi seems to have discovered his best starting XI. It includes Jeremy Menez as a false nine and relies heavily on the midfield partnership of Nigel de Jong and Riccardo Montolivo.

More importantly, Montolivo's comeback means the volcanic Sulley Muntari likely drops back to the bench. The third midfielder will either be Giacomo Bonaventura for a more offensive look or the energetic Andrea Poli.

Montolivo has taken a lot less time than expected to reach fine form after missing six months due to the leg break he sustained in a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland before the World Cup.

He makes Milan look much more vertical, as he can pick out a pass to one of the attackers making a run into space, and he also ventures forward quite a bit and can trouble a defense with his long-distance shooting.

Also, his presence on the field is important for Inzaghi. He's a natural leader and has reassumed the captain's armband.

Fernando Torres Issue Becoming a Non-Issue

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Whether Fernando Torres was in the team dominated the early-season headlines, but you can tell that's becoming more and more of a non-issue when you see transfer rumors linking Torres with a move back to Liverpool.

The Fernando Torres experiment seems to be all but over. Milan simply cannot keep taking their chances on a player who isn't producing the goods up front. Sure, his work rate can be applauded, but Milan isn't spending millions in salary for a No. 9 who does nothing but run.

They need goals from that position, and there are cheaper and more prolific options on the roster and around Italy.

With the Torres saga looking like it'll soon come to an end, it's time to focus on the January transfer window and likely replacements. Milan need to bring in another young striker who can develop alongside the likes of Jeremy Menez and Stephan El Shaarawy.

Other Teams Drop Points, Milan Takes Advantage

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Genoa and Sampdoria were unable to pick up three points from their respective matches over the weekend, meaning that Milan's three points against Napoli puts them only two points behind Sampdoria and Lazio in fourth and third respectively.

A win against Roma could see Milan leapfrog both of those sides and go into the January transfer window with a bit of a sparkle. It could also lead Silvio Berlusconi to release the purse strings and bring in more stars, knowing that the Champions League truly is within reach.

More importantly, the atmosphere at Milan looks to be very positive and there appears to be a team mentality—just take a look at the above celebration after one of the goals against Napoli. Every player went to hug Inzaghi on the touchline, as they often do during a goal celebration.

It's great to see this sort of unity, especially within a squad that needs to improve and has clear objectives in mind.

Here's to a positive 2015.