Roma have not had a positive season so far, but Claudio Ranieri is at the helm and he is starting to get the best out of some players, including Alexis Saelemaekers.
Calciomercato.com speak of a ‘renewed’ Saelemaekers, who has been deployed as a right wing-back in the 3-4-2-1 system used by Ranieri. He completely covered his flank, showing himself to be very useful in defensive coverage but also dangerous going forward.
From the heat map, you can see how the Belgian literally played on the entire wing with 84% pass. completion plus the merit of having been involved in three of Roma’s five goals. He scored a right-footed shot from a cross, had an attempt that rebounded to Paulo Dybala and then won a penalty.
Saelemaekers joined Roma on a dry loan from Milan and has only played 10 games this season (one of which was for the Rossoneri, playing multiple positions in the same game), mostly due to an ankle injury that kept him out from mid-September until early December.
Once he returned he has become the ace up Ranieri’s sleeve and has now also grabbed a starting spot. A question arises: couldn’t Saelemaekers have been useful to Milan? A team that are struggling this season, especially on the right side?
Samuel Chukwueze is struggling for form, Christian Pulisic is currently injured and has been used more centrally, while Davide Calabria and Emerson Royal at full-back have not given the necessary defensive guarantees.
Before he went to the Giallorossi, Milan included a renewal option in his deal until 2027. To return to Roma, a new agreement between the two clubs will be needed in the coming months. However, the directors will want to evaluate if bringing him back and keeping him might be the best move.
Just the latest in a long line of player we filed to get the best from. He’d have been the perfect vice Pulisic and can cover in other areas of the pitch. The justification of the Tonali sale is falling on its ar$E and the narrative dying. It was done based on this moneyball tripe.
Said it before, I like chukwueeze, but was he worth it?
They’re not even hiding it anymore. Gerry himself said selling Tonali was an opportunity one cannot decline and that they’re focused on market that will allow extraordinary returns for the players which actually means buy low sell high.
Milan management is stink of incompetence at highest level down to the coach. Kalulu, Salaemakers and Daniel Maldini should have been in the squad this season.
It’s nothing but a financial exercise mate, Gerry adMitted it. Tonali was easy money for them., a quick buck. There’s no success on the agenda other than the shareholders
cdk… adli…
Here we go. Another loanee has a good run of form and the media and fans overrate him based on that small sample size just like Maldini earlier in the season. He is a solid player but nothing more. His best trait is his work rate. Could he have been useful for Milan this season? Sure, but let’s not pretend he is anything more than he is.
Solid players are useful squad players. Saelemaakers can play wing back, full back evens smoke both wings. Perfect squad player just not a starter
Absolutely agree with you but selling those types of players are typically done with little regret as they are not rare commodities. I am just pointing out that the media is starting to over value him just like they did Maldini earlier in the season.
I think he was underrated anyway, players like him always are. Not spectacular but can fulfil many roles and fill squad gaps.
Just a shame we keep making such poor decisions.
Of all the decisions the management has made over the last season or two, the Saelemaeker loan would not even crack the top 10 of worse ones unfortunately.
Solid player? Well, we are lacking those. Instead we’ve got all kinds of emersons, loftuscheeks, terracianos, okafors, chukwuezes, abrahams that won’t do anything useful on the pitch – ever.
If only they’d kept or bought “solid players” instead of the garbage brought in we’d be fighting for scudetto this year. But no, now we’re fighting for the Conference League spot and are losing it to Bologna. Bologna who lost their best players and head coach last summer. FFS…
I won’t dispute that he would be useful but to dedicate article(s) to the ‘regret’ narrative is far fetched. Players like him are easily attainable. I won’t speak to the construction of the team or decisions made by management on their purchases but in a vacuum, the Saelemaeker loan is not that big of a deal.
Where are all the Daniel Maldini fangirls now? Converted to Salaemakers?
Next it’ll be Colombo
There are still people sucking on Gerry’s lolipop. Amazing.
bouldi is ready to suck any lolipop, for a price. He works in a gas station washroom for the truck drivers.
Obviously it was a mistake to have sold Daniel Maldini, and discard Salemakers, they are both strong, young , intelligent players who would have enhanced the squad, instead the club decided to do away with them and retain a one trick pony who has no tactical intelligence, stamina or quality to be in Milan. I am talking of Samuel Chukweze…
Young? They are 25 and 23 years old. Not old, but no longer considered young by today’s standards. I for one am glad we sold Maldini who has shown little to indicate he will develop into anything more than a solid player on a lower level club. I would gladly take Saelemaeker over Chukweze though. That may be the worst purchase the club has made over the last 5 years. Saelemakers could at least provide some defensive assistance on the right flank. All Chukweze does is cut to his left to dribble to the defenders feet or pass it backwards. While talented, he is so frustrating to watch play.
I think the problem is Chukwueze isn’t getting enough game time and rightly so as Pulisic is in such good form. I like Chuk, he’s a live wire, a bit unpredictable but he isn’t going to sit there waiting for Pulisic, what’s someone like Saelemaakers would and could also fill in at LW, RB or wing back to keep march sharp. We effectively signed to RW starters and it’s failed. For the Chukwueze money we could’ve got Retegui instead of suffering Morata bad Abraham
Chuk is unpredictable in terms of performances but very predictable with what he does with the ball.
Imagine a Milan with Conte, playing a 3-5-2/3-4-3 . Honestly perfect fit for Theo on the left and would have let Alexis stay, perhaps as a starter in his natural role. We’d have saved money from Emerson. Also let’s Kalulu play on the right of the three man D.
Mike
Kalulu-Gabbia-Tomori/Thaw
Alexis-Fofana-Tiji-Theo
Pulisic-Morata-Leao
No need for Pavlovic and Emerson, 40M available for another striker