Just watching AC Milan is enough to show how important Tijjani Reijnders is to the system in terms of his ball carrying and creativity, but the numbers back it up too.
Even in a complicated away match like the one on Friday in Florence against Fiorentina, Reijnders managed to show his full repertoire by providing the assist to Rafael Leao for the goal that allowed Milan to return to winning ways at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.
The more that the games pass, the more the Dutchman lives up to expectations, also because the data from Kickest (in Serie A, via MilanNews) show he is third in the squad for completed passes, behind only Theo Hernandez and Fikayo Tomori.
Considering the area of the pitch in which the former AZ Alkmaar man plays, the 1173 successful passes acquire a different value than those of his team-mates
Ranking for completed passes:
1. Theo Hernandez: 1290 successful passes
2. Fikayo Tomori: 1212 successful passes
3. Tijjani Reijnders: 1173 successful passes
4. Davide Calabria: 944 successful passes
5. Malick Thiaw: 862 successful passes
6. Mike Maignan: 804 successful passes
7. Yacine Adli: 784 successful passes
8. Simon Kjaer: 666 successful passes
9. Alessandro Florenzi: 661 successful passes
10. Christian Pulisic: 605 successful passes
When moving the discussion to key passes the stats are perhaps even more revealing. The Rossoneri’s No.14 is in fact second on the list with 42 key passes so far this season, behind only Rafael Leao who has five more. Again, the positions they both play must be taken into account.
Ranking for key passes:
1. Rafael Leao: 47 key passes
2. Tijjani Reijnders: 42 key passes
3. Theo Hernandez: 38 key passes
4. Christian Pulisic: 33 key passes
5. Olivier Giroud: 30 key passes
6. Alessandro Florenzi: 27 key passes
7. Rubén Loftus-Cheek: 22 key passes
8. Filippo Terracciano (part of season with Verona): 18 key passes
9. Yacine Adli: 12 key passes
10. Ismael Bennacer: 11 key passes
Moreover, Reijnders is top five in the squad when it comes to Big Chances Created (5th, with 3), Passing Accuracy (2nd, 91.71%) and Assists (joint-4th, 3). He is also doing his bit for his country too.
Even though I love what Pulisic, RLC, even Jovic, Okafor and Musah, have done for Milan since coming over, Reijnders is my favorite signing from the summer.
Also should be taken into consideration that he has been played out of position most of the season. He was played as a regista even though he is a box2box midfielder. Vs Fiorentina he was played in his best position and we saw how great he can be.
Expect him to be even better next season and follow the footsteps of Koopmeiners.
Koop in his 1st season in Atalanta had 4g and 4a. The next season he was at 10g,4a. So far this season he has 13g, 4a in all competitions.
Reijnders so far has 3g, 4a , playing further back in the midfield.
Great signing.
I hope he plays in RLC ‘s position next game , I think he would give another dimension to our game over time, no disrespect to Loftus who is scoring regularly and playing well.
Reijnders is perpetual motion , a joy to watch.
Bennacer & Musah behind him with Adli coming on in the second half.
Hope we keep this form up to the end of the season.
Would make sense to put Puli at 10. Chuk on the RT. Reijnders doesn’t strike me as a 10.
I think Puli as a 10 with Chuk & Leao would give unprecedented speed and unpredictability which would be very thrilling but it’s also way too attacking unless Pulisic is a false 9 . That way you can have 3 midfielders behind the forward line to give more balance.
Reijnders as a 10 I thought would be able to focus on his ability to construct play with his passing and opening of space and still be able to contribute in man marking.
How is that different from the 5-0-5 we normally play? Hahaha
Yes , very true!
He start his career as AMC tho, AM LC in FM 2019.
Atalanta are priming Koopmeiners for a sale. Previous years he played a lot more CM and DM, while this year he’s playing almost exclusively as AM. Also he now takes the penalties and free kicks which helps boost his scoring and assists.
I like what Reijnders is doing and how he’s growing but I doubt we’ll play him regularly as AM next year.
He doesn’t need to play as AM, as long he isn’t asked to play as a DM or regista
He’s definitely not a DM.
Reijnders is a rockstar! Easily my favorite signing of the summer. He will only get better too. I love watching him on the ball.
💯
Reijnders is our best midfielder he needs dm or destroyer next to him for sure he will shine
Said too many times before – we need a DM so that Reijnders and co. can cook like they’re suppose to.
Ted i respect you you understand football well
Twinkle toes! Man makes it look very easy at times.
I can bet my house that he will keep the ball in the most complicated of spaces.
Do you think we should invest in someone similar to him? In case he gets injured?
Adli, too slow, Benny, mostly injured, maybe Musah? He has shown ball carrying ability, but sometimes he just needs to stitch it up in the end.
I’m really liking how our team is shaping up honestly. I’m sure we’ve all thought that before just after the Scudetto where we looked prime to takeoff, but I feel we still have a chance with this squad that’s been assembled to really take off, if we don’t lose crucial players, and add what’s necessary.
Our spine is still solid as hell! We just need sprinkles and I believe we can challenge for the next 4 years or so.
Forza Milan
Reinjders is a good passer of the ball but lacks defensive abilities. He’s played out of position so while he’s ok/passes currently in the pivot his traits are better suited up the pitch ofc or in a mezzala role which he was originally bought for. Him, Theo and Tomori have the best +/- being on the pitch and it’s shows.
These stats are interesting, imo it shows how much Adli is criminally underrated. It’s eye catching to see him up there making more successful passes than some defenders (we play out at the back so the likelihood of successful passes are higher) and more successful than Puli who starts way more games. His per 90 for successful passes are waaaaay above everyone else except Fik. Progressive yards similar too.
Successful passes are less of an indicator for creativity though because then fan favorite Krunic would be up there among the top lol and it would mean Fik and Thiaw are creators and we know they’re not. But Reijnders still has the next best set of stats after Leao for goal and shot creation, he just happens to also have good passing. It’s surprising Puli is not as high and I feel it’s because he’s benefitting from the work by these two players. It shows in his g/a