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.
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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.
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.”
