AC Milan have made a disappointing start to the 2024-25 season, one that Ruben Loftus-Cheek has played all 270 minutes of, but Paulo Fonseca will persist with his faith in the midfielder.
As Calciomercato.com report, Loftus-Cheek has so far been one of the more subdued players through the first three games of the season, after a debut campaign in which he racked up 10 goals in 40 appearances which is his best return since 2018-19 with Chelsea.
His coach that season was Maurizio Sarri, who earlier in the week said he is still fond of the Englishman and that he should be used by Fonseca as a box-to-box midfielder, because he combines size with the ability to progress the ball.
Fonseca’s plan to get RLC out of a difficult moment in terms of personal form is give him more and more responsibility in a team that needs to change gear. Loftus-Cheek will be on the pitch, as a starter, against Venezia, and as the attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1.
Formations are only part of how a team sets up and during game dynamics players are seen in many different positions, something Fonseca was keen to point out when asked about Sarri and Zvonimir Boban’s comments, but it remains an indication of how the coach sees the 28-year-old.
It is clear that the former Fulham loanee is not a natural playmakers because he lacks the touch, the dazzling assist and the imaginative play that frees up his team-mate, yet his size and the timing of his runs cause issues as the 10 goals last season showed.
“Ibrahimovic thinks I can score even more goals, so I have to focus on that. Above all, he wants me to be in and around the penalty area to score more goals,” he told The Times.
For this reason, Fonseca is not changing for now, despite the fact that the options in midfield risk being very limited after the serious injury suffered by Ismael Bennacer. It is a trust that is reciprocated given the midfielder’s recent words on his new coach.
“We all fully believe in him. In training we work every day, the fans want to win and so do we, but we need time to learn his methods and make things work. When we do that, we will win.”
There will perhaps be time for a change in the future but for the moment, Tijjani Reijnders will remain in front of the defence, together with Youssouf Fofana, and Loftus-Cheek will still be further forward hoping for a goal to light up his smile again.
LOL
There’s going to be so much anger around these parts…
I really don’t understand dis coach my God
Or the previous one or all of the other managers and people who have played RLC in his successful career to date. They were all wrong and you, sitting on your armchair, are right.
I fully believe in Ruben🙏🏾🙏🏾.
It’s not hard to figure out if you know modern football. RLC has every characteristic that a coach wants from a midfielder today: strength, runs, drible, breaking lines finishing etc. He is basically a carbon copy of Milinkovic-Savic in terms of skill set, but less potent of course.
RLC has everything it takes to succeed in Milan because there are almost no central midfielder like him in Italian football. His only problem is that coaches like to play him out if position. Because they cannot comprehend a player who is kind of an “every man”. Coaches with limited tactical awareness prefer specialists, who has one key attribute to their game. This is why Paquetá was sold off as well, and why Italian football is lacking behind La Liga in terms of development.
I remember the brief stint when Pioli utilized the 4-3-3 and RCL was a total Beast as mezzala. Just like Paquetá under Gattuso’s reign. He is not regista, nor trequartista. He is mezzala!
This why hesnt even a bencher In England
Get this man out ffs… sell him back to EPL and get Lewis Ferguson, everyone should immediately see the difference!
RLC has value in this team. Just not as a 10. His late runs into the box and there’s no need to sell him. Just need to use him in a way that doesn’t open us up to a counter. And he has to do a better job tracking back – again, not as a 10.
If he has value in this team after only 5 good games in 40+, then anyone has value in this team.
The next article says the complete opposite. That RLC moves back Rjeinders will play as the CAM.