Journalist Alberto Cerruti has highlighted in a column that AC Milan made mistakes in the summer transfer window compared to the Serie A leaders Napoli.
It was obvious that Milan needed to make some moves heading into the summer mercato as Franck Kessie and Alessio Romagnoli both left on free transfers upon the expiry of their contract, and in the end reinforcements came in each department.
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Malick Thiaw was signed for the role of centre-back with Sergino Dest coming from Barcelona on loan to cover for Alessandro Florenzi’s injury. Aster Vranckx, Yacine Adli and the returning Tommaso Pobega shored up the midfield, with Junior Messias signed permanently. Charles De Ketelaere and Divock Origi came to bolster the attack.
Cerruti published his usual weekly column for Calciomercato.com during which he questioned some of the decision making from Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara, including how much they actually addressed the issue of squad depth.
“Three fundamental premises in order of importance. The first: Milan can still qualify for the second round , even if they are in last place, level on points with Dinamo Zagreb who beat in the first leg but with a worse goal difference,” he began.
“The second: the referee seriously penalised the Rossoneri against Chelsea at San Siro, conditioning the whole game. The third: the Champions League is not Serie A, because it is no coincidence that the last success of one of our clubs remains that of Inter in 2010.
“Having said that, we must go beyond the result of Tuesday evening, because the second defeat in the a week’s tour against the British highlighted worrying limits in perspective, for the continuation of the journey in Europe and even more so in the league, given that Milan are aiming for the second star.
“It is true that Chelsea are still world champions in office and facing them outnumbered after just 18 minutes would have been difficult for everyone, but it is equally true that in 99′ the Rossoneri managed only one shot on target, at the end with Origi. In any case, too little, especially remembering the hard defeat of Stamford Bridge with just a shot on goal, without any excuse as Pioli honestly admitted.
“And then, thinking back to the initial formation of the other night, in which there was not even a new face compared to the season of the Scudetto, the suspicion grows more and more into a certainty that the last summer purchasing campaign did not offer Pioli alternatives, or better still reinforcements, up to the level of the previous starters.
“Let’s start with what everyone considers a great blow and that is the arrival of De Ketelaere, who cost 35 million. Never decisive so far and moreover injured, the Belgian midfielder may have paid for the settling process in a new league, but if so it is legitimate to ask why the same problem has not affected the Georgian Kvaratskhelia of Napoli, born 21 years ago only a month before him.
“Even more mysterious is the eternal parking lot of the French Adli, who has never been a starter in the league or even included in the UEFA Champions League squad list, like the latest arrivals Thiaw and Vranckx. Instead, American defender Dest played, but he disappointed in his debut at Stamford Bridge.
“Twenty minutes before him, in the second half on Tuesday night, Pobega came on, one of the few to be saved so far, however still a reserve in the hierarchy of Pioli, behind the owners Tonali and Bennacer.
“And then there is the other Belgian, the most famous of all, the striker Origi, but he came from Liverpool injured and never played a game from the start due to new physical problems. So the 36-year-old Giroud was forced to work overtime playing the eleventh consecutive game as a starter the other night. Too much to ask him to solve all the problems himself.
“Instead of clinging to Rebic, very good but still not a guarantee in his role, given that Ibrahimovic has more past than future, Maldini and Massara should have signed another striker, in perfect physical condition and with a sure performance, as a precious alternative to let Giroud catch his breath, pending the full recovery of Origi.
“So, instead, Pioli has to make do with what the convent of Milanello passes to him, while Spalletti not surprisingly looks down on everyone, in Italy and even in Europe, thanks to Kim, Raspadori, Simeone and above all Kvaratskhelia, reinforcements real and not simple alternatives. Because living on an income on what has been won, and with who has won it, is never enough.”
Well not only in buying department. Napoli did well in selling their player too. 38 mil for Koulibaly. 23 mil for Fabian Ruiz (who only had 1 year of contract left). Milan? Well, looks like we prefer to dwell with player and the agent instead of selling them.
Hope the new owner has better scheme of mercato.
He asked why CDK needs time to adapt to the new league, but Kvaratskhelia doesn’t?
It’s very simple. It’s for the exact same reason why players like Mbappe, Leao etc prefer to play on the wing and not more centrally.
It’s a lot easier to play on the wings than in the middle.
On the wings you are usually isolated 1v1 vs your defender. All you have to do is beat your man, with the ball or without it.
In the middle, be that as a n10 or n9 it’s way more nuanced. You have to be able to read the game, understand movement, not just yours but your teammates and your opponents, move between the lines, find open spaces. It’s more physical in the middle, you are usually surrounded by their 2 CB’s and the defensive midfielder .
For the rest of what he said it’s all about IF IFS AND BUTS WERE CANDY AND NUTS.
Milan and Maldini did what they could with the budget available.
Napoli sold their 2 best players, koulibaly and Fabian Ruiz to finance there transfers.
Milan sold no one.
Napoli with the bigger budget purchased more ready and established players, Milan got teenagers, and got them on the last day of the window.
Milan is only 3 points behind Napoli and still holds their UCL destiny in their own hands.
This journalist is acting like he is talking about Juventus season.
Let’s wait and see how season ends first before you give flowers to Napoli and crap on Milan
👆heey at least someone here has sense. Excellent points Poli. I would also say the same thing happened to Leao as it’s happening to CDK…. adjustment to a new surrounding. Napoli luckily beat us. We played much better. And I’m just waiting for Kvar to get injured or for Napoli on a whole to have an injury crisis to see exactly how they will.cope
Kvaratschelia had already been recommended by our former georgian player but they snub him, even though it only costs 10m and has quite good stats for player like him.
