If only AC Milan had signed Krzysztof Piatek in summer rather than Genoa getting their hands on him, you could only wonder what position the Rossoneri would find themselves as we reach the last few months of the season – possibly challenging Juventus for the Serie A title.
This time last year, we wouldn’t have batted an eye at the name Krzysztof Piatek, you could have been forgiven if you thought his name was something out of a jigsaw puzzle taken from a familiar game of “Guess Who?”
Genoa took a hefty gamble when they signed him from Polish outfit Cracovia for around £5m last summer in a move that flew under the radar and you could bet that even the club’s hierarchy garnered some puzzled and confused looks as they secured his signature.
But what a difference a few months can make – that gamble and risk has paid off in spades, not only for his former club Genoa but his current club AC Milan. The Polish striker was overlooked for the World Cup squad last summer as Poland struggled to make an impact in Russia, but that hasn’t stopped the hitman from making his name in Italy with some outstanding and dominant performances. 19 goals in 21 games for Genoa caught the attention of AC Milan so much so that were even eager to relieve a striker of such world class abilities in Gonzalo Higuian of his duties – shipped him off to Chelsea – and quickly snap Piatek for a fee of £30m in the January window. A deal that sees him through to June 2023 pocketing nearly £2.5m a year after tax.
For so many years, AC Milan have searched for a striker worthy of carrying the club like many of their former greats have, players such as Andriy Shevchenko, Marco Van Basten, Filippo Inzaghi – these are players once primed with such quality and devilish finishing when it mattered most. AC Milan’s efforts to match and acquire such predatory tastes in the transfer market have all but been failures until now. If this season is anything to go by, AC Milan may have found the ingredient and the quality they were looking for up front even if it has taken them an astonishing ten or so years. Finally AC Milan have captured a player who can become as important and vital to the cause as was the likes of Inzaghi and Shevchenko – probably leading AC Milan back to a promised land that has eluded them for so long: the UEFA Champions League.
The Champions League – if you’ve analysed the Rossoneri’s record in the competition – is AC Milan’s holy grail with seven honours to their name. It is astonishing that the club have not graced the competition since the 2013/14 season. Lets put it plainly AC Milan have endured a torrid number of years, almost becoming a standard mid-table club in Serie A and a club known for ringing the changes in the managerial dugout when the going got tough with seven managers in the last five years. However, Gennaro Gattuso – a Milan legend himself seems to have steadied the ship with the club on course to qualify for the Champions League if they carry on their fantastic form in Serie A, and much of that has been down to their new hitman on the block Krzysztof Piatek.
Piatek wasted little time endearing himself to the AC Milan folklore with two goals in his first start for the club in a high octane Coppa Italia game against Napoli. Like taking a duck to water, his performance was ruthless, predatory, bullish and instinctive. Capatilising on Napoli’s mistakes and finishing with consummate ease but his second goal showed why he has been so highly rated, taking on one of the best – if not the best – defenders in world football in Kalidou Koulibaly, making him look average and burying the shot into the top corner. Couple years ago, Napoli would have been a sure bet to win the tie, but now AC Milan now have a player that provides them with the cutting edge when it matters most.
After the game, the Poland international promised there would be more to come from him also mentioning the fact that the San Siro was the perfect stage for him to make his mark. Indeed, Piatek has shown true on those promises with some stylish and impressive performances. Certainly, his instincts in front of goal have led to comparisons with some AC Milan legends such as Shevchenko, but as we know comparisons are very dangerous.
Piatek may have notched 19 goals in just 21 games for Genoa but for AC Milan to shell out £30million on a player based on his form would have certainly been something of a risk. However, at this point in time, that risk has paid off handsomely. The deal could now be deemed as a stroke of genius by former defender and AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini now serving as the clubs sporting strategist and development director. Not only have the club succeeded in searching for the talents of Piatek but have potentially performed a master-stroke in the signing of Lucas Paqueta – a true reflection of the progress and key decisions being taken behind the scenes at AC Milan to take the club back to the top again. These players have proved a massive difference in shaping the clubs future and maintaining their desire to once again grace the top competition in European club football, not only on that platform but most importantly challenge the likes of Juventus and Napoli for the Serie A title.
There is always that nagging doubt or questions that arise on strikers that have exploded onto the scene.
Is he just enjoying a common purple patch?
Can he maintain his fitness?
What will happen when defence try to counter his threats?
What happens when he is on a barren run? Can he fight his way through it?
There is no doubt, these questions will be asked as Piatek journeys through his time at the San Siro? Whether he can answer all of these doubts and questions remains to be seen. However, what we have witnessed is a player that tends to come alive in and around the penalty area. He doesn’t have the explosive speed that appeals to most fans these days, but his movement, anticipation of where the ball is going to drop, first touch and his predatory instincts in front of goal will surely stand him in good stead for the future. You wouldn’t even put it past him to emulate his fellow Polish teammate Robert Lewandowski or even take his place in the Polish first XI.
Nonetheless, Gonzalo Higuain’s departure has quickly been forgotten thanks to the brilliance of Piatek who is experiencing an eventful and fruitful first season in Italian football. His style of play is fully complementing Gattuso’s philosophy. Deploying Hakan Calhanoglu, Suso or Samu Castillejo either side of Piatek has taken the clubs attacking play to another level. You could even throw in the Samba brilliance of Lucas Paqueta and AC Milan potentially have the package to threaten Juventus’ reign at the top of Italian football. Calhanoglu, Suso, Castillejo and Paqueta all possess the qualities capable of creating something out of nothing which has been clearly evident in much of their goals this season. The creative brilliance, vision, passing and the ability to impose their influence in between the lines has been a huge factor in Piatek’s deadly form and AC Milan’s rise into the Champions League places.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG0LiH6aHz8
It makes you wonder why Gonzalo Higuain couldn’t make the same impression as Piatek has done with such an abundance of attacking talent around him – it may have been down to lack of confidence, fitness or struggling with the style of play, we’ll never know. Though, AC Milan will not be concerning themselves with that, they seem to have found the solution in Piatek and they are revelling in his performances so much so that the whole of the San Siro even provide the sound effects for Piatek’s infamous celebration. A real sight to behold.
You can sense the feeling around the San Siro, that maybe – just maybe – they may have found the formula to becoming the force they once were. However, there is still a lot of work to be done in certain areas. Genaro Gattuso has done a sturdy job laying the groundwork for what’s to come within this talented side. With talents such as Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, Alessio Romangoli in the heart of defence, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Frank Kessie shaping up a combatant midfield along with the fluidity and array of attacking talents in Suso, Paqueta, Castillejo and Calhanoglu, Gattuso has formed and shaped a side worthy of challenging on all fronts in the future – providing they are all in it for the long haul.
In one man, they have the answer to an issue that has been troubling the club for nearly a decade and that man is Kryszstof Piatek. A player who holds all the ingredients to lead AC Milan to the Promised Land once again.
Remember the name.
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