Presented as the “animal” by Ibra, after an encouraging start the Serbian ended up on the sidelines (along with Tomori): his last appearance as a starter in the championship dates back to a month and a half ago. The problem? Tactical environment
“Pavlovic? He’s an animal. We did everything to bring him here. He will enter the hearts of the fans. Just look at him and you’re scared.” Zlatan Ibrahimovic sponsored him like this last August, on the day of his presentation. Four months later, however, that animal that was supposed to instill fear in his opponents became the reserve’s reserve. With the one in Verona the number of consecutive benches rose to four, including the Champions League. The final ruling on the Serbian came from Fonseca a couple of weeks ago: “At the moment the team feels very good with Thiaw and Gabbia”. The two youngest performers. Or, rather, the two new central defenders of Milan.
individualist
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Pavlovic has not played since last December 3rd in the Italian Cup against Sassuolo. Match in which he shared the department with Tomori. The two chosen at the beginning of the season to secure the Rossoneri defense ended up arm in arm on the bench as reserves. Reason? Simple. In terms of numbers, they are Milan’s worst defensive pair: out of 450 minutes played together they have conceded ten goals in the league and cups. Pavlovic is an individualist. A player who exalts himself by maximizing his qualities: aggression, all-round recoveries and aerial play. In addition to a decent basic technique. But the problem concerns his tactical discipline, his ability to play from the back, which in Italy makes all the difference in the world. The debut in Parma, decidedly encouraging despite the defeat, is now a distant memory. With the Serbian on the pitch, Milan conceded 15 goals in all competitions, including 3 in Cagliari and 2 in Bratislava.
rescues
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There’s always a second side to the coin, though. The rescues. And in that Pavlovic is a professor. His story tells of miracles on the goal lines, peremptory slides to close down opposing attackers at the moment of shooting, decisive advances. Parma, Lazio and Bratislava are recent examples of its being unique in this sense. Exactly, individualist. Moral: Milan will concede many goals with him on the pitch, but he avoids several. Data in hand, the Serbian’s best teammate is Malick Thiaw: together six times (substitutions against Empoli and Juve are also included) for an average of 1.25 goals conceded per game. Not to mention Gabbia: the Serbian only played with him in the 4-0 win at San Siro against Venezia.
thiaw-cage
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And here we come to the conclusion. Fonseca experimented with five different pairs of power plants until the beginning of November. The sixth and last, Thiaw-Gabbia, was missing. Launched in the San Siro draw against Juventus, from that moment the scenarios changed drastically. For Pavlovic first of all, who never saw the pitch again, and then also for Milan itself, which has found its solidity. The record with the two of them on the pitch is 6 games and just 3 goals conceded, two of which from set pieces against Atalanta. Of the five matches played in Serie A with Thiaw and Gabbia, the Rossoneri have recorded four clean sheets in less than a month. The same ones that Milan did from August to before the last break in November. In short, in just over 15 days Fonseca, in the last possible experiment, found his starters. Against Verona it was yet another demonstration of how the two complement each other in terms of characteristics. Alongside a Gabbia who is good at setting up and reading the action, there is a Thiaw who combines physical strength and height.
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