Milan secured a 1-0 win over SPAL on Thursday night as Suso came off the bench in the second half and produced a moment of class to seal the victory.
It was a poor performance from the Rossoneri given the opposition and the lack of quality shown in our attacking play, as we managed to register just six shots on target along with a 56 percent share of possession.
SEE MORE: Five key talking points as Suso magic spares Milan blushes in win over SPAL
In turn, it wasn’t the most convincing of performances as a team, and perhaps as a knock-on effect, it was a struggle for the Milan players to impress on an individual basis too.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, 6 — Wasn’t forced into making any of his usual heroic saves, but he was kept busy and dealt with any threat that came his way with minimal fuss.
Leo Duarte, 6 — Looked more comfortable and reassuring as a centre-half after the break, as he was composed in possession and alert defensively. Did well in the opening 45 minutes on the right side too, but we’ll perhaps see the best of him in a more natural position.
Mateo Musacchio, 6 — Had to be replaced at half-time due to injury, but stood up to the challenge from SPAL well and provided a solid platform for Milan coupled with his usual efficient passing out from the back.
Alessio Romagnoli, 6 — Dealt with SPAL’s attacking threat well for the most part, but was arguably a little rushed and wasteful with his passing at times. Nevertheless, was key in providing leadership at the back to ensure we were in a position to continue to probe for a winner in the second half.
Theo Hernandez, 6.5 — Another impressive display as given the license to get forward and attack down the left flank, he adds a whole new dynamic. His urgency and intensity on and off the ball set the standard for what we need to see from others.
Lucas Paqueta, 5.5 — Getting himself into dangerous positions but is lacking that killer instinct and clinical finish to start converting some of his chances. If he can start to find the back of the net, it could give him the boost in confidence and belief to really start influencing games.
Ismael Bennacer, 6 — Risked picking up a red card with his continuous fouling, and so he must improve in that regard with his defensive work. However, he provides that little bit of a spark and urgency in the heart of the midfield with his ability to break forward or to play the quick pass between the lines to start attacks.
Franck Kessie, 5 — Too many mistakes in possession, simple passes going wrong and that in turn seemingly knocked him off balance in terms of his usual battling, combative display in giving us a foothold in the game. Needs to improve or Rade Krunic should arguably be given a chance.
Samu Castillejo, 5 — Wasn’t able to take his chance on a rare start as he missed a great chance in the first half and was largely anonymous thereafter. Whether it’s Suso or another option, it’s perhaps unlikely that he will now get another chance any time soon.
Krzysztof Piatek, 5.5 — Showed glimpses when given the right service to allow him to work off the shoulder of the defender and find space in behind. However, wasn’t enough of it and in turn that led to him being a frustrated and isolated figure up top.
Hakan Calhanoglu, 6 — Nowhere near as influential as has been in the last two games, but he can’t be faulted for effort and commitment while he did well in terms of simple distribution. Hopefully this isn’t a step back for him moving forward and he can show more of the positives we saw in the Lecce game.
Substitutes:
Davide Calabria, 6 — A positive reaction after his recent troubles. Still wayward at times, but defended well and added more quality down the right flank.
Suso, 7 — Game-winning contribution with a superb free-kick to secure all three points. Now needs to be more consistent and show more quality on the ball, but an excellent way to come off the bench and impact the game after finally being dropped following his poor start to the season.
Giacomo Bonaventura, N/A –– Good to see him get some minutes, hopefully will help him to continue to steer clear of injuries if he can get regular playing time.