GENOA v AC MILAN: DEBRIEFING

As the dust settles, we can now breathe and analyse what actually happened at Marassi in Genoa v AC Milan. In a lively game, and with a thrilling ending, it is necessary to delve deep into the many aspects that brought about the Rossoneri's success. Let's take a look in our Debriefing.

GROUP SPIRIT
The thrashing in the derby could have rocked any team, but for this group of players it became a springboard to get back up and react: since that 5-1 defeat, a run of four straight league wins has put us top of the table going into the October international break. In Genoa, the squad came into the game slightly tired after a recent busy schedule, but found a way to win - fighting and digging in - in what was a tricky test. The most noteworthy step forward in this first part of the season is evident in the team's ability to win when not at one's best, something that became vital last season against many teams at the bottom end of the table: with nerve, with experience and with the energy to believe right until the end.

THE KEY MEN
We said similar for Leão and his two assists after the AC Milan v Lazio game, and it's only right we repeat it following Genoa v AC Milan: men make the difference inside a collective group. At Marassi, there were two that stood out above the rest in the exciting finish: Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud. The first came on and impacted the game with his fourth goal of the season; the second - just like Chris - came off the bench and found himself featuring in-between the sticks in goal. They showed their experience, clarity of mind, and ability to be decisive when it mattered most, keeping nerves of steel. On an intense evening, they made the difference, one that earned their team two more points in the table. 

BRAVE PERSISTANCE
Partly because of Messias and Retegui missing, Genoa tried to contain the Rossoneri, starting off with six defenders in their line-up. Gilardino's main tactic looked to have worked for most part of the match, and that was to close out every possible space available to the away side and get almost every man behind the ball when out of possession. AC Milan had to be patient, without though getting stuck in playing the ball backwards and sideways in a conservative manner. Despite making some mistakes at times, with bravery we often looked to find gaps through the middle and play balls forward to try and unlock a well-organised opponent. The best chances in fact came this way. Then, there was Pulisic's goal, that, if you think, was very similar to the second in Roma v AC Milan, which rewarded the Rossoneri's persistance. 

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