With Alvaro Morata injured, Paulo Fonseca faces his first difficult matchday decision for AC Milan – deciding who will lead the line, and currently, there are three leading options.
It is rather typical that the first signing of the Fonseca era has already become a victim of the Milan injury curse. However, the Rossoneri cannot afford to ponder over the injury and decisions must be made quickly about this weekend’s fixture.
Regardless of whether Morata was leading the line against Parma, there is a clear focus on improving after last weekend’s poor result against Torino, and Fonseca is in the process of deciding who will lead the squad in the Spaniard’s absence.
As Tuttosport (via Milan News) reports, three ideas are being analysed, and those are Luka Jovic, Noah Okafor and Rafael Leao.
Jovic is seen as the ‘natural replacement’, but he did not have the best season opener, at least compared to Okafor who rescued the result for the Rossoneri late on – would it be done at any other time with the Swissman?
However, choosing Okafor for the starting role could have a negative effect on the Serbian striker, and it would be, effectively ‘flunking’ the striker within two games.
An idea that is on the rise in Fonseca’s mind is Leao leading the line, as a false nine. The Portuguese star can be a threat centrally, and it would mean Okafor starting on the left. Finally, Camarda could be given the chance to feature, but whether it is the right time for him to make such an impact is unknown.
Just put Origi and be happy 🤣
Pulisic Leão chukwueze
Tijji Fofana R.L.C
Theo Pavlo Fik Royal
We know!!
Jovic should start again. He didn’t have a good game because he didn’t get any service.
Okafor scoring vs Torino off the bench doesn’t mean that he should start. He scored while playing alongside Morata, not as the solo striker, and Milan was throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Torino. No different than Jovic coming off the bench on many occasions last season, playing alongside Giroud and scoring, while Milan was playing desperate football by packing the penalty box and sending crosses.
Jovic is better suited to play as the striker because he can actually play with his back to the goal and hold up the play. Okafor wants to play facing the goal and going 1v1, no different than Leao, Pulisic or Chuk.
But if you pass the ball through the defence to Okafor you can be sure he will catch it ,but jovic probably won’t ,you can just see his fat ass chanting “wait for me Luka”
You already have Leao, Pulisic or Chukwueze for catching thru balls. Milan needs something different than that at the striker position. Jovic can actually send those thru balls to Leao, Pulisic or Chuk, because of his hold up play.
A striker needs service. Jovic did his job, he just didn’t get passes because Leao, Chuk and Pulisic were going 1v1, with no intentions of passing the ball.
Ummm no he didn’t.
He’s not a number 9 – he’s a support striker is a 2-striker line up. Problem is that is not the system we play. But we got him for nothing which is why he’s in the team to begin with. Nobody wanted this guy. But of course because he was free we gladly took him even tho he’s playing out of position like so many other players we signed just because they were bargains.
Good times
Never said that he is a n9. From the players available, he is the closest to resembling a n9 on the team. That’s why some of us were and still calling for Milan to sign another striker, like Tammy Abraham for example.
Jovic being the last resort signing last summer, after management missed on 3,4,5 different strikers IS no news to anyone. The article is about who should play at striker while Morata is out vs Parma.
Strikers depend on service. He got none vs Torino.
Everything aside, perfect time to swoop for Santiago Gimenez….would be perfect for Milan, €35m would do it…& Vos for €12m
Kalulu gone, Adli, Pobega, Origi, Fodo BT and Terracciano out
Fonseca would then have a compact talented squad which could challenge in Seria A and Europe.
The management need to step up and prove their worth by getting rid of the dead wood, it can’t all be down to Fonseca, everyone needs to do their bit
Here’s a crazy idea (I posted it in another article):
4-3-1-2
———-Leao —- Chukwueze——-
—————– Pulisic——————-
Reijnders—Fofana—RLC/Bennacer
Theo–Pavlovic—Tomori— Royal/Calabria
That’s actually not a bad ideal ..giga
That was the system of salzburg in which okafor played as ST in about 80+ matches (your chukwueze position)
This is👌
Alternatively, put Leao on the right and okafor left. It also creates opportunity to switch to 433 with Okafor Leao Pulisic or Leao Okafor Pulisic if necessary. Considering the latter two are on the table as options, it beats logic to bench Okafor who slots in either at 11 or 9. Based on what we’ve seen though, no surprise if Salamaekers starts in the 9 😂🙆🏾
That formation and lineup , that becomes a 4-3-3 with Pulisic as a false nine is what I thought Fonseca should be playing !….however when Morata returns Puli takes Chuks place .
Strong defence, three man midfield to protect the back four and balance restored.
Play a 3-4-1-2 buddy
Think it doesn’t matter..jovic starts breaks the def a bit down, okafor comes on and scores. Okafor starts breaks the def a bit down, jovic comes on and scores..
leao on st is pointless unless all our “main” st players are injured. And even then I’d sooner false 9 pulisic there than play leao.
In theory he should be able to play ST but leao just isn’t reliable like that.. no grinta in that boy
why is everyone forget that our best CB last season is Gabbia, many of u put Tomori & Pavlo as main CB, they are fast &/ strong but in serieA we need smart CB who can read the game well then anticipation, Gabbia is best in that think from what we have
That is not a difficult decision; it shouldn’t be, in case Fonseca had done his homework and had studied film from Milan’s last season (the problem is that I believe Fonseca hasn’t studied film at all, since he seems to be clueless regarding what has worked and what hasn’t in Milan’s previous season):
1. Rafa absolutely does NOT work as center forward. It’s been tried by Milan and by the Portuguese national team, with disastrous results. Rafa needs space to run and beat his marker. He is an excellent winger (needs to improve his finishing, though) but he is NOT a striker.
2. Jovic does NOT work as a starting lone center forward. He is fine for a 2-striker configuration, coming late. It’s not an issue of no service. Even with plenty of service, Jovic has NEVER done well in this situation.
3. Okafor used to be a striker before Pioli pigeon-holed him as a left winger. Okafor of these three is the most talented one in terms of playing as a striker, and the most experienced in that position.
4. Camarda is still too young to start in an official Serie A match. Don’t ruin the young guy.
It’s a no-brainer for anybody who has watched Milan every game of the last season.
Just start Okafor, Fonseca! Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Pay attention to what has already been tried and never worked; don’t repeat the same mistakes. You’ve already produced a stupid lineup for the Torino game resulting in dropped points; don’t produce another stupid lineup against Parma!!!
I wholeheartedly agree with everything stated here.
Also, dropping Jovic and starting Okafor doesn’t mean that we’re flunking him. With a proper man-management, this should be used as catalyst for Jovic to improve his game, and goes to show that a good performance is rewarded, i.e. Okafor’s. With any luck, the next time Jovic comes in for the last 10, 15, 20minutes, you hope to see him busted his ass to win the spot back before Morata recovers. And this would also send statements to the remainder of the squad that being in the first 11 is not a guarantee and they will be judged accordingly.
Exactly! I forgot to address this part, and you did it perfectly. To claim that a professional footballer will be destroyed if he doesn’t start, is to grossly underestimate him. It’s disrespectful. Jovic is a grown-up, he can handle not starting, and like you said, competition is often good for getting a player motivated to do better.