AC Milan fans got a look at what Youssouf Fofana can bring during his stint off the bench in the defeat to Parma, and there was hope that his first start could come against Lazio.
La Gazzetta dello Sport write how in Paulo Fonseca’s mind Fofana is the starter in the midfield double pivot together with Tijjani Reijnder, when everyone is fully fit. However, he has only been training for a week and is far from 100%.
In fact, at the moment he has a maximum of 45 minutes in is legs and if the game were played today, he would not be in the starting XI. Fonseca obviously hopes that the week will bring positive news regarding his condition, because the Frenchman should fundamental in this Milan.
Youssouf is not just a defensive midfielder but rather he is a complete player, who in the last season at Monaco was the player with the most dribbles, the most passes, the most chances created, the most tackles and the most duels.
Milan’s idea is that he brings balance, supports the four attacking players, recovers the ball and plays it: in the last season he recovered 7.2 balls per game. For reference, Ismael Bennacer and Tijjani Reijnders averages under 4, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Yunus Musah even lower.
The first match in Parma said something about his role in Milan but it is not particularly significant. Fofana remained to protect the defence but it was clear he was not even close to his best condition, with the team also chasing the game.
The break will be important for him. Before arriving at Milan he trained a lot on his own and the team would benefit from remaining to improve his condition. Much will depend on what Didier Deschamps decides because tomorrow it will be time for the official call-ups.
The first predictions say that Youssouf will be there, with Adrien Rabiot – reportedly a Milan target – absent. Les Blues will play Italy and Belgium, not exactly two easy games, so the Rossoneri might have to do without their new midfield man.
Theo and Leao looks like they are not on 100% so what…in fact Theo looks like 50%
Yeah, Leao, Theo and many of the players look tired.
If nothing is working at least they should run more but they seem to tired. No drive or intensity.
They lack pre-season fitness conditioning.
“However, he has only been training for a week and is far from 100%.”
If only we managed to bring him even a week sooner, if only there was a way…
We offered what they asked for at least a month earlier…His match fitness takes forever to come up to scratch because he rarely gets consecutive 70 to 90 minutes. He can’t integrate with teammates and new tactics or country comfortably because he enters a situation under huge pressure needing to deliver what he is incapable of immediately. It is bad business. Trying to save 10 million, they compromised him and the entire team, making the coach’s job to intergrate him in decent form impossible.
The benefit of saving, even if we had lowered the price by 4 to 5 million, which we didn’t in the end, is outweighed by the negative aspects mentioned.
Anyone with a minimal understanding of the value of preparation time in the offseason in football will agree, it was a dumb decision. We should have wrapped the transfer up decisively and fast. Midfielders need time because they have to find their rhythm, his role requires him to cover lots of ground, play in all phases actively and more of the game will go through him.
At least we secured him, but he will not be ready, it will take longer now to achieve 80% of what could have been done in 10 to 14 pre season days. Leao, Maignan and Theo at least have minutes under their belt with the team, it will be a few things to tweak, Fofana has 2 seasons worth of work to get in the tank.
What french duty,he is a bench warmer there even when they call him
Dis you block my email again? I’m on my last one now.
The new Kessie is tired 🥲
Already tired wow
Far from 100% what? Fitness, conditioning. As far as I know he is not coming back from injury just a Euros (where he didn’t play very much), so I assume he is not fit. Yet all the other players that have moved around seem to be included in the next line up and even start, for their respective clubs. Yet Fofana needs over a month to get ready to play 90 mins.
We have to adjust our expectations. This manager and team is a two season project.
Europa. Maybe.