Journalist Andrea Longoni has heavily criticised AC Milan for how they performed against Cagliari last night after the Champions League win over Real Madrid.
The deserved 3-1 win over Los Blancos in midweek had many hoping that this Milan side had turned a corner, but it proved to be a false dawn as they dropped more points in the league by drawing to struggling Cagliari.
Fonseca made the decision to use a five-man defence against Real and it proved to be a beneficial switch in terms of balance. However, there were question marks regarding whether the same precautions were needed against a struggling Cagliari side.
In the end, the defence underperformed yet again and allowed three goals against a side who had only scored nine in 11 Serie A matches heading into the game.
Longoni published his weekly column for MilanNews in which he reflected on another difficult evening for the team in the league after such a memorable night in Madrid. The piece is titled: ‘Embarrassing Metamorphosis. Horror defence. Stubborn Fonseca.
“The metamorphosis from Madrid to Cagliari is incredible, but unfortunately it is a film already seen this season. The approach to the match was unacceptable, as was the general management of the game in terms of concentration,” he began.
“You cannot concede 3 goals against Cagliari. Or maybe we should say that you cannot take three goals EVEN against Cagliari: yes, because it has now become a sad constant in this season, that of conceding goals and chances in bursts to any opponent.
“Fonseca, we have been saying it since August, must focus on the defensive phase: yesterday, among other things, he should have fielded an extra midfielder, by now even the stones of Milanello have understood this. And in the post-match explanations he cannot consider Pulisic as a midfielder.
“Madrid should have taught that this team needs more balance, which only one more midfielder can guarantee. Because if Milan didn’t win yesterday, it wasn’t because they conceded too many goals and not because they didn’t score.
“The 3 points yesterday would have allowed them to sort out the standings a bit and today to close the gap on at least one between Napoli and Inter: and instead the reality is that even fourth place is far away.
“The series of errors at the back is inexplicable at certain levels. Emerson Royal, after the Madrid exception, returned not up to par, the two central defenders disoriented, Theo evidently lazy (as often happens to him before leaving with his national team), as well as irritating. Bad, very bad.
“In the centre why not propose Tomori who had done very well on Tuesday and guarantees a better matched pair? It must be said, then, that the choice to launch Camarda from the first minute was courageous, but not exactly spot on. Hoping that Fonseca has not been taken by ‘phenomena’.
“It’s a shame not to have taken full advantage of Rafa Leao’s splendid brace. No, the Portuguese with the number 10 on his back was not Milan’s problem. In this regard, on the occasion of Cagliari’s third goal, in addition to Theo Hernandez’s sleep, it is worth mentioning that Okafor was absent during the fallback phase. Okafor, not Leao…”
Media should be more honest about Fonseca being a horrible coach. They massacred Pioli for mush less, the guy lead us to second place last year, routinely mind you. A position that right now looks like an utopia. They made fun of Pioli’s “5-0-5”, but what has to Portugese Giampaolo changed? He is probably the most clueless manager in terms of defending we’ve ever had. He considers Pulisic and sometimes even Morata midfielders, he constantly changes the CB partnership at seemingly random rotation, he fails to convince the fullbacks they need to be more attentive for diagonal crosses, he fails to bring more of the wingers’ defensive requirements (Okafor could’ve done better in that last goal situation) and to top it all of, he seems to blame the players in these post-match statements, as if his job is to just drink coffee and watch them train however they like. A coach truly in line with the clown show of our ridiculous management that seemed to doze off when they were shown last night.
“Portuguese Giampaolo” ,that was a good one 😂
As long as these Americans are in charge on Milan,we will be lucky to qualify for the europa league , you hire a coach that failed at roma to somehow take Milan to the title?doesn’t make much sense to me
Portugese Giampaolo 😂😂
Where are the folks that called leak lazy and praise the coach? Luigi why are you quiet on this.
I lost it the day I heard Portuguese Giampaolo says Leao and Rlc plus misah are the same level of players. I agreed we running a circus show in Milan
He really sad that? 🤣🤣 He needs to be fired because he clearly doesn’t get it.
Yes, he did, and I said that it was a ridiculous thing to say.
All the posters who said Leão should be sold and Okafor is better than him, should be as ashamed as Fonseca.
To be fair I think what he was trying say was that all players are equally important (he should have just literally said that though). Ofc this is very well knowing that’s not true but yea he needs better PR people
Am I quiet? I posted dozens and dozens of large paragraphs about this, yesterday in the Pagelle thread. I don’t feel like repeating it all right now, after every little article.
I said it before, the coach need to settle on his first 11 and just tweak where necessary or in cases of injuries and suspensions. This wholesale experiments are not taking us forward. There is no chemistry in our back 4 because the team changes weekly…not good for continuity.
@Forza AC. I agree but the coach also needs to settle on the formation and style of play. This Milan team is built for counter attacking football not high press possession base football.
Yes, Sarri would do wonders with this team…
With a 4-3-3 with Pulisic on the right another midfielder could be fielded without sacrificing either having a player to the right or centrally because Pulisic is able to do both as seen against Real. Chukwueze is a meaningless player. His lack of defence is hurting us. To have 8 crosses coming in from that side is just horrible. Put another midfielder in on the side of Reijnders and Fofana who can balance the team.