CorSport: Jovic and Okafor frontrunners as Pioli must decide Giroud’s deputy

Olivier Giroud has returned to Italy after sustaining a minor injury while on international duty with France. He should be available for the derby next week but Stefano Pioli also cannot be caught unprepared. 

As reported by today’s edition of Corriere Dello Sport, via our colleagues at SempreMilan.it, Giroud’s ankle injury is nothing serious and he should thus be available for the derby against Inter. However, Pioli must think of his deputy still.

The manager has a few options that could work but above all two: Noah Okafor and Luka Jovic. The former has done well off the bench at the start of this season, especially against Roma, and he has worked with the team for a longer time.

Jovic, meanwhile, arrived on deadline day and has not trained with his new team. Playing the Serbian from the first minute, therefore, would be far from ideal as he will need more time to learn the ins and outs of Milan’s system.

Okafor, as such, is ahead even if Giroud should make it back in time. We will know more about the situation from Wednesday next week.

Tags AC Milan Luka Jovic Noah Okafor

8 Comments

    1. It probably doesn’t matter what combo we use as long as we use as few players as possible in that combo so they get more minutes.

      Formations, systems, even ability (on the spectrum we’re talking about here) don’t matter as much as minutes, familiarity and a willingness to fight for each other.

      I really hope Pioli’s not planning to play the back up as little as he did last season or else I fear they’ll be just as disappointing.

  1. If Okafor is to stand a chance he needs to be more than Leao’s understudy .

    We need to use him as a LW and CF at least. Otherwise he’ll be reduced to minutes this season.

    Try leaving a prize race horse in the stables and see how far you go.

  2. Okafor is the best to start ahead of jovic because he’s dangerous and can penetrate,he has physical technique. He has short on foot and can score after destroying inter defence.

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