Team news: Empoli were without Nicolas Haas, while Milan had to do without Alessandro Plizzari, Davide Calabria, Simon Kjær, Ante Rebić, Rafael Leão, Pietro Pellegri and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Kickoff time for Matchday 19 was 20:45 CET at Stadio Carlo Castellani.
Goals: Kessié (12′, 42′), Bajrami (18′), Florenzi (64′), Theo Hernández (69′), Pinamonti (84′ pk)
Empoli F.C. (4-3-1-2) – Aurelio Andreazzoli
Guglielmo Vicario; Petar Stojanović, Simone Romagnoli, Sebastiano Luperto, Fabiano Parisi; Liam Henderson (85′ Kristjan Asllani), Samuele Ricci (85′ Leo Štulac), Szymon Żurkowski (68′ Filippo Bandinelli); Nedim Bajrami; Patrick Cutrone (68′ Andrea La Mantia), Andrea Pinamonti.
Unused: Furlan, Ujkani; Marchizza, Tonelli, Viti; Di Francesco, Mancuso.
AC Milan (4-2-3-1) – Stefano Pioli
Mike Maignan; Alessandro Florenzi (64′ Pierre Kalulu), Fikayo Tomori, Alessio Romagnoli, Theo Hernández; Sandro Tonali (65′ Tiémoué Bakayoko), Ismaël Bennacer (81′ Rade Krunić); Junior Messias (81′ Brahim Díaz), Franck Kessié, Alexis Saelemaekers; Olivier Giroud.
Unused: Mirante, Tătărușanu; Ballo-Touré, Gabbia; Castillejo; Maldini.
Referee: Marco Di Bello.
I read somewhere that Pioli goes bold with Jessie as AM…
I ain’t saying nothing. I can only hope Pioli learns quick. So far, he doesn’t seem like a real smart guy. At least not as smart as Inzaghi at Inter.
Pioli may be better than Giampaolo, but he needs to be better than the likes of Allegri.
Pioli changed formation and it looks solid yo me. Messias and Alexis are the only 2 players we have that can beat defenders in the absence of Rebic and Leao. So playing dem behind Giroud is a smart move. Also playing Kessie, Tonali and Bennacer is good cos we have every chance to dominate the midfield
Nope. It’s the same 4-2-3-1 with Kessie as AM.
(I was hoping for 4-3-3 with more fluid Tonali)
I guess he’s thinking about our high press woth Kessie as AM, but yeah it’s strange
We need a match to turn things around. Our form has been bad since dropping off CL, regardless of the injuries. I hope this match is the one, but I am far from confident. Unless Theo and Diaz of the beginning of the season return, we will have a very hard time in attack.
Pioli’s questionable choices made it even harder for us to win games. Krunic as winger. Now kessie as AM. I lost confidence in him.
Before my comment he shot a ball to sky. After my comment, he scored. (That should be my superpower)
And Kessie just scored. When last did Diaz score while playing 10? Pioli’s choice was wise. Diaz is still young and soft so he easily gets bullied.
Pioli always do random things that sometimes work sometimes doesn’t. Playing a DM with no attacking awareness in AM position is stupid. Don’t act like he always make changes with his genius brain. Can you please describe the points we lost because of Krunic as LW? Do you really think kessie could play as AM against top teams? Defenders would eat him alive when he is trying to turn 5 times before deciding what to do.
Between all our DM’s kessie is least comfortable on the ball. Tonali & Bennacer both has AM quality.
Agree kesse as am is strange. His shooting, passing and dribbling techniques are not good enaugh for AM
More shooting and passing and reading the game and positioning. Those are more important for Am.
Alexis on left and Messias on right is strange.
Messias is predictable as he is totally one footed, so he cuts inside every time.
Put alexis right and Messias left
And swap kessie and Bennacer positions.
It’s our strongest line up. Just playing wrong positions
And Kessie scores his 2nd!!
Keep bitching about him at AM, its working miracles
We obviously need quality players… It is not the coach’s responsibility! Elillot should release money to invest in the club.. We cannot depend on Diaz for the rest of the season
We just concede! The great Kessie just did what he always does.
Terrible goalkeeping by Mile
Should have saved that
maignan has been ordinary since returning from injury
Finding every means to blame Kessie for that goal? Rest man
Lol, Soheil please complain about all our players ….
I was referring to your superpower
I put emojis on that comment. So you know I’m joking in the first part, the whole comment disappeared!!
++ I should learn how I did this 🙂 it would be very helpful so I can reply empty comments on Milan10
Yeah, just like Milan after Empoli’s goal…
Mike just saved us! I think he isn’t 100% ready (mentally and physically)
Standard save that doesn’t negate the goal imo; he’s far from his original form, but I’m still not sure how good of a shotstoper he really is
He has his weaknesses (mainly on crosses) but I don’t see any better options available in the market.
Guess what? Kessie scored two.. Krunic made a vital block when introduced..
