"In the derby they risked conceding a goal and had to call on a 2022 version of Mike Maignan for help. The xG figures show 1.74 to 0.88 for Inter, who missed a penalty and hit the post twice. The xG figures also show that Milan, in their four head-to-head matches against Napoli, Juve, Roma, and Inter, have conceded 6.5 xG, which isn't low. Yet, they conceded only one goal: a penalty from De Bruyne."
"Allegri set up a 5-3-2, and it's not easy to attack a block like that. They couldn't get through the centre. On the left side, Inter's best flank, Alexis Saelemaekers doubled-teamed. When they did get a cross off, Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic were waiting to clear like anti-aircraft guns. Milan can compete among the top teams until May, partly because they have the most room to correct mistakes. Napoli are still finding their form amid a predictable Conte storm."
"Milan's problems seem decidedly more solvable: concentration against smaller teams, and attacking solutions against teams that defend deep. Allegri is a specialist in the first two aspects; he's been working on them for a long time now. The derby showed something else: how vital Adrien Rabiot is. With him starting, Milan have played five games, winning four and drawing one against Juventus."
AC Milan sit two points behind Roma, level with Napoli and one ahead of Inter, and have beaten the other four top-five teams. The side plays once a week and shows match-defining defensive solidity at key moments, conceding only one goal in four head-to-heads despite 6.5 xG against. A 5-3-2 setup frustrates opponents' attacks, with Maignan producing crucial saves in the derby. Milan have room to fix concentration versus smaller teams and to find attacking solutions against deep blocks. Allegri has focused on those areas, while Adrien Rabiot’s starts coincide with four wins and a draw in five matches.
Read at SempreMilan
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