Atalanta - Milan: Step up, Allegri's 'number 9s'!

28/10/2025 09:07:00 PANDATV

After 8 rounds, Milan’s striking duo worth over 70 million euros, Santiago Gimenez and Christopher Nkunku, remain silent, causing great headaches for coach Max Allegri.

Actually, both Gimenez and Nkunku have scored this season, but only in the 3-0 Coppa Italia victory over Lecce a month ago. In Serie A, their goal count is absolutely zero.

The "phantom strikers"

They are phantom not because of tactics, but because they are almost nonexistent. They become "invisible" on the field at moments when the team urgently needs their presence.

Santiago Gimenez is a genuinely troubling case. The Mexican forward has started 7 out of 8 Serie A games, totaling 455 minutes on the pitch. Coach Allegri and supporters commend his passionate effort, constant movement, participation in team play, and earning two key penalties against Juventus and Fiorentina. However, Gimenez has yet to fulfill the primary role of a "number 9": scoring goals.

Gimenez's lack of finishing is increasingly alarming. He has missed chances, hit the post twice, had two goals disallowed by VAR, and produced some unbelievably clumsy plays. The match against Pisa was the peak of disappointment, where he was nearly "invisible" for 76 minutes, had no shots on target, and completed only 8 successful passes. Allegri’s patience is being severely tested, evident from his continuous shouts from the sidelines: "Santi, wake up! Are you asleep?".

Arriving from Chelsea for 38 million euros, Nkunku is Milan’s most expensive signing in six years and was expected to bring versatility to the attack with his ability to play multiple positions. Yet, Nkunku has so far failed to make a significant impact. His debut goal in the Coppa Italia, a beautiful bicycle kick, is not enough to mask his slow and out-of-sync adaptation.

Nearly two months into his Milan tenure, Nkunku has not yet reached full fitness. He has only started once in Serie A and is mostly used as a late substitute. Although Allegri insists Nkunku is "progressing," the reality is Milan cannot wait indefinitely. The pressure of his transfer fee and high expectations demand that Nkunku prove his worth soon.

Speak up, Nkunku and Gimenez!

Is it Allegri’s fault?

Part of the reason might lie in Allegri’s tactical system. The Italian coach is known for pragmatic play, prioritizing defensive solidity and not focusing on building attacks around a pure target man striker. This approach previously contributed to Dusan Vlahovic’s decline at Juventus and might be repeating with Gimenez and Nkunku at Milan. While goals coming from various positions show attacking diversity, prolonged goal droughts from the center forwards create psychological burdens for them and make Milan more predictable.

The problem worsens as Milan struggles with a thin squad. With 4-5 players injured, Allegri can only make 2-3 substitutions per match from a weaker second-string. The inexperienced substitutes are prone to errors (both goals conceded against Pisa came from mistakes by young defenders), while regular starters are overworked, facing risks of fatigue.

Show yourselves, strikers!

Tonight’s away match at Gewiss Stadium will be a tough test. Atalanta no longer explode like under coach Gasperini but remain the only unbeaten team in Serie A after 8 rounds. They have drawn many games (6 matches) but remain resilient and hard to break down.

With Pulisic still absent, Rafael Leao alone cannot carry the attack. More than ever, Milan needs its "number 9s" to step up. Allegri may face tough choices: keep trusting Gimenez, start Nkunku, or even try a bolder solution. Whatever the decision, the message is clear: the "number 9s" must show up and fulfill their main task of scoring goals to ease pressure and keep Milan in the Scudetto race.

Lecce - Napoli: Fight for De Bruyne

Bad news for Napoli: Kevin De Bruyne may need surgery to treat a right thigh muscle injury, the same area he had operated on after the 2023 Champions League final, which caused him to miss up to 30 matches in the 2023-24 season. If this happens, De Bruyne’s 2025 season is effectively over, with a possible return only as early as January 2026. Another setback is David Neres, who is also struggling after an excellent performance in the win over Inter, making his availability for tonight’s Lecce game uncertain. Hojlund is also doubtful, leaving Napoli’s attack nearly depleted.

But Napoli will not surrender to adversity. Their impressive victory over Inter showed their strong spirit combined with the winning mentality instilled by coach Antonio Conte. Napoli will fight for De Bruyne, and Lecce is not yet a team capable of causing serious trouble. So far this season, Lecce has earned only 2 points from 4 home matches. Although Napoli has been poor away with 4 losses all on the road, Lecce might present a different challenge.

Nguyen Vinh

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