paolo maldini

CM: Maldini has performed U-turn from May – now the parameters are important

Paolo Maldini seems to have changed his stance from immediately after the Scudetto win and is now happy to accept the parameters imposed.

Calciomercato.com recall how Maldini said back on May 27 that Milan need ‘2 or 3 big signings to also compete in the Champions League’, whereas after last night’s 4-0 defeat against Lazio he declared that ‘the team is respecting its parameters’.

After lifting the trophy as champions of Italy last season, Milan are 12 points below leaders Napoli and are now one point above Roma in fifth place. They have already missed out on two of four season targets (Coppa Italia and Supercoppa), and the other two (Scudetto and Champions League) seem out of reach.

However, Maldini chose to emphasise that the parameters are what count and that simply finishing in the top four represents being on course, despite it being a regression from last season.

The report adds that the team that won the Scudetto has not been strengthened. Kessiè and Romagnoli were not replaced, Giroud doesn’t have a reliable deputy, and there are other gaps in the squad too.

With a few days left to reinforce the squad, Maldini seems to have decided to bet on Zaniolo, who was a target in the summer. He doesn’t seem particularly optimistic as the the deal will only be done if Roma have to get rid of him.

Pioli meanwhile has not been helped by injuries and having Maignan fully fit would have given Milan a few more points, but it is clear that the problem is not Tatarusanu. In the meantime, Maldini has signed Club Guaranì’s back-up goalkeeper for the future (despite the fact he is 24) and there are many questioning why.

Milan have many injured players, do not seem to be in a good condition, are plagued by tactical confusion and they were given a lesson by Inter that Pioli chose not to learn from against Lazio. Instead of opting for cover, he continued with two midfielders and the team were overrun.

Tags AC Milan Paolo Maldini

23 Comments

  1. The squad beyond the starting XI is poor and made up of average at best players. We have three world class players in Maignan, Theo and Leao, I think Tomori, Bennacer and Tonali are nearly at that level. Giroud is still world clas but can give the games anymore. The back 5 and two pivots are great, another CB would be good to push Kalulu to RB or a better RB, it’s the creative options that are poor.

    If we want to compete we need to spend big on a ready now CAM, RW and striker…

    1. Well said Drew, I agree with you on all main issues except for me Bennacer is world class and Leao is almost there( he is still raw and one -dimensional).. it’s also worth noting that Pioli ,knowing he has only Tonali & Benna in midfield, never blooded Vranckx or Pobega in the tandem with regularity when this is a necessity until someone is purchased. Who knows what awaits us next game without Ismael.

    2. Amazing that the “great” back 5 and two pivots have managed to give up 18 goals in the past 6 games. Please, tell me more about how it’s only the attack that needs upgrading.

  2. You are saying the problem isn’t tatrusana but he is the biggest problem of this team 4 shots on target 4:0 kkkk and steal he isn’t the problem

    1. Agreed. One can argue that the rest of the players don’t trust him to make a stop and that has affected their performances accordingly. To me, that has been a massive problem and I cannot understand how bad the other options have to be in training sessions for Pioli not to make a change there.

  3. It’s easy to blame Tatarusanu, he is the low hanging fruit .
    He is not a good GK, but the issue is much worse in our midfield and defensive line.
    Outside of Lazio’s 2nd goal, Tata couldn’t do much on the other goals, and even on that goal Dest got beat like a drum. But is it his fault that he is forced to play out of position because Maldini can’t sign a proper LB for 4 years straight.
    Is it Tatas fault Tonali lost SMS on the 1st goal?
    Is it Tatas fault Pedro was 5 feet from the goal unmarked on the 3rd?
    Is it Tatas fault that Kjaer passed the ball to the wrong team that led to penalty on the 4th goal?
    Milan won over the last 3 years because they played as a team and they are not a team anymore.
    Defense looks lost, midfielder get outrun every game and can’t pass to save their lives, our wingers Leao & Messias when they get the ball have ZERO intentions of passing it.
    Change is needed

    1. Tata should have saved the 1st and 2nd goals. For sure. Before the penalty he should have come out of the box and kick the ball away but instead decided to stay on goal line and wait.

    2. The midfield and defence has been playing poor, no doubt about it. From what I can observe, this has changed since Maignan’s injury. Reading their body language, they don’t seem to have the same trust in Tatarasanu (both making a stop and distributing the ball) and it is affecting their performances. Not saying a goalkeeper change will rectify their poor form but at this point, it cannot hurt. Tatarasanu is simply not Serie A level.

  4. BroughtTatarusanu and Mirante. You mean we couldnt get one better GK? Lookimg at these two could the youth Golies be worse?
    Made permanent Florenzi and got Dest on top while we had Kalulu and even Saele who can play RB. We couldn get one youth RB to cover till Calabria recovers?
    Then we still have Balo and Bakayoko around.
    Permanently sign Messias and spend a huge chunk of an already petty transfer budget and time on CDK, a player i said from the beginning we absolutely did not need. (Now that hes here i hope he turns up good eventually).
    Then got an injured striker, with a proven striker in the league who was yerning to join availaible. i like origi, get both he and belotti if you could, but at that particular moment if its a choice, then…

    Now all this waste yet you talk about working within parameters? I mean there have been some excellent acquisitions, but considering the financial situation, the awful business stinks bad.

    1. Well.lets we here:
      No, youth players are not at Serie A level. Frustration at the current goalie doesn’t make youth goalies somehow better. They’re not faster or better believe it or not.
      We signed Dest because both Calabria and Flroenzi got injured and only had a couple days on the transfer window. Kalulu couldn’t play RB because Kjaer got injured and he had to play CB. Balo is currently injured at LB. But I’ll take the point that Salad could have played RB
      The development of players is problematic though

  5. Wake up people,all football and sport is just a scam,sad theather for the fools…It seems to be last season for Ibrahimovic and maybe will be a coach very soon so all this “crisis” is just a staged downhill to make his retourn more emphatic than it can actually be.He will come back with all the rest and will win this season or the next one ch league being showed up as the big hero of Milan and all humanity.Pretty much like Messi’s case at the world cup.Wake up!

  6. The problem is Pioli, yes Pioli, he is atrocious at team management, get you a coach that knows when and how to play certain players in certain positions, a coach that knows his players strengths and weaknesses, a coach that is flexible with formations and rotations and thus team will make top 3 every year, we have the players to do it.

  7. How can anyone say Giroud underperformed..
    The service to him no existent..Rafael leao was very poor ,he could not get passed his last man ,let alone deliver in any crosses for Olivier. Salamakers at least when he came on did try to deliver the ball in the penalty area ,albeit not often enough..
    Our problem is complete lack of confidence..Tonali normally so reliable cost us big time by not tracking back when he should .Calibria had his worst game in a Milan jersey ..Maignan is a must ,we must have him back soon as I believe The defenders feel more secure when he commands the goal .The midfield need to create some real chances .We have to win a match soon,if we do perhaps confidence will return .

  8. That’s what happens when you get a raise and double your salary lol….you become a company man. If he wants to keep his job you tow the company line. Everyone does it

  9. Juro and Kay,you two for sure should know the best than him.I mean Paolo is just a football legend in general not only a Milan’s icon that lifted any title that a man could lift for his club and made possible winning a title from scratces,but you two,I mean you two are the real deal not just a bunch of losers.Please you two do not ever even think about procreating you we have enough you 2 to support.Please do not identify yourself as a Milan fan,we dont need this kind of trash!

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