One major reason he is appointed the coach is that he studies his boys and knows them better
I think it would be more fair to say that our performance dropped after the injuries. The exlusion was afdected by it too
Kessie as number 10 ???!!! This one will be hard to watch….
I think I will start watching golf, football is too complicated for me
So It took 4 matches to realise Pioli that krunic is such a waste !
You mean 40?
Because Kessie scored does that make him a good choice for AM? An AM should score when he can, but more importantly create goal scoring chances for others.
When last did Diaz do either of the 2 that is score or assist? Kessie is not an AM but I’ll play him in that position against Diaz. The fact is Pioli doesn’t have options! Let me ask you a question, in the absence of Diaz who else should pioli have played as AM? Maldini? Lol. Pioli is working with what he has. The ball is in the management’s court to do some signings.
Diaz is also terrible. No physical presence. Kessie is at least tall and strong. I can give him that. But don’t forget how Terrible he was when he played as attacking CM. Yeah he scored from time to time but he ruined our attacking moves. Kessie were born the moment Pioli put him in DM position.
I get your point, but the fact remains that he is the best we can try AM in our current situation. Diaz and Maldini should be tried in matches against the lowest teams in the league. If we had played this formation against Napoli we might had salvaged a point.
I want to say Tonali or Bennacer but both of them are also out of form. I don’t know what happened to our squad. Lots of our supposably stars are now ordinary players. Bennacer was a beast.
My point is when you don’t have a AM. Don’t play with one. There are other formations.
kessie just doubled his asking money .. 18mill
I think that the added millions are related to the growing weight of his balls
It was a short term plan. Considering he scored 2 means it was a good decision considering options we had.
You can’t expect a player to be moved into a unsimiliar position and do all the tasks perfectly
Perfect example when not to play out from bk, got lucky their. Then 2 players press and midfield doesn’t for milan, too easy to escape. Some of these players looked knackered, or not bothered.
So we learned that Saele is also useless at left side!
Kessie 2goals…
That nigga really proving you wrong tonight. LOL
It’s the story of my life! I break up with a girl, she becomes a famous actress or wins the lottery!
It’s like god is waiting to see what I say, so he can prove me wrong 🙂
its God’s way of saying, “you were saying?”. so u better say milan wont win scudetto
Yep, had 2 chances to put cross in and slowed play to play it bk smh
@Baresi Kessie scored. Saele with great assist. It clearly works!
Now I want to complain about Giroud! 🙂
Yes! And say something about Diaz (regardless of the fact that he’s not playing) while your at it
I said it already :))) he is short and stupid!
I can’t wait to see 2 m tall or megamind Diaz appear in the next match
Ong haha what a goal from Kesse
Thank you Empoli GK for equalizing Mike’s mistake on the goal
Fuck it i would try Theo as a winger when Rebic and Leao are injured
Then have Ballo-Toure as our LB? Naaaa! I’ll pass
If everybody are injured we can just try it. Is not like we would change something that work.
3-5-2 with no fucking winger. Even when Rebic & Leao are back. Put them as strikers. With kessie bennacer and tonali in midfield.
No krunic. No saele, no fucking 12 years old Diaz.
Tonali on yellow will be risky to continue the full 2nd half … so it’s bakayoko now again !
Bakayoko on !
Messiah is the same as samu…. No fucking upgrade.
& he is 30!
The talent is there but I see them more of Futsal players than footballers.
We need player like Douglas Costa on the right. He cant be expensive
If kessie scores a hat trick, he would ask for 10M. Sub him off before it’s too late!
Hahaha hahaha… that dude would tho.
Napoli vs Specia is 0 1 for now
Giroud is just terrible. Not fit to be the striker for a team aspiring to win the scudetto.
He did have a nice assist for the first goal
I dont know, he had a good game. Assisted the first goal and combined well with his team mates thru the game, opening up space for the rest of the attackers. Not bad for a 35 year old. But i do agree that we need something a bit better if we are really aspiring to win the scudetto.
The Milan is zero with Giroud
nice freekick goal by the freekick kid florenzi. finally a goal to kill the game off.
if after this there are still “milanisti” who think florenzi is unnecessary or that he was bought to play rw then, like obi wan kenobi said, “you are LOST”
We were really worried about your absence! 🙂
is that so mate? dont worry, i wont stop talking about milan’s ex players lol
I miss Bona, Silva and Paquita.
that means u thoroughly deserve to call urself red and black mate; because ur true milan10ian milanista. just curious, why no hakan, serie a’s mvp for november though. afraid u might get downvoted? lol
Paquita…..lol
Now o start to imagine Paqueta with lipstick and overdrawn eyebrows
What’s up with all these whistlings?
Annoying as fuck
Just glad to see Romagnoli leaving up to expectations even though nobody has talk about it. Up Romag!
Bajrami is the player that impressed me a lot tonight.
