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.