With the opening that AC Milan have had, criticism is to be expected. From the players, to the manager, to the management, to the owner, the finger is being pointed everywhere, and fans are frustrated.
At present, Milan do not look like a positive football club. Results are poor, worsened by the fact that they lack any suggestions of an identity. A period of transition was expected when Paulo Fonseca arrived, but the transition shouldn’t be regression.
Fonseca’s football is not working, and fans are very quickly getting frustrated at the Portuguese coach. Perhaps, it is stubbornness, perhaps something else. However, he is yet to change his approach, even with the very clear signs of its failings.
Now, he finds himself in a questionable position. Another loss in the Derby della Madonnina and he will be waving goodbye to his new office already, and the management are already eyeing up new candidates.
In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport today, Fabio Capello offered his opinions on the Rossoneri at present, and had some harsh words for Ibrahimovic who fronts the management.
Isn’t it that Venezia has deluded, Mr. Capello?
“It was such an abnormal game that it allowed Milan to play in peace, they were 2-0 after a quarter of an hour. While many were exalted, however, I noticed that too many times the way to the door had been granted to the Venezia. As in the other games. Then you meet Liverpool…”
And what happens?
“When others increase the pace and go at higher speed, we Italians suffer. Always. Liverpool also highlighted organizational and technical shortcomings, such as the inability to score on corners. It is unthinkable that two jump undisturbed in front of the door, even if Fonseca assured me that the marking was man.
“Did you see that, when Liverpool increased the pressure, Milan couldn’t get out? They always recovered the ball. Organizational but also technical gap. And here I break a spear in favor of Fonseca. The players who in Italy make the phenomena abroad are then very different, especially against English teams or with English rhythms.”
Wouldn’t it be easy for a club to set up an English preparation?
“I was on Sky and on the monitors I saw City’s pre-training. Do you know what they were doing? Pure technique, having fun. We don’t do it anymore. Technique combined with an important physical preparation. With us, only tactics, especially in the youth sectors. I knew parents who were happy that their son trained with a coach “very good at tactics, who makes him raise his hand to call the schemes on punishment. I would take away his license.”
What can we do?
“Maybe a federal intervention would be needed.”
Would Milan need a new intervention from Fonseca?
“When I took a team, I was attentive to the past but I put my ideas in. I always made wine with the grapes I had.”
How is Fonseca’s grapes?
“We should ask who made the market. I heard the boss [Ibrahimovic] on TV: he says he’s in charge, right? So he has some responsibility too…”
One thing is certain: many figurines, but a leader has been missing since Tonali.
“Of course! I add: of the Milan that won the Scudetto there is no one from that midfield. If you won, you have to improve the base, don’t destroy it. In recent years, half-points have arrived, half-attacking… And where is the director? But the problem concerns many roles. Like the center forward.”
Morata for Giroud?
“Giroud is a 9 of the area, Morata is something else…”
“Exactly. Morata is not a 9 of the area. Such a tactical turn must be studied by the company and coach.”
But Reijnders is a good player and Loftus-Cheek comes from the Premier, they are not unknown.
“Reijnders had a great European, Loftus knows how to play but it is not yet clear where, Pulisic is a striker. And again: on the right you have problems and sell Kalulu who is immediately a starter at Juve and plays great with the Psv. I can’t explain what’s going on. I don’t know if some are not from Milan or if the context is wrong. I see eleven players scattered on the field, not a team. Already from last year.”
Paradox Leao: what to do?
“Leao sometimes makes you lose patience, but he’s the only one who knows how to do different things. Maybe it’s taking a little too long, sometimes it’s annoying other phenomena. With him you have one less in the defensive phase: it can be done if the one in front does special things like Ronaldo.”
What would you do?
“I should train the players to understand, but the technicians have to invent something. Ancelotti moved Pirlo, I put Desailly in front of the defense. At least he would have taken by the neck those who did not run or did not defend.”
What if Fonseca also loses the derby?
“I’m surprised by De Rossi’s dismissal: if you’ve made a half-revolution you have to give him time, don’t kick him out after four days. Fonseca must also be given time. But now it’s his turn. Conte made himself heard immediately: he failed the first, he was hard publicly and not only in the locker room, and the immediate alarm came.”
What should Fonseca do?
“Get into the players’ heads. I don’t think they have the right competitive tension. As if they were not prepared to face situations different from those in training in the game. After the Scudetto, the spirit was missing, as if they had a full belly: Tomori seemed like a phenomenon, today he struggles tremendously. Maybe the tension could instill it in him Ibra: he didn’t lack it on the field.”