Arrigo Sacchi has taken aim at AC Milan after their poor start to the season, but he believes that the club need to give Paulo Fonseca time to get his methods across.
Milan were involved in an entertaining encounter on Saturday night as they took the lead then came from behind to draw 2-2 against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico, and yet the overall feeling is not positive because the winless start continues.
A saga has developed because of what happened during the cooling break that followed the Rossoneri’s second goal with suggestions of a split dressing room and an already flailing confidence in the coach on the part of some senior players.
However, both Theo and Fonseca poured cold water on things after the game and the club are keen to stress that there are no deeper issues, even if the media headlines continue to pedal the narrative of a rift.
Sacchi spoke in his weekly column for La Gazzetta dello Sport and he highlighted the contrast between what Milan and their city rivals Inter showed over the weekend.
“The third round of the season said something important: Inter are doing very well. Not only because they won 4-0 against Atalanta, but because they showed excellent manoeuvres in possession of the ball,” he said.
“Simone Inzaghi’s boys still need to improve when they are in the defensive phase: they drop too deep, they don’t press and in this way they bring the opponents to the edge of the area.
“It can be a dangerous choice, especially when you are facing teams that have great champions capable of resolving the match with a simple play.
“In my opinion, however, the Nerazzurri, when they were in control of the action, deserved a 10 in the report card. If they add a bit of pressing to this quality, I think they can reach one hundred percent of their potential.
“Atalanta, beyond the four goals conceded, seemed to me to be a team penalised by injuries and transfer operations. Gasperini is a master and I am sure he will be able to right the ship and take it far.
“Juve, against Roma, was less brilliant than in previous performances. I believe that both the Bianconeri and the Giallorossi were a bit afraid of each other. That’s normal, especially at this point in the season.
“I have a lot of respect for Thiago Motta and De Rossi and I am sure they will do a great job. They have ideas and courage, and at times we saw that last night too. I repeat: respect and fear were brakes for both. The proof is that the teams were very little unbalanced and almost never shot on goal.
“Milan at the Olimpico provided a two-faced performance. Let me explain: in the first half I saw a more compact team than in previous games and, even if some players are not yet in condition, they managed to play with a decent pace.
“In the second half, however, Milan fell apart, there were no longer the right distances between the departments, everyone went their own way around the pitch, and that’s not good. So, improvements in the first half and the usual flaws in the second.
“Where the truth lies we will only find out with the next tests. I don’t think it’s right to blame Fonseca: let’s let him work in peace and then we will be able to formulate a more balanced judgment. If the managers chose him, they must have had their good reasons.
“You can’t fail a professional after three games: it’s unfair and, above all, not very correct. It takes time to build a house, brick by brick. Mistakes can be made, corrections are made and at the end of the work, conclusions are drawn.
“The case involving Theo Hernandez and Leao has caused quite a stir. I don’t know the dynamics within the group and I don’t allow myself to judge. I will say, however, that the coach’s choices, even when they are considered wrong, must always be respected by the players.
“Fonseca is there to give a soul and a game to the team, if he left out Theo and Leao he must have thought about it a lot: coaches don’t fill out formations randomly.
“As for Leao, I’ll say this: he’s a boy who has great qualities, but he doesn’t always manage to show them off. He has to work hard to make that leap in quality that everyone expects from him.”