By their own standards, AC Milan have had a shocking start to the season. A win against Inter serves as a break from mediocrity, and even then, that is generous, and a report has collated the seven big mistakes of the 2024/25 season so far.
It seems like a repeat of last season in many respects. Within the opening two months of the season, Milan are already struggling in Europe, and questions are being directed at key players and senior members of the club. Additionally, Paulo Fonseca’s future is being doubted, but is it right to do so?
Gazzetta dello Sport has recalled several mistakes from this season already, and they stretch across Europe and domestic fixtures.
The first issue came on Matchday 1, when Malick Thiaw scored an own goal after trying to control the ball, rather than clear it to safety, and whilst the game was drawn eventually, it could have been won without the mistake.
Day two provided the worst attitude of the season, and Theo Hernandez was the face of it. The Frenchman lacked commitment for both goals, failing to track back and ultimately costing the Rossoneri the game.
Sticking with the defender, Theo’s participation in the cooling break incident offered another damning blow to the game, and Fonseca’s position, even if the action was innocuous. However, attached to this game were mistakes for both Lazio goals – Fofana, Tomori, and Pavlovic were all culprits.
It was set pieces in the Champions League, and Maignan was at fault for both of the goals. On both occasions, the goalkeeper allowed space to the attackers, and he was punished for doing so.
Number five comes in Germany when Tijjani Reijnders opted to stop in the box rather than make an attempt on goal – which Gazzetta claims to be a regular occurrence with him, even whilst calling him an elegant player. We stay in the BayArena for the sixth calamity, when Alvaro Morata fails to hit the target from six yards.
Finally, the Gudmundsson goal on Sunday night, an error between Fikayo Tomori and Matteo Gabbia, bringing that partnership under the microscope, what had been a certainty, is now uncertain. It could be argued that this was a drop in the water compared to the penalty debacle, though.
Mistakes happen, but seven calamities in such a short space of time says more about the squad than the manager, suggests Gazzetta, even if the Portuguese head coach has made errors.
There were others, such as several players missing sitters, players taking PKs instead of the guy who never missed in his professional life and is the designated PK taker.
But I don’t like this approach at all. It blames the players. It seems like our players are becoming favorite scapegoats. This leads to the players becoming frustrated and unmotivated, and everything becomes worse and worse.
Oh, and just remember: GdS loves to bring down Milan. It is well-known that the newspaper is dominated by Inter and Juve supporters. Beware of what GdS says, they love to fan the flames so that Milan gets down even more.
However, when we see a player like Musah saying that he didn’t know if he needed to press or stay behind, and you see players disobeying the coach’s orders for who should take penalties, you see that the problem is much more the confusing coaching that is not respected, and the amateur management, than the players.
It is convenient for the management to have the fans revolt against the players, instead of revolting against the boneheaded decisions by the management, especially regarding who they hired as the head coach. They hired a yes man; a loser. So, naturally, the players don’t respect him. Also, they exercised horrible scouting, with some discombobulated signings and loan decisions that were puzzling, while getting rid of players who were actually better than their replacements. You have administrators and the owner saying things “I will pack his bags myself” – “Winning is boring” – I’m the lion and they are the kittens” – and then you blame the players? No wonder why the players are chaotic and unmotivated, and they misbehave.
But I don’t like this approach at all. It blames the players.
Wasn’t the players that made those mistakes that cost Milan?
Who should we blame?
The coach? The fans?
The players are the ones that play. Of course they are the ones to blame.
Looking for scapegoats is what you are actually doing.
Oh its the coaches fault that professional players can’t clear a ball, or score a penalty, or score 1v1, is that his fault?
Only inter might have a better squad than Milan.
The coach has done enough for Milan to be 1st in the league. If the players execute their jobs Milan would be 1st in the league.
Oh and yes, “I will pack his bags myself”. Scaroni was absolutely right and he should pack that players bags and ship him out.
No it’s the coaches fault when we concede goals like the way we have been doing so easily.
It’s the coaches fault when players like musah come out to the press and say he doesn’t know what he is doing.
It’s the coaches fault when we get outplayed by teams we are better then.
It’s the coaches fault that he doesn’t have the character to control big name players.
It’s the coaches fault that the players that play for him don’t trust him as a coach because not only does he not have any level of pedigree but he also doesn’t have a good structure that wins games to show the players that he’s worth the sacrifice.
