There was a time when it was Sandro Tonali who was drawing Andrea Pirlo comparisons, and now it is Yacine Adli’s turn to be put into that bracket.
La Gazzetta dello Sport write that it is ‘not since Pirlo’s time’ that Milan have seen a regista capable of alternating so elegantly the ability to dribble with the propensity to pass it 50 metres accurately, which is so useful for avoiding the press.
Adli has something retro about his style. He has a lean and slightly hunched physique but also a nonchalance on the field that combines refinement with practicality.
The likes of Marco Van Bommel, Riccardo Montolivo, Lucas Biglia most recently Rade Krunic are among the others who have occupied the deeper-lying midfield role in recent years, and almost all had something more than Adli in terms of defensive ability.
In the hour that saw him as protagonist the other evening in Cagliari, Adli got on the ball a lot. He lost one which paved the way for Luvumbo’s goal, but he completed 71 out of 73 passes and some of them were long.
The best grade on the French-Algerian’s report card was given by his team-mates who were constantly looking for him, because they understood that handing the ball over to him was like putting it in the bank, they would receive it back with interest.
Paulo Sousa, who watched him closely when he coached Bordeaux, recalled that Adli is the player who is closest to Zidane in terms of creativity and technical quality.
Sousa was one of the greatest playmakers in world football at the end of the last century so he understands what he is talking about. Perhaps Pioli held on to Adli a little too much while he waited for him to adapt to the defensive tactics of Italian football.
Unai Emery, the manager who gave Adli his debut at 17 years old while he was at PSG, wanted the midfielder at Arsenal. There must be a reason. The same reasons that pushed Tuchel – who took over from Emery – to also use him.
Of course you can get lost on the road, many things change, but Milan ended up relying on Krunic to play in the middle of the three. He is a versatile and experienced player, but he is more of a balancer than a game-changer.
Pirlo was also 23 years old when Carlo Ancelotti decided to move him back from a box-to-box midfield role to playing in front of the defence to replace Fernando Redondo, who was always injured.
Adli is the same age Pirlo was then and can follow in those footsteps. It will be a long journey, but perhaps the time has come to seize the moment.
exciting to watch him again tonight. let’s see his development in the defensive phase
Super excited!
Hope he has a good game, crowned by a goal or assists
He is a good player, but what is this random fake info? “The same reasons that pushed Tuchel – who took over from Emery – to also use him.” Where did Emery and Tuchel use him, which season and which games? The guy has exactly 7 minutes for PSG first team. What? How can you make up random stuff?
GDS is like the worst tabloid, half of things written are not really true…
Pirlo, in order to play his masterclass football had Gattuso who supported in defensive phase. Adli will need someone next to him as well. RLC or Musah should then occupy a more destructive role. To me Musah resembles Kante a lot.
Exactly mr TED
Think that combo has a lot of potential. A lot of players would need to injured for pioli to make it tho
As i aleady pointed out earlier in a different article milan has 28 players in the first team and has used 22 and of the 6 unussed players there is 2 goalkeepers that shouldnt expeect any minutes at all, a long term injured player, caldara and pelegrino and traore and besides of that he has also given primavera player bartesaghi minutes in two matches.
Does that actually sounds to you that he isnt willing to rotate players regardless of some inuries ?
Exactly. Not only Gattuso, but had defenders like Maldini, Nesta, Costacurta, Stam, and Cafu behind him for most of his time at Milan, and prime Chiellini, Bonucci and Barzagli at Juventus. With those elite defenders the teams didn’t have to worry about Pirlo’s complete lack of defense.
100% mate, Gattuso made Pirlo’s game possible. I think with Ruben and Reijnder’s physicality he can succeed. Perhaps Musah too
Rất hay. Adli. Cố lên.
Pirlo? Really now? That’s where we’ve reached in the comparisons? How about let’s take it one game at a time because one game he might look like Pirlo and another might look like Bertolacci
He MUST PLAY regularly. Played really intelligently today!
Nobody is comparing Adli to Pirlo and that is NOT what the article said. It said “not since” Pirlo was a player capable of making those dribbles AND make a 50 yard pass. Read gents.
Also agree Pirlo was not great defensively and needed Gattuso/Ambro etc…besides him. Adli will be much more capable defensively given he is more athletic and is much bigger physically. He needs to continue to play period. As the article said a player that can make those passes and always looking to advance the ball forwards is excellent counter to teams that press high. Exactly what we have been lacking. Yes he will have growing pains and some bad games here and there that is expected. But as I have been saying all asking we have a real talent on our hands that Pioli is finally seeming to notice and trust – so glad we did not sell. This kid will only improve with consistent playing time and IMO he will eventually replace Benny who we will sell to SA (likely in summer).
What a steal for 10M investment – another gem by previous management.