Noah Okafor was only given the final eight minutes of last night’s game against Torino, but he once again showed that it’s all he needs to make his mark.
As Calciomercato.com write, Okafor was a breath of fresh air for the attacking department, one which had stalled and looked to be heading towards a defeat in Paulo Fonseca’s debut with Torino 2-0 up at the time of his introduction.
The Swiss forward provided an excellent volley to level the scores in added time, meaning he has now scored seven goals in Serie A since arriving at Milan, sx of which came as a substitute and almost all of them were important in obtaining a result.
For a player who has scored a goal or provided an assist every 97 minutes for Milan in the league, a clear and precise plan for the future is needed. Okafor is happy, he is in good shape and has shown that he has all the desire he has to make an impact, to be important for this team.
However, it must also be pointed out that the former Red Bull Salzburg man is coming into the season after the European Championship on German soil which did not go as he hoped, given he remained glued to the bench with the Swiss coach seeming to blame things on Milan.
He clearly does not have 90 minutes in his legs yet, but the first flashes of brilliance shown against Torino and before that against Monza in the Silvio Berlusconi Trophy lead us to think of a player who feels ready to battle for a key role.
In a period in which there has been so much talk about the mercato (some sources indicated him as a bargaining chip in the deal for Tammy Abraham with Roma) and the squad lists for Serie A and the Champions League, Okafor provided a goal to dispel doubts.
On the left there is the untouchable Rafael Leao, yet the belief is that Okafor can serve as Alvaro Morata’s deputy and can in fact oust Luka Jovic in Fonseca’s hierarchy. More important goals can help his cause, but some would argue there have already been enough.
I have been saying this. He has a very good sense inside the box (especially against average teams)
Jovic will to anyway honestly and I think we have to give more opportunities to okafor
Both him and Jovic are good in the box and when coming of the bench. Not so good as starters. They both seem better when they are partnered with another striker as well.
100% Okafor should be the primary sub/alternate to Morata. And since Puli is going to be playing AM, there is also space for him a a sub /alternate for Leao, as he and Salad are the two reserve wingers. Despite scoring a few tap ins as a sub, Jovic is not convincing.
Only in Milan can be estimated that player as Okafor can’t play CF even though he played more matches as CF than LW before he joined.
Thanks for the comprehensive overview. Very helpful!
Fonseca will soon be be using him as center back now
After last match, Fonseca seems like is in a completely different book, let alone page. Wtf was that?
we can we accept the fact that leao need to start sitting out some matches until he learn how to shoot the ball past the GK and pass to his teammates not the opponent defenders.
pulisic is not returning chuku favor as an AM. chuku struggles with pulisic as an AM.
Leao wants him there, but leao as well is not performing brilliantly. and they are limiting chuku.
if he wants to use pulisic as 10 it is better you bench chuku and use sales as Lw
and when he use liberalli he can call on chuku as a Lw.
note liberalli is more natural and creative than pulisic in no 10 that is why chuku flourish around him.
fonseca need to realize this.