One of the secrets of Massimiliano Allegri’s new Milan, especially compared with last season and recent years in general, is the regained defensive strength. From the first days of the summer training camp and the tour in Asia and Oceania, the Livorno-born coach and his staff began working on the team’s balance to provide better coverage for the backline and Maignan’s goal.
Today, the numbers and results clearly support Allegri, although there is still room for improvement.
This morning, La Gazzetta dello Sport examines this aspect of the Rossoneri’s game more closely. The headline reads:
"Milan forms a block. From Tomori to Pavlovic, Allegri’s wall excels against the big teams."
The subheadline adds: "Seven fewer goals conceded compared with last year. Among the top teams, only Napoli scored against Max from a penalty." In the big matches against Roma, Inter, Napoli, Bologna, and Juventus, Maignan’s goal has been breached only once. Paradoxically, there has been more difficulty against the smaller teams, and this is one of the areas that requires work.
