Some promising signs may have been shown against Celtic and Inter, but yesterday’s friendly against Chelsea certainly confirmed the status of AC Milan.
After failing to register a single shot on target, Milan were deservedly beaten by Xabi Alonso’s side, who found the back of the net three times. Truth be told, the scoreline could have been even worse for the Rossoneri, given how the game progressed.
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Today’s edition of Tuttosport (via MilanNews) labelled the Rossoneri a “work in progress”, which definitely feels like a fair assessment. It’s just a bit worrying that this is the case with two weeks left until the start of the season.
Limitations are evident
Amorim made it clear after the game that he hasn’t lost faith in his team, convinced that they will be ready for the Torino clash. However, if anything emerged from the game, it’s that the Rossoneri need to make some moves on the mercato to get there.
Both incomings and departures need to be looked at, especially the latter as there are simply too many players in the squad right now. Leao, Tomori, Fofana, Ricci, Estupinan, Gimenez, Athekame, Odogu, perhaps even Loftus and Musah… Will they be able to sell them in three weeks?
The fact is that all three friendlies highlighted the limitations of Amorum’s squad. The Portuguese coach wants a possession-based game, a pressing team, and players who seek verticality. Yesterday, none of this was seen, not even remotely.
The feeling is that many players in the squad aren’t suited to this system. As such, selling is necessary, just as it is necessary to bring in some reinforcements. Unfortunately, Amorim’s evaluation phase has perhaps lasted a bit too long, and in 14 days the season begins against Torino. Time is running out.
Most will be loaned out in the end, with option to buy and then the ones you’d want to come back will not and the ones you don’t want will. That is how loans with option work usually.
And Amorim needs about 5-7 new players for his system and to get rid of 15 players. So that won’t happen this season. Will it ever happen? If he gets lucky this season and doesn’t fail miserably he might get the chance next summer.
Spot on. This is the pattern. This isn’t football anymore.
“Leao, Tomori, Fofana, Ricci, Estupinan, Gimenez, Athekame, Odogu, perhaps even Loftus and Musah.” Perhaps even them?
If anything, they should be one of the first players to go! F**k
their versatility, just send them as far as possible from us now.
He doesn’t need a Mercato boost, there isn’t one or two players who miraculously transform this. He needs to make the most with the squad he has. That won’t win a Scudetto. It can get some decent results and put us in top 4 contention.
He can’t. He has 1 tactic. And no players to play it.
And that’s going to be a sporting failure of the club. Because we’re not going to buy another five players between now and the end of the window.
Yes, they failed when we saw the “new structure” of Milan. It was evident those people can’t do it.
1 tactic kinda manager? Oh you gotta love his versatility 🙄
When Kakà joined AC Milan, Ancelotti deployed him in a classic 4-4-2 formation. Having realised that didn’t truly suit his style, Ancelotti then changed it to the diamond one, putting him behind the 2 strikers where he had the freedom to just burst forward a lot more, and as they say, the rest is history.
Does Amorim have the ability and capability as well as perhaps the vision to do something like that? Hard to say at this point; and even though this is still early stages, hard to see.
One thing for certain is that there won’t be a 2nd star on the jersey at the end of the season.
possession-based tactic w/ error-prone & injury-prone players? w/ wing-backs who can’t defend nor attack?