Atalanta bores a Milan lacking ideas

The Atalanta able to give birth to a Milan in Bergamo that suffered from a lack of attacking ideas to find holes in the solid defensive network of Gasperini’s team. Malinovsky Bergamasco’s team advanced in the first half to a ‘rossonero’ defensive mistake and benborn, with a well threaded shot, he scratched a point for the champion in the second half.

Milan’s initial parsimony was not composure but an inability to change Atalanta’s plan. The thoughtful command of the Bergamo team was almost impossible to break and demanded that the ‘rossonero’ team take their time to read and act. The ball lived more in Milan’s own field than in Atalanta, so calm in his populated defense of five with a scheme that became 4-3-3 as Gasperini increased their pressure and mutated to 5 -4-1 with Pasalic and Zapata joined the midfield in their own field.

The game of the Pioli was heavy and slow and always ended up on the wing because that was the interest of Atalanta, the game between the lines of the champion did not exist despite the attempts to come and receive from Rebic, Brahim had to fall Díaz on both sides to play without this action having any effect on the match. The most interesting thing, when Rafael Leao and Junior Messias face each other, although always in the bottom.

Atalanta, their little offensive generosity, wanted to know little or nothing about the ball. Gasperini’s boys often rushed but they didn’t care, they thought more about not disappearing than attacking. A good idea when you have Duván Zapata, sometimes a generator in his back game to download bands, sometimes a finisher. It is enough that the Colombian temporarily and the passage is climbed shot by the band to develop. However, the man in charge of the goal was Malinovskiy, who was ready to appear in front of a bare front of ‘Rossoneros’ players to project a shot that hit Tomori from outside the area.

Milan’s first and only chance in the first half was born from the genius of Theo Hernández, who, from beyond three quarters, crossed a threaded center that Junior did not hit, who appeared in the area from the opposite side ended with a wide . This was the only profitable action in the early part of a Milan that began to suggest different movements such as breaking movements on the left.

The constant doubt of Stefano Pioli’s team was a decision after the restart. At least, by bands, looking for more Rafael Leao and Junior Messias the imbalance in the one against one. The first resulted in a yellow card for Hateboer and a lateral free kick that Kalulu headed over the crossbar. But Pasalic, with another header blocked by Maignan, would give Milan another upset, which Pioli tried to revive with the entries of Giroud and De Ketelaere for Rebic and Brahim.

The young Belgian midfielder gave Milan in his first intervention what the ‘rossonero’ team lacked until then, a chance born of a pass between the lines, although Musso was better than Tonali in the heads- up play. Although Pioli’s men did not show themselves to be very clear on the ball, Atalanta started to run out, and with it, fell further and further away and allowed a second move to Milan, who were encouraged to throw balls in place And, off a short corner, Bennacer broke Koopmeiners’ waist and threaded the ball just beyond Musso’s reach at the far post in the 68th minute.

The changes, especially Muriel’s entry, gave Atalanta a boost, able to string together longer possessions. Pioli ran out of substitutions that introduced Florenzi, Origi and Saelemekers but Atalanta regained freshness and order with the Gasperinis -in addition to Muriel, Okoli, Lookman and Scalvini-. Despite having two strikers like Giroud and Origi on the table, Milan could not pass the Bergamo team with crosses and balls behind their backs at the end like they did at times in the second half. The champion imposed on the first day but hesitated on the second.