AC Milan continued their solid performance from last year and started the 2021/22 season strongly, being in a constant battle with Napoli for first place in Serie A.
The team were undefeated in their first 12 games this term, showing consistency in defence and being one of the most efficient teams in attack.
One of the players who have contributed to their strong performance is the 23-year-old centre-back Fikayo Tomori.
Being let go by Chelsea in the summer for roughly £25M, the Englishman took the opportunity to prove his abilities at San Siro by becoming one of the best performers for the Rossoneri.
Tomori contributes equally well in and out of possession and brings balance to Milan’s performance.
He picked up an injury in November, which forced him to miss the games against Fiorentina, Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and Sassuolo.
They eventually lost both of their league games, conceding a total of seven goals, which made Tomori’s absence even more noticeable and underlined how much better their performance is when he partners with Simon Kjær in central defence.
As the main passing link in the team, he is crucial in possession and orchestrates the build-up from the back well, which makes his contribution even more valuable.
In this tactical analysis in the form of a scout report, we examine Tomori’s performance and how he fits Stefano Pioli’s tactics.
AC Milan’s defensive performance
Despite their strong attacking performance, the Rossoneri do have some defensive problems and have conceded 18 goals since the start of the season, which is currently the worst record among the top five teams in the league.
The main reason for their issues at the back is the high number of individual errors that they commit.
That doesn’t only lead to losing their direct challenges but also easily losing possession due to unmeasured actions.
Firstly, the team are vulnerable on the flanks, where they actively use the full-backs in attack.
Due to their advanced positioning, they often leave open spaces behind.
That results in the opposition exposing those areas which puts the defenders under pressure and often forces them into individual mistakes.
Milan also often lose the ball centrally due to their lack of composure and often inaccurate passes.
Despite the team having the highest defensive duels success rate in the league (62.8%), they often struggle to retain possession in and around the box, especially when their opponents overload these areas.
Not only do their hasty actions often result in opposition shots, but the team also commit a rather high number of fouls on average per game.
That has resulted in Pioli’s side giving away penalties and free kicks in dangerous areas.
Fikayo Tomori’s impact in defence
Speaking of errors, Tomori has been one of the most solid defenders in the league so far as the Englishman is yet to make a mistake that has led to conceding a goal.
The 23-year-old’s concentration levels rarely put him in a difficult position.
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