Pato: Like a duck to water

After a poor start to the season Milan are beginning to find their feet again and one player who has had a huge part in this revival of sorts is Alex Pato. The Duck, as he is known, has shown blistering form of late after himself coming out of a slump in form after a two goal opening day performance against Siena. It’s not surprise that he has returned to form. After all in Pato we have a player who on his Milan debut, at just 18, scored twice against Napoli in the white hot pressure of the San Siro. And, whilst Alberto Gilardino at the time could not get anything going for Milan the young Pato took to the surroundings like a duck to water. Indeed in just 20 appearances for Milan in the 2007/2008 season Pato registered 9 goals in just 20 games. Last season, his first complete season, saw him step up in quality again. With David Beckham watching from the stands just before Christmas last year Pato scored twice against Udinese in a 5-1 home win with teammate Kaka also on the score sheet, and it was during this part of the season that Pato hit red hot form. He scored a classy finish against Fiorentina in a 1-0 home win. But arguably his best performance came away at Roma when Pato scored twice, on one occasion leaving Philippe Mexes for dead and applying a consummate finish that left Doni with no chance. Pato finished the season with 15 goals in 36 games, not bad for a 19 year old. The start to this season has been little different. Stunning goals against Roma and Real Madrid of late has propelled him into arguably one of the best forwards in Europe on current form and even comparisons with Messi are beginning to be made. Both like to operate down the right for starters and both posses the ball control, skills and finishing ability that make them something very special. Pato, of course, has some way to go before he can outdo his Argentine rival but the signs are there that he could do just that, in time.