After the defeat to Fiorentina, Paulo Fonseca spoke to the media about what went wrong for AC Milan at Stadio Artemio Franchi. Among other things, he also clarified why he brought off both Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic in the second half.
From the start, it was clear that it would be a difficult evening for the Rossoneri at Artemio Franchi. Milan loanee Yacine Adli opened the score (of course), Christian Pulisic found the equaliser and then Albert Gudmundsson made the most of a mistake at the back to make it 2-1.
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Speaking to DAZN after the game, as transcribed by MilanNews, Fonseca shared his thoughts on what went wrong for Milan. He also explained why he decided to take off both Leao and Pulisic in the second half.
Do you want to say something about penalties?
“I don’t want to say anything.”
What is your perception of the missed penalties?
“I love football and I don’t want to contribute to this circus. Everything was a penalty, and I’m not talking about things for or against, but football is not like that. I don’t want to talk about refereeing.”
Who is the penalty taker?
“The penalty taker is Pulisic, I don’t know why the boys changed. I’ve already told them that it won’t happen again.”
Were there any lineup changes needed today?
“I think we have done well with this structure so far, it’s not that Fiorentina created too many opportunities. We lacked aggression in the first half, their first goal was too easy. It was clearly a problem of aggression, of duels, I told the players. I think that when we miss two penalties, and then concede a goal like the second one, it’s difficult to win even when you create so many opportunities.”
Can you explain how it’s possible to concede goals from throw-ins and goalkeeper long balls?
“It’s hard to explain. For me it’s a lack of aggression, I don’t think it was a structural problem. The players up front weren’t rigorous in closing the spaces, and if we are not aggressive with them then the team stretches out, we lose second balls…”
When you put the ball into the box there aren’t many there…
“I think we normally have 3-4 players in the box. I have to watch the game again, it seems to me that the crosses were not made with quality. But it seems to me that we had men in the box.”
Why did you sub off Pulisic and Leao?
“It was my decision on Leao. I wanted more depth with Okafor. It was out of caution with Pulisic, he had a problem with his flexor during the week. Chukwueze came in well and created opportunities.”
Theo was given a red card after the final whistle…
“I don’t know what happened.”
Milan will be up against Udinese after the break and then Club Brugge awaits in the Champions League. There is a lot to work on next week, especially the left-hand side as Theo Hernandez now could miss the next two games (due to the red card he got).
I do not know what to say. Fonseca did beat Inter, but it looks as if with a system that does not work in a long run. Our team is made to play with a single striker, and with two there is no one to come from the bench. Even if we change the couch, what a new one can do with the likes of RLC, Cukwatze, Musah, Rojal. Reality is, we are poor. Our market last year was a disaster, this year lets hope something turns our good and lets hope we will have the best version of Leao soon as without it we are in trouble.
Hoy con Fonseca un gran jugador como leao es un “10” solo para dar pases y velocidad. Sacas al mejor PULISIC!!!,los jugadores no le entienden (2 delanteros?) y creo hasta NO LE CREEN (A FONSECA) 🤮🇵🇹
Today he lost me. His game management was a nonsense. Fiorentina was deliberately playing to leave Emerson Royal free, because he is not dangerous with the ball. It was so clear. And he did nothing for 90 minutes. He could have tried with Jimenez, he could have tried to use Pulisic more open, put Chuku before. Kept the same structure for 90 minutes. Substitute the two best players out of the 4 upfront. Could not impose who is taking penalty based on his shocking post match interview. Defensive phase still with total lack of aggression. There is no future.
What the hell is he aiming at with the late & unused subs? He did the same in Germany. Yes, Jovic and RLC are injured, but you can still change defenders and midfielders to seek improvement when you’re losing. He knows that, right?
1. Our defending system is a disaster during his tenure. There’s no agressive midfieldier make a tight pressure when we are defending. He said it today but it happened since the season begin. Maybe because we dont have that kind of midfielder character anymore. (Bennacer is injured, adli not a dm but have a working rate, pobega have more muscle, im sorry but i dont see fofana can do the job hes not that type of mf, rlc too lazy and rijnders def is an am)
2. Our phase of attacking is becoming slower. I dont know why but im enjoying the season when we’re in the champions league semi. We’re so fast and dangerous that we beat the invincible napoli. That season it seems that our players know each other they rarely miss passes and do it very quickly. Od course the players are different but i think with rijnders and puli we can still do the same phase like before.
3. We desperately need to win again to lift up our morale. The 2 consecutive lost in champions league make us look so bad since we all know that europe is our home. Not to mention were going to face madrid after this.
