AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli is looking at the various ways of unlocking Charles De Ketelaere and a situation has presented itself to him.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (via MilanNews) write that after a disappointing first part of the season with Milan and a World Cup in which he played just 15 minutes, De Ketelaere has a great desire for redemption and is aiming for 2023 where he is a protagonist.
Pioli will help him in every way to get back into the form seen at Club Brugge, perhaps even slightly changing his position on the pitch and moving him closer to the opponent’s goal. This could happen in the first games of the new year, in which the Rossoneri will have to do without Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Divock Origi.
The only centre-forward available will be Olivier Giroud, who is 36 and after a very tiring World Cup cannot play every game otherwise he too runs the risk of not being as effective or even worse picking up an injury himself.
Thus. the idea arose of seeing De Ketelaere as a false nine, with Pioli responding to the idea in an interview he did yesterday.
“Yes, it’s possible even in the next few games, thinking about the types of opponents we’ll meet. We’ll meet many teams with a five-man defence, not giving references could be the solution and he has these qualities,” he said.
The hope of the entire Rossoneri environment is that – by playing closer to the box – the Belgian will finally be able to find his first goal against Milan and unlock himself. However, changing only the position cannot be enough, De Ketelaere also needs a different attitude and must asset himself on the field.
As I have said from the very beginning. Put CdK out on the right dammit, where he will find more space. To put him up front will only hamper his chances of building some sorely needed self-esteem.
I don’t think CDKs issues are the same as Diaz. CDK seems slow are reading the game. He’s not getting knocked off every ball like Diaz. Clearly a lack of confidence and understanding of the tactics. Moving him out wide won’t fix those issues, coaching and practice will. I think moving him to a new position with entirely different movements would not be helpful. However as a false nine he can play more in his comfort zone.