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Two wins vs the Genoa based teams has propelled Milan to the top 4, before week 11 matches start. The 2-1 win vs Genoa midweek and 3-2 win vs Sampdoria last weekend both required winning goals that may have seen unlikely at times during the match. Neither game featured a team impressive in movement, shape or tactics. One featured a departure from Gattuso’s preferred 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2  – with both Cutrone and Higuain starting vs Sampdoria. The other looked more like a 3-5-2 that reverted to a 4-4-2 when Abate replaced the wing back/winger Laxalt. The three at the back is very unfamiliar to the players and it showed.

Biglia’s injury that will keep him out for over a month has added to the injury list with news that Caldara will miss three months with a calf problem. The midfield lacks the most depth and it seems likely that Bakayoko will be getting more minutes . The French midfielder has to cut down on his mistakes, one of which was partially responsible for Genoa’s deflected goal midweek.

Despite question marks a back three could make another appearance with Rodriguez lining up with Musacchio and Romagnoli. The midfield will still miss Bonaventura who is out with a knock therefore Laxalt, Calhanoglu, Bakayoko, Kessie and Suso could feature behind Higuain and Cutrone. The latter scored the opener vs Sampdoria and has one of the best goals to minutes ratios in the top leagues . The 20 years old has scored five goals (in all competitions) so far this season in 327 minutes.

There is also more news of an Ibra return, an 18 months deal starting in January 2019 could be in the works.

Udinese sit just above the relegation zone in 17th place with Rodrigo De Paul having scored fully half of their 10 goals so far this season.

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There isn’t much in terms of breaking news as far as on the pitch and injuries go, both teams meeting once again for the derby are relatively healthy with coach’s preferred lineups more or less easy guesses. Of course a Milan derby is anything but predictable and as the cliche goes will throw up the unexpected regardless of form. The 222nd derby will go a long way in setting the mood of the rest of the season as Milan try to get back into the top 4.

Milan’s disappointing start to the season may be behind us, at least we hope. Goal laden wins before the international break vs Chievo, Sassuolo and AEK Athens lifted the optimism, if only somewhat. The additional good news for Milan fans is the capture of Lucas Paqueta, the 21 years old Flamengo midfielder for around €35 million. The player is one of the better Brazilian prospects and his January 2019 arrival is all but official. Leonardo’s Brazilian connections have surely helped in this transfer but the team is still very much under UEFA’s Financial Fair Play watch and will be limited and will require creative accounting moving forward for years to come. There are also whispers about a new stadium but if that indeed happens, as opposed to a very possible prolonged stay at the San Siro, it will not be in the near future.

Back to the game at hand. Milan’s 4-3-3 will be challenged by the 4-2-3-1 often preferred by Inter’s Luciano Spalletti. The Nerazzurri with Mauro Icardi, Radja Nainggolan et al will create problems for Musacchio and Romagnoli and Higuain. Milan need the opportunism of the Argentine forward to beat Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij and Inter. Milan is still struggling in terms of midfield creativity so Suso and Calhanoglu’s movement between the wings and middle of the pitch will go a long way in dictating the outcome of this game. Biglia’s relative good form will of course be as crucial in the middle of the pitch.

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Week 6’s result was even more underwhelming than the week 5 1-1 tie vs Cagliari. A team without the injured Higuain managed to strike early via a Biglia strike, deflected and awarded as an Leonardo Capezzi own goal. However the team faded soon after and allowed the promoted team to tie it in the second. Borini replacing the aforementioned Argentine was mostly invisible. A not fully fit Cutrone came in and unsurprisingly was unable to drag the team out of another tie. Perhaps just as disappointing was  that a Romagnoli giveaway and mistake led to Empoli’s goal.

To make matters worse and pile on even more pressure on the deservedly criticized Gattuso, the team is still handcuffed by the lack of depth at center forward. Higuain is still not available and neither Cutrone nor Borini is fully fit. Winger Castillejo seems set to play up front as the cliched false 9.

The back will feature more or less the same four with the alternating Abate or Calabria the only unknowns. Laxalt may play in Rodriguez’s spot too but that seems less likely at Sassuolo. The mid three are very predictable at this point and barring a relatively big change of heart Gattuso is proving himself stubborn.

Calhanoglu’s poor form has been one factor in the poor start. Suso has shown flashes but the offensive unit as a whole is not functioning at all. Gattuso may not lead the team for too much longer if immediate improvements don’t come. Facing Sassuolo – led by Kevin Prince Boateng – who are a surprising third before week 7’s matches will present one other challenge for this fragile Milan.

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Week four away at Cagliari was an underwhelming match, Milan started very poorly and the team was punished as early as the 4th minute. The team gradually improved but a second half Higuain goal was to be a consolation only. Dropping points like this will soon add up and a top 4 and Champions League place can fade quickly.

Atalanta provide the second home opposition of the season and the Bergamo club have had an indifferent start to the season as well.

The line ups used this season, except for the Europa League opener midweek, have been too close to last season’s and this seems to be norm for now. Higuain and either one of Caldara or Musacchio remain the only changes from the regular 2017-2018 team. Big changes didn’t provide a big spark vs Dudelange and it was left to a partially deflected Higuain goal to get the three points. These two matches were further evidence that Gattuso still has a lot of work to do to create a new team or gel the players into a top Serie A or Europa League team.

Cutrone will still miss this game and the short term knock is taking a few more days than expected. Mauri and Bertolacci underwhelmed versus the Luxembourg team and do not look like players capable of adding quality depth for the midfield. The team will require the best from the starters. Kessie, Biglia, Bonaventura and perhaps even more so Bakayoko need to have great seasons. Suso and Calhanoglu need to be pushed by Halilovic and Castillejo and perform as well and better than last season.

Caldara is set to miss week five with what is described as a muscular issue so the defense pairing with Musacchio and Romagnoli is again predictable.

Gennaro Gattuso will need to inject new blood into the squad.

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The first game of the 2018-2019 season vs Genoa was postponed following the Genoa bridge collapse tragedy. Milan’s season gets underway at Napoli and the week 1 match is to be played on October 31st.

It has been yet another summer of change at Milan with new ownership, Elliott management, bringing in a semblance of stability and recruiting and convincing former legends to join in leading roles. The long hard work that Leonardo and Maldini have on their hands is now fully Gattuso’s too. There were eight new arrivals but at least initially only three of them are close to being starters. The early weeks might feature fewer new starters than many might hope or expect. Gonzalo Higuian will need to continue his goal scoring exploits because not only goal scoring was a weakness last season but the new season brings in less alternatives for the center forward spot. Andre Silva and Kalinic exited Milan and Bacca converted his loan away to a full exit – in the Samu Castillejo deal with Villarreal – so Cutrone is the sole real alternative to the Argentinian. Tiemoue Bakayoko will be an option in the middle of the park as a central or right midfielder and Mattia Caldara will likely feature when Mateo Musacchio does not. The other five arrivals, Castillejo, Laxalt, Halilovic, Reina and Strinic will have to fight for spots and gain Gattuso’s trust. Strinic is on the sidelines for an indefinite period with a recently discovered heart issue, so the left back spots will be contested between Rodriguez and Laxalt for now.

As before, other than the aforementioned goalscoring woes, the midfield will be under scrutiny to see if a more creative, direct squad can be found. The start will be mostly a feeling of deja vu with Kessie, Biglia and Bonaventura the more likely starters in the 4-3-3. Although he was due to be suspended for the first game vs Genoa Calhanoglu is suspended for this game and the question for the left wing or the left front player is still unanswered, a familiar face might increase the deja vu feel as Borini is a possibility.