It’s the coaches fault when he asks for Emerson royal since he got the job and he turns out to be the biggest liability in the team.
It’s the coaches fault that he blames the players everytime he loses instead of looking at his own faults.
It’s the management’s fault this coach was even allowed through the doors of milan to begin with and it’s cheerleaders like you who’s fault it is that cardinale is still doing cardinale things and fronseca is still has a job.
Go cry somewhere else
Milan was conceding the same goals last season. It ain’t the coaches fault. It’s a different coach, same issues. The players are the only common denominator.
Musah played one game and him not knowing where to be it is his fault. He hasn’t played since, because he doesn’t know what he is supposed to do and where to be.
It’s the players fault they are outplayed, since most of the time they play at least a man down because one of them is not running.
Theo has been much bigger liability than Emerson. Even worse than Emerson.
Yes, tge coach should blame himself for players missing not 1 but 2 penalties in a game.
Management doesn’t play on the pitch, nor does the coach..the players do.
Continue with your crying.
The players are not without blame. They have their shortcomings too. But it’s much more the responsibility of the confusing management and the weak coach who is not respected and keeps throwing them under the bus. That’s what is mostly causing misbehaving among the players, and is damaging the unity and the motivation among the players.
Am I scapegoating Fonseca? Maybe I am. But maybe not: maybe he is indeed the goat that needs to be “scaped” (together with the people who hired him).
And regardless of how you feel about Leão, even if it were true that he needs to be sold, an administrator just CAN’T publicly declare what Scaroni declared, against his club’s own player. That’s just extremely bad form. If you can’t see that, you are a completely lost cause. I hope you can see it, if you think again about it.
Sure, you can have the opinion that Rafa needs to be sold, as a fan, and while I disagree, I can respect your opinion; you are a fan, not a club administrator. But you just can’t support an administration giving a public declaration like that. It’s completely inelegant and detrimental. That’s amateur hour.
BS article. As if other team’s players don’t make similar blunders. Doesn’t take away the obvious limitations of the coach. I’ve been staying away from criticizing Fonseca until now. When your team can’t play as a team or at least with an identity, would lead to more individual errors.
And our team isn’t that bad. You just have to see how some of the players that have left the team in the summer are doing away from our playing tactics and atmosphere. Guys like Okafor will do great elsewhere. Musah was wanted by Conte. Etc. management and the coach are to be blamed. Less so the players.
Fonseca is struggling to justify isolating Jovic. He’s playing Abraham non stop,hinting that there are no good alternatives but Abraham is not doing much that Okafor and Jovic can’t or weren’t doing. Jovic is getting blasted for each match he fails to score. I don’t care about Morata and Abraham running and fighting all game. A striker must score goals.
I’m not the biggest Jovic fan. I think we should not have renewed his contract, and should have kept Colombo instead. We can’t say that Jovic is not given opportunities. Well, he can’t get UCL opportunities because we ran out of spots for foreign players. And in Serie A, every time he was brought in, in the various such occasions, he did nothing. So, yes, Abraham has been extremely bad with his finishing, and made a huge mistake when he disobeyed the coach’s order for designated PK taker and brushed off Pulisic. But Jovic hasn’t done any better in terms of scoring. He had several scores last season as a super sub, but then, it seems like that good form disappeared and he hasn’t been scoring in a good while
Where I would support bringing in Jovic currently, would be to discipline Abraham for his PK-taking blunder. I’d give the message to Abraham: you’re a loan player and will be a bunch player if you disobey the coach, so Jovic is subbing in rather than you.
Jovic doesn’t dribble,run fast and such. Not exciting enough. This is what I believe many people find others as being better strikers than him. Some say he can’t play as a lone striker as well. But his scoring record for Milan is up there which is more important for a striker IMO. All these more beautiful moves on the pitch by Abraham counts for nothing other than merely exciting people. Of course I also believe that Abraham and the other players should be punished for the unprofessional act. But generally I would take Jovics typical contributions to what Abraham has shown so far.
Btw I was a big fan of Colombo. I’d have kept him. But Jovic is now here and should be treated fairly. He’s not the best striker but and generally I’d pick Morata and Abraham but when they are not scoring , give Jovic a chance. Don’t insist on the starters because you demanded their arrivals and don’t want to feel you were wrong. My problem is that no one in the team should be destined for favours or condemnation