I’m sure Maldini is taking notes on him
Bakayoko again!!!
bakayoko is pro saboteur
He needs to take up basketball
like anguissa, he’s actually strong and technical but the mistakes he’s been committing lately are so comical
Persian Proverb. It’s easy to kick a wounded soldier.
more like turin horse
Even my powers can’t help Diaz!!
Good solid win and napoli drop points, sweet.
Good result by the boys, despite some poor minutes in the first half. Pioli’s gamble with Kessie at AM seemed to work, but honestly he was missed at back because we were exposed for too many minutes. Nice goals by our two wing backs, neither having a great game imo, but this is great for their confidence.
One player worth mentioning is Romag, whose having a great string of games – I really hope he can finally find some consistency. Our entire season depends on it
We were clinical but the fact that Empoli domnated the game (mostly) made me worry.
Lot’s of out of forms players. Mike, Theo, Bennacer, Tonali, Saele + the army of injured players. Don’t know if we have the power to chase the scudetto.
Juve revival is also worrying. With Napoli, Atalanta, Inter & Juve, The top 4 is not guaranteed.
If top four is not guaranteed for Milan then it is not guaranteed for anyone…..if not for injuries, inter will be behind us, that is the only thing killing this team, Milan is the club with the highest reoccurring Injuries in the whole top 5 league.
Once we are complete as a team and play consistently, those out of form players will shock you and return to form, this team without injuries will dismantle any team in serie a. Only injuries can save any serie a team from Milan
Agreed, top 4 will be a fight till the end. Just look at Juve’s current position…
definitely not the most convincing match by milan but a win is a win so congrats john malkovich and the boys for the all important 3 points to close 2021 as 2nd. there was no balance, precision and complex passing patterns in milan game tonite but at least the urgency, determination and pace were there. milan fought fire with fire by playing at high tempo vs fast paced empoli and in the end individual qualities separated them, as better players would’ve buried those chances created by empoli. the defense was so shaky, as it always is vs fast paced opponents.… Read more »
In my opinion the real Highlight of the match was Romagnoli. This is the Roma we need. Only if he was this consistent we wouldn’t need another CB.
Even though Empoli dominated the match, Krunicless Milan was much more effective with the chances we created.
It took two full seasons for Pioli to finally learn the lesson that Krunic is useless in attack.
Though gameplay needs serious improvement, but happy with the result.
Forza Milan.
Nice away win to Empoli – BOOM. Napoli screw up against Spezia – BOOM. Juve and Inter are in trouble for financial irregularities – BOOM. I can go into Christmas more relaxed now.
and in 2027 rossoblog regulars can finally meet up for the 1st time at the cathedral’s curva sud
*will there still even be curva sud and nord though
Nice win, happy end to a really good 2021 by Milan.
Let’s start 2022 with the same spirit.
Bakayoko-Facepalm-Bakayoko though.
@Milan10
Hakan just named in Serie A team of the first half of the season (Opta)
& You didn’t shove it in our asses! You are slipping bro 🙂
Anyone see adli assist against lille, looks just want we need, goid skill, keeps ball and can play killer pass for assist
Yeah but our greedy owners (& directors) decided few millions worth more than a trophy
I put it down to owners, I think Maldini gets told how much he got and no more. Surely elliot must see that if they sign quality players on top of what we got already, instead old and injury prone players, we would make more money. Win league titles and win more matches in champions league = more money. It’s a big gamble doing what we are in transfer market because if we don’t get top four due to injuries all season we bk to sqaure one, champions league money is vital.
If you are on a job with certain expectations but your boss doesn’t give you enough to achive them, you either fight for them or you simply resign. There is no Maldini & Gaizids feud. Both are at the same ship.
Milan owners (including the Chinese ownership) invested a truck load of money in previous years, a huge amount, probably the most out of any team outside the CL. With all that money, we should have had a better squad by now. Where did that money go? Some of it was invested on mediocre players (although most was spend wisely I would say), and then we lost about 100 million worth of players for free last year, and are about to lose almost the same amount this year. Our owners are one of the richest, if not THE richest in world… Read more »
I think players now have too much power. What I mean by this is a player can run their contract down at a big loss for club, (pogba, Messi for example). The club now has to put in contracts on a player signing that if they refuse to renew with 2 Yr left, the club has the right to force a sale to highest bidder. Donnarumma and hakan and kessie can leave just like any other player but the club would get money from a sale instead of getting shafted. I’ll leave contract offer on table till it runs down… Read more »
Mate, there measures management is taking against such things; there’s a reason this kind of thing is rare. Pogba leaving united was pretty much a nobody, and messi left Barca at a mutual consent (and after his prime). We list the europe player of the year. There’s no comparison
The fact that you were downvoted for this one is an example of how resistance are people on this blog about painful or elaborated facts.
Good job, mate. Keep them comments coming
Thanks for the kind words Ranajaya; much appreciated
with this Kessie’s potential, Milan should deploy 442 and put Kessie as a box to box midfielder
Kessie doesn’t have what it takes to be a box to box midfielder!