Because Milan already had Leao and Rebic when Kaladze recommended Kvarat. Milan can’t buy him unless they sell Leao or Rebic.
And sure Kvarat plays well. But we’ll see how he performs when Napoli running out of gas.
Agreed 🤝
Milan sold hauge didn’t they and few primavera players.
Well said. Also another problem which Weah9 is writing about. Pioli has to give the new players a chance. Do not wait until our players are injured. It has been 2 1/2 months into the league. It`s about time to test the new players. We can not loose players like Tonali and Bennacer to injury. The same goes for Tomori and Kalulu. There are enough injuries as it is
The only new players who didn’t get to play is Thiaw. The rest already played.
1. Origi: Milan signed him when he’s still injured from Liverpool, missed out pre-season training camp, got recovered, Pioli played him and he wasted a lot of chances, then he got long injuries again. Not Pioli fault Milan gave him a “broken” player.
2. CDK: Pioli played him as a starter for like 8-9 matches and he did quite well for a 21 years old player who came from Belgian league. The clear problem is HE STILL NEEDS TO ADAPT. People expecting as if CDK like Kaka but he’s different.
3. Adli: Pioli already played him a couple of times and he clearly still needs to adapt. The problem with Adli is he doesn’t fit in double pivot role but more as playmaker. Unfortunately Milan already have CDK, Diaz, and Krunic for AM.
4. Dest: Pioli already played him multiple times including as a starter against Napoli and Chelsea where he played bad and made blunders that cost us 3 points. Be honest with me, if you in Pioli shoes, who you wants to play as RB between Kalulu & Calabria who have good defense or Dest who have bad defense?
5. Vranckx: Pioli already played him a couple of times. He have potential for sure but again Bennacer, Tonali, and Pobega still at the top of the choices.
Lol this journalist sounds like Napoli fanboys.
Chúng ta cần xem xét khâu tuyển chọn và chiều sâu đội hình.
If Maldini brought in the same players that are playing so well for Napoli right now, Pioli will still not play them. He will still play Krunic.
Please the problem in not the players brought in, but rather Milan has a very rigid coach who refuses to play players. He will sit them for 6 months, then get rid of them…like he did Hauge, who was scoring goals back then when he played.
The problem is Pioli, not the players. Spalletti is using his players…giving them opportunities to showcase themselves, like a good coach should. Pioli is just in LOVE with Krunic.
My opinion too. Pioli is the only limiting factor for Milan.
He is very rigid in giving new players opportunity.
He did the same thing at Florentina and Lazio.
At times his team can go on 8, 9 or 10 match winning run before the only players fielded get burn out thereafter the loosing streak starts for his team
But Maldini didn’t buy the same players Napoli bought, so how are you going to criticize Pioli for Maldini’s shortcomings.
For 2,3 years everyone criticize Pioli for playing Saelemakers, Messias, Diaz. Who is he suppose to play. That’s the quality of players Maldini provided him with.
Thiaw , Vranckx, Adli, Dest are not same level players as Kvaratskhelia, Minjae Kim, Raspadori, Simeone, Oliveira.
The players Maldini gave Pioli are projects. Spalletti got ready made players.
Thiaw is a Bundesliga 2 player.
Adli is basically a 2nd French league player because he played on the worst team in French league.
Vranckx is only 19, cane on the last day of the Mercato
Dest was a reactionary signing after Florenzi injury
Origi was signed injured
CDK was the only player that was ready to play and he has played well.
Leave Pioli to work In peace.
You wanna be mad, go be mad at Maldini and Co
Thank you for speaking the truth. Do any of you think of Milan signed a top level player, Pioli would put them on the bench? Not withstanding these new guys need game time to adapt well to everything about how we play but pioli doesn’t see them inclined enough to play well, but still both Milan and pioli can do better
Agreed for the most part but you can’t be mad at Maldini since he works with a limited budget. No way in hell Maldini can buy multiple world class players with just €50 million budget.
“The problem is Pioli, not the players.”
This is such an IGNORANT claim.
You can talk like that IF Milan spent hundreds of million euros in transfer market and give world class players like Haland, Mbappe, Ronaldo, etc to Pioli but he can’t bring a single trophy for Milan.
But what he got are mostly young-inexperienced players like Kalulu, Leao, Alexis, Theo, Leao, Tonali, Bennacer, Calabria, etc + a bunch of old man like Ibra, Kjaer, Messias, Florenzi, Tatarusanu, Mirante who pretty much at the end of their career. I doubt Ancelotti, Spaletti, or Mourinho can win a scudetto with those players!
And playing Krunic last season brings scudetto for Milan. Krunic gave assist to Theo solo run goal against Atalanta, steal a ball and made key pass to Leao who then gave assist to Kessie goal against Sassuolo, and more contributions that clueless fans like you didn’t want to admit because he doesn’t wear expensives price tag in his back.
I would agree with one point raised by Mr cerruti why milan can’t sell their players like napoli because our management relies on players heart and soul but napoli act like shrewd businessmen…..relying on heart and soul made us cost valuable pieces who would have added something to invest in transfer market when we know our budget is limited…..rest is all crap..i guess he has some vendetta against milan lol
We could have signed atleast dybala for striker role. I knew origi wouldn’t do well will ac milan
Milan’s transfer was good…. I have no doubt that CDK ,Adli , Thiaw and Vrankx will do well with time.. we are in no hurry!
Napoli is within our reach and we played better than them by far…