One victory does not change AC Milan’s fortunes entirely but it provides a platform on which to build, and there are two new leaders within the team that Paulo Fonseca can construct around.
Calciomercato.com recall that there were various positives from the game against the Venetians such as Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez combining well, Tammy Abraham winning a penalty then scoring one and the centre-back pairing of Strahinja Pavlovic and Matteo Gabbia looking solid.
In addition to Mike Maignan, Theo and Leao, the report speaks of two other pillars of the Milan project moving forward: Christian Pulisic and Tijjani Reijnders. Both arrived last season, with the USA winger on 17 goals and 13 assists in 54 total appearances, while the Dutch midfielder has four goals and five assists.
After the poor start to the season and the controversy that arose from the cooling break incident during the Lazio game, Milan had the urgent need to find sources of charisma and leadership. Pulisic has stepped up again, with two goals and two assists in four games this season, while Reijnders continues to be the most important metronome in the midfield.
After giving indications that he can play in a more advanced role while away with the Dutch national team, Reijnders returned to Milan and did similar. Against Venezia he often swapped positions with Loftus-Cheek, but above all continued to show a desire to have the ball at his feet and to create.
With Reijnders in the middle and Pulisic on the right, Fonseca can always rely on two dynamic players who are ready to take any game by the scruff of the neck. After losing two leaders in Olivier Giroud and Simon Kjaer, Pulisic and Reijnders – together with Theo and Leao – are candidates to take their place.
morata or maignan
Theo and Leao are not leaders. Want both to stay and improve but they are both as far from leader mentality you can get.
Leader is not the best player on the field.
Leader is who demands the best from all players on the field at all times including themselves.
In terms of captain, leader is generally outspoken. This is not Puli, so I think he ends up as “leader by example”.
Not sure about Reinjders. I’ve not seen him get vocal when something needs saying.
Example, last year you could see Flo yelling and gesticulating frequently at Chuk to get him in position. I don’t see this on the field from either.
Maignan is a natural born leader. I’m amazed every time with his poise and body language. But he doesn’t seem to need the armband, people respect him anyway and he’s already a vocal leader. Love this guy!
Calabria regularly shouts at and motivates the players around him but that seems to get missed by everyone even though it’s happening right in front of us on the screen.
I can only really put it down to discrimination.
Hate is the strongest emotion here. And the hate towards Calabria is off the charts.
I think if we start keeping clean sheets and be tighter at the back the team is very strong. Emerson is still a liability but lets give him some time to get accustomed to serie A.
If the captaincy is not stsying with Calabria, it needs to be Moratta. He is vocal on and off the pot h, an experienced internationsl and captain of Spain. See how he led in the euro final.
Nothing says thank you for your service and in delivering the Scudetto like being stripped of the captaincy.
Reijnders needs to actually put in a performance of note for Milan before we can even discuss any captaincy.
If he doesn’t produce this season he needs to go.
Even if he does, he doesn’t really have the attitude of a captain, it’s not just about being a good player (Pelé was never Brazil’s captain and even in 1970 it was the younger and less experienced Carlos Alberto Torres who was captain).
Tijani looks like a nice guy but he isn’t vocal or motivational or any of the qualities you’d want from a captain (although Milan just follows the tradition of the oldest serving player).
I’d say after Calabria, it perhaps needs to Morata. I like Maignan as a deputy captain, but he is too far from the onfield play.
The club is going nowhere if it doesn’t respect its captain and the people who actually delivered only our third Scudetto this century.
Fans demand loyalty and fight from the players but then show no loyalty or fight for the players.
The more loyal a player is the less they’re respected.
We can forget about returning to the top with this disgraceful attitude.
Yeah… Gone are the days of traditions and poetry. Now is the time of entertainment, mass consumption and PR. And short term memory. Any random dude can be marketed as the new big star and the wallets, I mean the fans, will love it. Take Loftus-Cheek. He’s been poor 90% of his games. Then he’s good for one game and suddenly he’s a beast. Meanwhile Tonali was considered a degenerate and il capitano is mocked. Whatever is best for « IP monetization ». Forza brand
CP may captain USA and be outspoken, but we have players who won’t accept him that way. Still, players like him lead in effect. The team knows who is doing the right thing for Milan, and deserves their respect.
Calabria was/is a common sense Italian captain with the right temperament for the honor.