AC Milan's Defensive Struggles
## The Fragile Fortress: AC Milan's Defensive Dilemma
Once a byword for gritty defence under Mourinho and Ancelotti, AC Milan now find themselves constantly patching up a leaky backline. Their historic reputation for watertight solidity feels like a fading memory as **AC Milan's Defensive Struggles** become increasingly hard to ignore, severely hampering their ambitions both domestically and in Europe.
Last season saw a concerning trend reach its nadir; they conceded *more goals than any other team* in the top half of Serie A table – incredibly poor for a club of their stature. While brilliant attacking talents like Leao and Pulisic grab headlines with moments of magic, those flashes are too often cancelled out by opponents capitalizing on all-too-frequent lapses at the back. High-profile errors from experienced heads like Tomori or Kjaer have become alarmingly commonplace.
Part of the issue stems from personnel choices. Reliance on aging legs alongside younger players still finding their feet at elite level creates inconsistency. Injuries haven't helped, forcing hurried adaptations mid-game or across fixtures. Crucially, the cohesive unit that defended as one seems absent. Gaps appear widening between full-backs overlapping higher up the pitch and centre-halves failing to communicate effectively. Opposition runs through these channels with terrifying ease. Set pieces also tell a grim story – once dominant aerially, they now look vulnerable whenever the ball drops into their dangerous area.
The consequences extend beyond mere statistics. Leading becomes stressful; holding onto wins requires nerve-shredding tension right until the final whistle. Against motivated opponents willing to press high,Serie A Overview Milan often look brittle and susceptible to collapse. This fragility prevents them from establishing the dominant control their quality dictates they *should* possess. It forces goalkeeper Maignan into heroics he wasn't signed just to make, turning him into an almost permanent emergency serviceman rather than a last line of defense.
Fixing this demands urgent attention across training ground drills focused purely on positional discipline, improved communication protocols between defenders, smarter tactical management perhaps integrating double pivot protection better, and potentially shrewder recruitment targeting true leaders within defense during the transfer window. Until this fragile fortress regains its old granite resolve, Scudetto challenges and deep Champions League runs will remain elusive dreams for the Rossoneri. Their attack may dazzle, but it’s the defence that ultimately determines destiny.