While it is often easy to overstate the importance of results in preseason friendlies, there were some concerning signs that emerged during the USA tour.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) this morning have written a piece that starts with how the ‘central axis of the new Milan has yet to find its direction’, speaking specifically about Theo Hernandez, Fikayo Tomori and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Tomori and Loftus-Cheek are expected to offer cover and instead in the USA Stefano Pioli found his side defenceless, with individual errors compromising the good work done in the games against Real Madrid, Juventus and Barcelona.
Tomori has made a couple of errors, Loftus-Cheek is yet to show any real final product and Theo has been playing ‘with his handbrake on’. There are less than three weeks left until the start of the season and Pioli has to fix things.
If Tomori is the backbone, he cannot make the same individual errors that rendered him inconsistent for large stretches of last season. Support must come from Theo on the left and Loftus-Cheek ahead too, with midfield balance so important.
The paper adds that Tomori become the most ‘vocal’ player, a guide who calls and directs the department with instructions. This implies that he feels he has a leadership role, and as such must lead by example.
With Pioli’s system the full-backs play inside quite a lot, leaving the wing to the real wingers (Rafael Leao and Samuel Chukwueze) to exploit the space wider. Theo knows it well and Tijjani Reijnders – who was excellent in America – will be able to help him.
Thus, there is a triangle to the left with Hernandez, the Dutchman and Leao who will be able to give vivacity to the attack but also more coverage behind.
In this summer of preparation Loftus-Cheek was an undisputed starter. Due to his previous injury issues and his physical mould it will take him longer than Reijnders to get in shape, something which was shown on the field.
Pioli used him as an attacking midfielder at times, while his team-mates looked for him with long balls precisely to take advantage of his size, however he must find a way to be more dangerous in the opposing area.
Pioli will give him confidence, which is as fundamental as consistent playing time, which he has lacked in recent years. He needs to play and to play close to goal: Reijnders can help too.
Pelatih Goblok…
Right from his time at Chelsea RLC has never showm any glimpse of brilliance, I wonder why he was brought to milan
Right that’s why he was regarded as one of the brightest midfield talents after the 2018 world cup under sarri?
Tomori has been doing that stupid mistakes since October last year. He should be sold before his price tag goes down. He is not only makes individual mistakes, but also making poor passes that are causing another players loose the ball.
Also he has attitude issue.
In order to be a leader, you should be example but he is example of how not to play unfortunately
Rlc can be good in a midfield three, but hes never done well further forward. We need to play him in his preferred position, and to his strengths.
Loftus cheek is not perfect yet to me I if krunic remains I prefer krunic to partner rejinder, but if krunic should leave then either Morten holjmand or Nicolas Dominguez can fill his gap so Loftus cheek should come as substitute but he need to improve defensively he not an attacking midfield type but he should learn how to be a central midfield. Then Yunus musah and Pulisic we control attacking midfield because of their ability but for tomori he still needs to improve but mostly in the defensive phase but we need Kjaer on left then kalulu or thiaw from five sometimes we can feature tomori for him to adapt to Acmilan system. Because Acmilan plays interesting system like attacking football and their pressing style is also perfect mostly in the 4-2-3-1 but I realised that in the 4-3-3 leao is not function as winger but in 4-2-3-1 leao is perfectly dangerous because he can flow from midfield and any role to score or to assist. Is the fact