AC Milan defeat Como for the Second Time this Season | OneFootball

Here we go again, same old story. We, the Milan fans, that is, should expect this sorta result by now. I mean, should we start calling it the Conceição special? In my opinion, it consists of something like this: AC Milan plays a sloppy first half and sometimes a sloppy opening few minutes of the second half. They let the opposition go up one, sometimes two goals, only to pull off a miraculous comeback and win the match. Pretty sweet, right? Well, sometimes. What happens when they can't pull it off? Maybe that's why their season has been so inconsistent. This week, however, they were able to work some second-half magic at the San Siro against Como and secure the three points.

A Broken Record

Week in and week out, the same issues return to haunt The Diavoli, whether they’re playing at home or away. The quality within the squad is undeniable, and with some players like the Englishman Ruben Loftus-Cheek coming back to fitness, depth on the bench should not be an issue at all. Yet Milan remains a wounded animal, bleeding goals match after match. There’s chaos in the backline—this week saw the pairing of Thiaw and Gabbia again, the weakest center-back pairing the club's roster has to offer, in my humble opinion. It’s good to see Kyle Walker in the starting eleven again; he’s got his critics, but I do not count myself among them. I think he brings experience and physicality to the right-back position, especially for a player who, let’s face it, is past his physical prime.

There are still long stretches of the game in which Milan are chasing behind the ball and scrambling to defend. Mike Maignan comes through with some crucial saves, but he can only do so much, especially when he’s under siege for long stretches of the game. Rafa Leão was again in incognito mode today, except for a couple of runs on the wing, and he eventually got subbed off and the new kid on the block: Santi Giménez shows a lot of promise but needs to start getting on the scoresheet more regularly.

We Need to Talk about Yunus Musah

One thing I do not understand above everything else: why does this guy keep getting selected for the starting eleven? What exactly is he bringing to the table other than physicality? Not much else if you ask me. I’ve used this term to describe him in the past—the guy is a wildcard. He’s out there giving away possession, missing unmissable chances, and regularly getting booked by the ref. Today was no different. Still on the chase for his first goal in the red and black, he missed an absolute sitter in the first half, was consistently sloppy in possession, and managed to get himself a yellow card early in the second half before immediately being subbed off for João Félix.

What baffles me is the fact that there are more reliable and technically gifted players that can fill that role in the midfield. I believe he should be utilized in the same way the previous manager, Paulo Fonseca, utilized him—as a sub late in the second half, a fresh pair of hardworking legs to see out the match. Let’s hope that with the return of the physical and goalscoring Ruben Loftus-Cheek and with the promising displays from newcomers like Warren Bondo and Youssouf Fofana, we can see AC Milan’s midfield rotate into a more cohesive unit.

Milan’s Heroes

It was not all terrible, after all, we did secure a win at home, and it was all thanks to the efforts of the usual suspects. Christian Pulisic, whose display of heart and work ethic is honestly awe-inspiring, pulled a goal out of nothing in the 53rd minute thanks to an assist from Tijjani Reijnders to bring the match to terms. "Never fall in love with a loan player," as the saying goes, and this can be said for the charismatic Tammy Abraham, who is currently on loan from Roma. He has become a bit of a super sub, being key in that fantastic comeback win versus Inter in the Supercoppa final earlier this year and having other crucial involvements throughout the campaign, today included, as he assisted Tijjani Reijnders for the second goal that sealed Como’s fate and, for the moment, is holding AC Milan in 7th place in the Serie A table. Will “The Rossoneri” achieve a Champions League qualification spot come the end of the season? At this point, and after such a rollercoaster of a campaign, I don't know, and frankly, I don’t care—I just want them to maintain some consistency in their form.