A number of players have fallen by the wayside a bit during the recent run of bad form and that could well also apply to Sandro Tonali.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport reports, Tonali will now change scenery for a few days as he joins up with the Italian national team at their training camp in Coverciano, which will be a welcome change from the current difficult situation at Milan.
The paper recall his words on August 21 after the second game of the season away against Atalanta which ended 1-1: “We have to understand that this is a different season. There wasn’t the right concentration, we started as if it were matchday 39.”
Tonali is a leader of this Milan despite his young age as he has been on the field 34 times out of the Rossoneri’s 37 total games this season, missing one game due to physical problems, another due to rotation and a third due to suspension. Of those 34 appearances, 31 have been starts and for 24 of them he played all 90 minutes.
The numbers show that Tonali – after 27 league matches – has improved in several areas compared to a year ago. His key passes per game have increased (from 1.23 to 1.54), as well as tackles (from 1.35 to 1.75 per game), shots on target (from 6 to 11 total), chances created (from 32 to 37 total) and balls recovered (from 128 to 136 total).
However, the number of passes made decreased as did the number of balls played, because the collective dynamics of the team collapsed, though he is now doing better in tackles and recoveries.
An even more evident cross-section is apparent in the split this season pre and post World Cup. His duels won per game have grown from 3.05 to 4 and tackles from 1.68 to 1.8.
He ain’t no leader! He is a ball loser&gifter