In one of the best performances from Milan this season, Milan gave a serious blow to Lazio’s title hopes with a 3-0 win. Goals from Hakan Çalhanoglu, Zlatan Ibrahimoviç and Ante Rebic ensured Milan take all 3 points from the Olympico fortress with a surprising clean sheet. We take a tactical analysis at how Milan outplayed Lazio and won this game
Basic formations
Milan started out in their 4-2-3-1 with their talisman Ante Rebic on the bench as Pioli opted for experience of Zlatan. A controversial decision to start Bonaventura ahead of Paqueta had everybody (including me) scratching their heads. Lazio in their usual 3-5-2 or a 3-1-4-2 with Luis Alberto partnering Correa up top.
1st Half
Lazio started off more brightly getting more into their rhytmn early in the game with Luis Alberto and Correa working in tandem with one of them dropping off and another pushing forward. When in posession Lazio had their centre back counter press Milan by playing a very high line. Radu and Patric would often even make overlapping runs past their wingbacks to cross the ball into the box. Lazio build out of the back with Acerbi their main player. One of their tactic was to have Milinkovic Savic supplied with Long balls and he in turn would use his tall frame to bring the ball down and it would beat the forward line of press. If that didn’t work Luis Alberto would drop deep and collect the ball via short pass.
Milan pressed Lazio very high up the field initially. The first line of defence i.e Bona and Zlatan were press to cut off passing lanes for the Lazio defenders trying to prevent the diagonal ball between the centre backs to let them go free
If anything Milan did well yesterday it was to defend with a plan. Close marking and everybody sticking to the plan was executed upto the last detail. Lazio’s 2 main players Savic and Alberto were picked up by Kessie and Bennacer not giving them a minute to rest and constantly put them under pressure whenever they had the ball or moved to recieve to ball. Another wonderful aspect is how Bonaventura who had a free role yesterday, joined Saelemaeckers if Lazio build up through the right to press Parolo and Jony or he would join with Hakan to press Lazarri. Bona was also seen marking Lucas Leiva leaving Zlatan to press the back 3 of Lazio. Kjær had a tight hold of Correa not giving him an inch of space
When Milan were pressed to the sidelines esp on the left hand side by Lazio, Saelemaeckers would drift into the centre or Bonaventura would drfit in deeper and Milan would either make smart triangles and find Bonaventura in space or Theo would do a 1-2 with Hakan and play a long ball to Saelemaeckers to unleash a counter.
Milan’s 1st goal was a treat to watch. With Lazio defending narrow and not giving much space Milan created an opening via some excellent passing. Bennacer passed the ball to an onrushing Bonaventura who found Hakan in the half space on the left wing edge of the box. He played a diagonal ball to Zlatan. Now Hakan was marked by Lazarri and Savic creating a 1v2 situation, but bennacer who recieved the ball from Ibra drew our Savic from his position to defend Bennacer who was space. This created space between Hakan and Lucas Leiva and bennacer passed it to Ibra who smartly spotted the space for Hakan to run into and gave it to him. Hakan who was in point 1 recieves the ball and beats Leiva to reach point number 2 to shoot obtaining a big defelction.
As I mentioned above, Lazio had Milan pressed to the left to our defensive third but some smart traiangles saw bona who played a quick diagnoal pass to Saelemaeckers but couldn’t make anything out it. And then Milan won a penalty with the ball hitting the arm of Radu which was a very harsh call on Lazio. Ibrahimoviç scored a lucky goal as the ball crept into the goal beneat Strakosha who saved the initial shot. Milan were forced into an early change with Paqueta coming on for Hakan as Hakan picked up a bruised leg
2nd Half
With no recognised strikers, Simeone Inzaghi threw on Adekanye instead of Leiva. Milan brought on Rebic instead of Zlatan who looked in some discomfort at the break. The change seemed to have worked instantly as Parolo dropped deeper and Luis Alberto was back to his deeper position which he thrives in. With Adekanye playing up top ut it helped correa to peel off to the wide space or drop deeper and once even playing a 1-2 with Adekanye to test Donnarumma from an acute angle.
Lazio’s best chance came from a poor free kick from bennacer as it created a counter opportunity. Adekanye fought off a challenge and put it to Luis Alberto making it a 2v1 with Lazarri and Alberto against Conti. Conti from the corner of his eye spotted Lazarri’s run and did the smart thing and played him offside with Luis Alberto taking an extra second to release the ball. Lazarri did go through to score but was ruled offside.
Milan’s third goal was a thing of beauty. Theo interrupted a pass towards Lazzari and charged forward taking Lazzari out of the equation. Savic chased after Theo, while Vavros was busy marking Rebic. Theo’s run distracted Vavaros, and he along with Patric were busy setting up a pseudo roadblock for while rebic quietly peeled off into the left wing unmarked while theo played a pass into Bona
Bonaventura was blocked by a wall of Acerbi, Jordan Lukaku and Vavaros but nobody spotted Rebic completely free on the left hand side. Patric was marking Theo while Lukaku was trying to disposses bona and Acerbi was partially distracted by alexis. Bona thread the ball throug and Rebic finished the move for a 3 goal lead.
Lazio never recovered and Simeone Inzaghi opted to rest his star player and withrew Savic for Cataldi. Milan who have Juventus on Tuesday kept knocking the ball around, all except for Theo to make the same roan which got Milan their third goal. One such chance got him a 1v1 vs the keeper which he missed.
Earlier I couldn’t give enough credit to Bennacer and Kessie who were the players who made a change. Keepeing Savic and Alberto quiet, they even switched position while marking players and during build up play which confused Lazio a lot. Kessie has his Fly Emirates man of the match well desevred. Milan go into San Siro with some good form having scored 11 goals in 5 games and with no Dybala and De Ligt Milan can re-invigorate some interest in the title race
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