Hopefully the boys can get up like when fonseca beat inter. Forza milan
A higher XG, two missed penalties and a red card and you’re blaming the coach? What we’re seeing is some players aren’t playing well or aren’t simply good enough. Tomori was garbage under Pioli last season as well and Theo has had episodes like this in the past. Fonseca is doing fine. He needs to figure things out.
You tell me we played good football???? Vertical passes and backward passes whole game and the first 45 minutes only one real attack on the penalty.Second half when Fiorentina were barely walking we still couldn’t create. Yes the players are at fault too but it’s funny how blind this forum is on Fonseca poor managing choices
You’re not going to get complete performances at this stage. The coach is 2 months into a new job.
Yes in two years time maybe we will be able to beat the likes of FIORENTINA Parma and Torino you are right. Maybe in two years time the players will start slowly respecting him as well 😅
Conte is two months into new job. Motta as well.
Have you seen all the teams above us?
the red card is in the dying minutes.. don’t make it as an excuse
Tomori is not defender. he is just the clown.
Theo stole the penalty in the first half. Fonseca doesn’t address it at half time? He does and the players doesn’t care? Either way Tomori jumps up and hands the ball to Tammy who shakes off Pulisic before missing the PK. Fonseca then subs off Pulisic instead of Tammy. This is the message Fonseca sends. The lack of leadership starts at the top. Get him out!
Fonseca just said he subbed Pulisic due to slight injury.
The real circus is Fonseca’s disastrous post-game declaration to the press that he “doesn’t know” why the players changed his order for the designated penalty taker. Given that each PK happened in a different half, Fonseca had the halftime break to address it. Therefore it can be only one of two scenarios:
1. Fonseca didn’t say anything to the players during the halftime break. He didn’t scold Theo for disobeying his order to let Puli take the PKs. And he didn’t say to them to stop doing it in case of another PK. So if this is the case, then Fonseca’s post-game declaration intended to shift to the players the blame for something he, Fonseca, had the duty to address.
2. Fonseca did talk to the players about it during the halftime break. If that’s the case, then the players don’t obey him because they don’t respect him.
It’s hard to know which one is worse! They are both terrible so whatever happened in halftime, it’s horrible.
———-
Tomori giving the ball to his buddy Tammy; Tammy accepting it and brushing off the team’s official PK taker, and Theo not doing anything as the captain (after having already stolen a PK in first half) means that all three are at fault too, in addition to Fonseca. Even Puli is partially at fault for not being more assertive. Puli is a nice guy but the saying goes, nice guys come last.
Leadership is needed from the coach and from a true captain.
It doesn’t seem like Fonseca is such a leader. Maybe he should be fired.
It doesn’t seem like Theo is such a leader either. After what he did today (and then, to top it all, he antagonized the ref after the final whistle and got a red card), he should never get the captain band again.
For me, the only current player who deserves the captain band and can do it, is Alvaro Morata. Sure, he is new, but he commands respect and has the authority; he’s the captain of the freaking Euro champs! Mike could do it too but for a goalkeeper to be the captain, it’s less effective because he is too far from the action and from the ref.
Good morning Mister
Did U sleep well this night?
Did U talk with Zlatan,your God?
Once again the boys didn’t fulfill your game plan? ( if any…)
You’d better buy a ticket and leave Enough it’s Enough!!!!
Hope you’ll take Zlatan with you!
What a mess !!!
Fonseca’s not really in charge here if things like that are happening. He lost the team. Or rather a poorly constructed bunch of players that is.
We need a disciplinarian to take over.
There is some answering to do why Pulisic didn’t get to take any penalties if he is our penalty taker.
He is the star of this team this season so far.
He is a very good penalty taker too. Why did he just leave it to Abraham and Theo?
Najbolje je postaviti pitanje – da li bi Milan igrao ovako nonšalantno da je kojim slučajem došao KONTE za trenera ! Ibra i društvo na ćelu uprave nisu ga željeli jer s njim ne mogu manipulirat !!! Uzeli su Fonseku manekena pa se nezne ni ko puca jedanesterce u ovoj momčadi
The same Albert Gudmundsson I pleaded Acmilan to sign Acmilan choose they won’t sign him and this same Gudmundsson score Acmilan goal now my advice for Acmilan is continue in the 4-2-3-1 but we don’t need tomori and Loftus cheek let’s use Gabbia and Pavlovic/ bartasaghi, left back Theo/Jimenez then let’s get Chaka or liberali to become a deputy to Morata and lets give chukwueze starting eleven at least for two or three matches then we give Okafor more playing time two like resting for champions league because of fatigue.