AC Milan are experiencing yet another difficult moment and there are various factors contributing to it, a report from La Gazzetta dello Sport has outlined this morning.
The paper have published a piece outlining the current issues Milan are facing, with Stefano Pioli’s future having never been so in doubt and with the gap to Inter having reached double figures in points.
Injuries: Thirty injuries in five months is far too many, and Fikayo Tomori’s injury repeats scenes already seen. A muscle problem during the match, a flexor, a stoppage that promises to be long. Only six players have not had physical problems, while 22 have been in the pits for various reasons.
The defence has been worst hit. Milan can play with Jan-Carlo Simic and Simon Kjaer at the moment, with Theo Hernandez as an emergency alternative. The fourth centre-back at the beginning of the year is an 18-year-old from the Primavera, with a left back in case of need.
Marco Pellegrino is almost ready, but the club are very nervous because a series of injuries affect the results, with consequent economic losses, such as elimination in the Champions League and devaluation of the players.
Not surprisingly, we can already see some changes on the horizon. Almost certainly in the physiotherapist team, perhaps even beyond that. Certainly Pioli and his staff, with the trainer Matteo Osti at the centre of those accused, are considered responsible. A solution must be found, and it must be found quickly.
Star players: The sacred fire in this team is no longer seen and some players in Salerno showed it more than ever. Seeing Rafa Leao who, with Milan down 2-1, walking between nervous and uninterested was striking.
Leao has the talent to dominate big matches like he did against PSG, his best evening, and yet in the league he has not scored for three months, which was the winner against Hellas Verona.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a different player but joins Rafa and Theo in having suffered a decline in the last month. RLC returned from injury at the beginning of November, was immediately devastating against PSG, then entered a tunnel.
Even in Salerno he was among the worst, as in many of the recent matches. Loftus-Cheek comes from fragmented seasons, with many games spent on the bench or in the infirmary, and in the long run it probably weighs.
Mike Maignan made a mistake in Salerno but he was often Superman with the number 16 on his shoulders. Pulisic is not the same as he was at the beginning of the year but overall he has had a good impact. They are not the problem of this Milan.
Words: The leaders at Milan didn’t appreciate a phrase that he said during his post-Salernitana comments regarding enthusiasm: “I’m also worried because we need to rediscover the enthusiasm and the magic.” It was like an admission of responsibility, like a surrender in the face of the precipitation of events.
It is possible that Pioli and the club also spoke about this during yesterday’s assessments. There have been other phrases discussed during the season, especially by the fans. One above all, after the derby: “I don’t agree with apologising. In your opinion, did we want to concede 5 goals from Inter and lose the derby? We are sorry. You have to apologise when you don’t do something on purpose.”
An understandable outburst in a difficult moment, with the spring derbies coming back to mind. Here, derbies this season are a big key. The fans distanced themselves from this team between one defeat against Inter and another. One in January, two in May, one in the fourth round of this season.
Style: Finally, there is Stefano Pioli’s unwavering determination to stick to his principles: an aggressive style of play that welcomes one-on-one battles across the pitch and, probably, pushes the squad to their physical limits too.
Performances such as the 5-1 derby defeat to Inter made it clear that such an approach can be disastrous at worst, while random moves such as using two strikers in the 1-0 loss to Udinese showed that the coach is perhaps unsure of how to get the best from the squad.
We are tired , just sack pioli and hope the better future with new coach , at least try new things when difficut situation comes , PIOLI IS ALREADY EXPIRED
Why are so many of you blaming pioli .
Yes we have so many injuries, but is that down to him..partly maybe .
We just can’t seem to have a settled team
It’s certainly is the physical team that is mostly to blame for the injuries. But pioli is also to blame, his rotation is awful. He could have given Giroud, a 37 y/o, more rest recently, and he seems reluctant to use young players unless he has choice.