Milan were able to claim a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw with SPAL on Wednesday night, but a string of disappointing performances saw us squander claiming all three points.
After falling two goals behind in the first half, we were handed a lifeline as the hosts were reduced to 10 men before the break.
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However, after spurning chance after chance, only a late own-goal spared our blushes as we secured a draw, but it was certainly a case of not being good enough and dropping two priceless points which could ultimately come back to haunt us at the end of the season.
Milan player ratings vs SPAL…
Gianluigi Donnarumma, 6 – Let down by his defence for the opening goal and beaten by a brilliant strike from Sergio Floccari for the second. Had little else to do and so he’ll be disappointed he couldn’t have more of an impact on the result.
Davide Calabria, 5 – Didn’t really feature much in the game as a whole as failed to notice his presence on the pitch for the most part. That said, almost scored with a superb effort from distance which shaved the post before being replaced at half-time.
Matteo Gabbia, 5 – A big learning experience for the youngster as it was a poor performance overall. Should have dealt with the danger better leading up to the first goal and was often beaten for physicality in one-on-one situations thereafter.
Alessio Romagnoli, 5.5 – Didn’t do much wrong but certainly could have been better in the early part of the game as SPAL took their two-goal lead. Specifically thought he should have closed Floccari down quicker for his goal.
Theo Hernandez, 5 – Doesn’t look 100 percent fit as he’s lacking that explosiveness down the left flank which we’ve enjoyed watching this season. Got forward on occasion, but it wasn’t with the same intensity or level of threat we’ve seen him produce and eventually came off after taking a knock.
Franck Kessie, 5.5 – A backward step in terms of his level of performance in the last two games as he didn’t get a handle on the midfield battle, with Bryan Dabo and Mirko Valdifiori in particular bothering him.
Ismael Bennacer, 5.5 – Similarly to Kessie, the midfield pair struggled to really dominate in that department and that was a key battle that we had to win. The physicality and pressure from SPAL was difficult to handle, and so it wasn’t one of his better performances for us this season.
Samu Castillejo, N/A – Pulled up with a hamstring injury early on, it’s hopefully not too serious.
Lucas Paqueta, 6.5 – Needs to be more clinical in front of goal but he was a constant threat as he found pockets of space in the final third and created dangerous moments. Showed good signs of positive play on the ball, and this will surely be helping his confidence as he’ll hope to get another shot at the weekend.
Hakan Calhanoglu, 6 – Sloppy at times, but showed his quality as the game went on as he grew in influence. His versatility to pop up and play in different roles is also so crucial, and that’s an attribute that is undoubtedly appreciated by Stefano Pioli who shifted him around midfield and in attack. Missing the final touch, but a decent outing.
Ante Rebic, 6 – Snatched at a few chances which we would expect him to bury given his recent goalscoring form, and so that was disappointing to see him not add to his tally. However, worked hard for the team as always and continues to be a threat for us.
Substitutes:
Alexis Saelemaekers, 7 – Another impressive impact off the bench, but arguably looked more comfortable and effective as a right-back as he burst forward and caused problems. His cross eventually forced the error for the own goal which helped us secure a point, and he could be making a strong case in favour of getting a start.
Rafael Leao, 6 – Good to see him make a decisive impact as a substitute again with another goal, and that is crucial for both his own confidence and building his character to prove a point. Still not 100 percent convinced by him, but goals certainly help.
Diego Laxalt, 6 – Did well after coming on to replace Theo, offered width and energy down the left flank and was never afraid to get on the ball and put a delivery into the box.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 5 – Was clearly still lacking fitness as he didn’t offer a great deal more than being a target man in the box, and he did squander one big chance as he headed over. Will no doubt improve with playing time after his recent injury setback.
Giacomo Bonaventura, 5 – Didn’t have the desired impact after coming on as the final sub. Often found his pathway towards goal blocked and didn’t really show the quality and intelligence needed to help us make a breakthrough.