5 things from AC Milan's slender win over Chievo

Welcome to the 5 Things recap by theScore's Anthony Lopopolo, which highlights AC Milan's performances over the 2018-19 season. Here's a breakdown of Milan's 2-1 victory over Chievo.

Milan continue to win without playing well

Milan showed once again they can grind out wins, which at this point of the season is the most important thing. But creativity was at a bare minimum against Serie A's last-place team. A moment of brilliance from Lucas Biglia and a goal out of chaos by Krzysztof Piatek decided this match, which should've been much more straightforward. Though they've moved up the standings in recent weeks, Milan haven't played convincing football in a while. Chievo threatened on several occasions and drew some big blocks and defensive plays from Alessio Romagnoli.

Counterattack fails to punish Chievo

Milan's counterattack was frustrating to watch. Players like Franck Kessie made the right runs, but the final pass and shot invariably let them down. It's important to note the counterattack in and of itself has improved - Milan drive the ball forward with more purpose than earlier in the season - but it's all worthless without a final product. Kessie had an excellent chance to put the game away with 15 minutes remaining, and it's those kinds of missed opportunities that could cost Milan in future fixtures.

Biglia impresses in rare start

Welcome back. Biglia was fantastic in his first start since October, inspiring the win with a precise free-kick toward the end of the first half. Biglia largely kept his free-kick prowess a secret at Milan until Saturday, deferring in the past to Hakan Calhanoglu and Suso. That he had the confidence to let fly from distance after such a long spell on the sidelines is encouraging. Besides the obvious importance of the goal, Biglia gave Tiemoue Bakayoko a much-needed breather ahead of next Sunday's derby and fulfilled the defensive midfield role with expertise.

Castillejo keeps on going and going

Samu Castillejo can sometimes be a little scatterbrained, but it's his endless application in both the defensive and attacking thirds that leaves supporters impressed. If he was a bit more physical in one-on-one situations and more accurate with his attempts on goal, Castillejo would undoubtedly get more praise. His work ethic was hailed at Villarreal, as it should be at Milan. It was the 24-year-old, after all, who didn't give up on the play that led to Piatek's winner, heading the ball in the Pole's direction before wheeling away in celebration.

Incredible show of support

The good vibes were palpable. Thousands of Milan supporters made the trip to Verona and made themselves heard; it sounded like a home match at times. The entire atmosphere around Milan has lifted in recent weeks, an important development for a club that's had more reason for pessimism than optimism in recent years. The San Siro should be a sight to behold next weekend against Inter.