AC Milan are experiencing yet another rough patch of form under Stefano Pioli, but he has never started a season as badly as this since becoming the head coach.
La Gazzetta dello Sport writes that on Thursday morning, 11 days before Christmas, Milan could find themselves out of the Champions League (perhaps out of Europe altogether) and potentially out of the Scudetto race too given they are nine points behind Inter in Serie A.
That would be a huge blow that risks seeing the season evaporate towards becoming meaningless if an early Coppa Italia exit were to happen too, for example.
Milan started well, then foundered. After 15 games in the league in 2020-21 Milan were top of the table, then a year later second but only one point behind the leaders, and in 2022-23 second at eight points behind Napoli. There is a trend.
If we look at the goals, the same: the goal difference went from +18 (2020-21) to +15 (2021-22), then to +14 (2022-23) and now to +8 (2023-24). It is the worst start since Pioli has coached Milan and in Bergamo there was a clear impression that several players are in confusion, disoriented by the absences, by the high pace, by the match plans that change every three days.
Milan, who won a Scudetto also thanks to tactical adaptations, seem to change too much. It is a team with fewer certainties than before, and Pioli must steady the ship or he will be thrown overboard.
Either La Gazza’s “journalists” are not equipped with critical thinking, either they’re paid by Redbird. How tf can’t they figure that the only thing that has changed compared to these three previous seasons is the new management?
“””Milan, who won a Scudetto also thanks to tactical adaptations, seem to change too much. It is a team with fewer certainties than before, and Pioli must steady the ship, or he will be thrown overboard.”””
Do they think Pioli is responsible for this?
Pioli is 100% at fault for How we’re playing, yes. He asked for these players and he got them. Now he constantly changes things for the worse and the teams in shambles. I haven’t seen milan so clueless since the banter era. Thought those days were over
Pioli is not the architect of the mercato. It was not his idea to bring Pulisic to attract the US market. Also not his idea to bring some pedestrians no-names from minor teams like Musah, Chukwueze or Reijnders. Also not his will to get Pellegrino because Pioli probably doesn’t watch Argentinian youth leagues. And probably not his biggest dream as well to get Jovic. He can ask for a type of player, then the scouts and algorithms work their magic.
How do you know those weren’t Pioli’s ideas? Did he tell you over the phone during the summer?
Pioli approved all the purchases so he’s definitely accountable.
Pioli went as far as calling some of the players by phone like Thuram and I think either Reijnders or Chukwueze and he vetoed the transfer of Singo. So yes Pioli was deeply involved.
Pioli is sealing his fate this year. Every decision he has made this year has failed. I don’t want to hear the bs that he win a scudetto, he brought us to the semis, we’re in third. I thank him for that but its no longer working. He failed miserably with a 4 3 3 and he reverts back to a 4 2 3 1 and his player choices and tactics have been despicable. When you continuously play players out of position, give minutes to players at the wrong times and constantly change what they should be doing your going to fail.
I’m no coach here but if you continued with the 4 2 3 1 and played either reijnders or pulisic in the middle instead of loftus who is not an attacking mid and have played more physical players in the double pivot from the beginning, things would probably be different.
It all started with that weird 4 3 3 where the full backs come into the middle. That failed miserably. Now we have players playing in positions they’ve never played before. The defence is in shambles and don’t know how to keep their position. Calabria is constantly tucking in and leaving the wing right open and doesn’t have the pace to catch up. The midfield are certainly not protecting the defence enough and the attack are clueless and have no creativity.
When multiple players come out and say they’re confused what to do on the pitch it’s pioli’s problem 100%. He has failed miserably this year and if we lose to Newcastle he should be gone by this week. Even if we somehow win and make it through sure all us fans will be happy but it’ll only prolong our problems with him unless he stops being so stubborn
Thank God I said it that this pattern Pioli has in mind will never work out Acmilan are attacking minded teams and they know how tow to press and gain stability against counter attacks and Milan can get it done on by reverting back to the 4-2-3-1 use Loftus cheek from the bench to master the game then Romero should play as the main attacking midfield (back of striker) then leao and chukwueze to start with Geroud at the front using rejnder and benercer in the double pivot then second half Noah Okafor will replace chukwueze then pulisic will be leao deputy then Loftus cheek will sub Romero and Pioli is busy killing Acmilan wasting point losing match Pioli even became a learning after Milan losses momentum