With Malick Thiaw facing a long spell on the sidelines, AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli is left with just one fit central defender: Fikayo Tomori.
As Sky reports, this means that Pioli needs to invent something in view of the game against Frosinone on Saturday because Simon Kjaer is not expected to recover from muscle fatigue in order to face the newly-promoted side.
One solution is to play Rade Krunic at centre-back again, after the central midfielder came off the bench and played in that role last night after Thiaw limped off the field. However, the Calabria-Krunic-Tomori-Theo back four conceded two goals and lost the game.
Another hypothesis could be to move Davide Calabria to the right centre-back position, with one of Alessandro Florenzi and Yunus Musah taking his position on the right flank.
However, there is a more obvious and natural choice: the 18-year-old Primavera defender Jan-Carlo Simic. He was part of the first team squad during the last summer tour – starting against Real Madrid – and this season he has made 14 appearances for Ignazio Abate’s side.
Another season derailed by injuries… This is a joke. I’d keep Krunic out the team, let alone as CB.
Injury situation is not just bad luck or fluke.. that’s on the baldy and his staff. We are not the only team out there with a tight schedule. Somehow, we are on of the few teams that run out of gas quick in a game, and one of the teams with the biggest muscle injury list. That’s not a coincidence. Pioli derailed the season not the injuries.
I think the attacking style Pioli wants to play impacts the players stamina and without rotation injuries were bound to set in. But true the staff needs to explain how Chukwueze got hurt while not playing much for us at that time and Kjaer’s muscle fatigue is another enigma that needs to be addressed.
Not to sound like a heretic but of all the people who should be kept out of the team during an injury crisis how is it the Scudetto winning champions league semi-finalist?
Yup. Everything goes wrong when Krunic is in the game. It’s so frustrating because it’s so predictable.
Florenzi, simic, tomori, bartesaghi
We have to rest Calabria and Theo, or we risk more injury
Keep Krunic as far away as possible
Trust in our youngsters
Well, against Frosinone, I agree. If it was PSG or Inter I would rather put an experienced player than kids. If they can’t get a chance against teams like Frosinone, when will they?
Agree here
True!
Ok, but don’t complain when we lose the game.
Is this serious? Play Simic against Frosinone. Oh wait it’s moron Pioli, he HAS to play his lover.
And what’s with Kjaer and this muscle fatigue?
Theo and Calabria have been showing sign of fatigue especially Theo. These two guys need some rest. We can do that against Frosinone no disrespect. Let the coach use Florenzi, Simic, Tomori and Bartesaghi.
while in midfield Musah, LRC and Pobega
In attack, Chaka, Pulisic and Chuks.
Just that Pioli is a naive coach.
Rotation like you mentioned is good for small team like Froisoine. I wish Pioli will do the needful.
Yes, but Frosinone is more dangerous than people think. With so much rotation/inexperience against them were seriously risk dropping points. I dunno.
It’s not obvious to pioli, he does not see what everybody else sees.
Lord Krunic is a utility player. He will make the difference always.
ABK – Anybody But Krunic.
This guy is halfway out the door to Fenerbahce already, why is he still playing at all?
Simic should start. He might screw up and make a few rookie mistakes, but that wouldn’t be much worse than Krunic has done.
As for Kjaer – why is he still on this team? He’s way too slow, and he’s OLD, which is why he keeps getting injured
The coach should figure it out
I do love how all of the magic thinkers on here with their magical solutions are completely rigid in their thought process when it comes to a CM dropping back into CB…..
It does make me think some of you are bots.
Special Krunic hating bots.
I can imagine him there.
He’s slower and more out of position than Gabia.
If he were a top talent player I’d agree he could figure it out.
I will also say he’s not as bad as a lot of people on here say but he’s a good sub at best. Not a starting cb.
Play simic in defence and keep Krunic out of that team, please. He cost us the game on Tuesday because he is not a natural centre-back
Pioli should stop inventing madness and play players in their natural positions on the field.
Allow Simic play on Saturday and Wednesday next week
Players that can do ‘good enough’ in any position are very useful. Urby Emanuelson, Kevin Prince Boateng, Gattuso, Kessie and Saelemaekers are some Milan players that did it well.
Krunic is not one of them.
You’re placing Urby Emanuelson and Kevin Prince Boateng who achieved very little with Milan over Krunic who has achieved more in his time than most Milan players in the history of the club???
Krunic arrived in 19/20 and after 6 years in the wilderness Milan finished 6th, 2nd, 1st, and 4th with him playing 139 games including starting every game in the knock out stage last season when Milan made the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Seriously what the f&*k is wrong with people?
U are talking nonsense
I’ll take KPB any day of the week and twice on Sunday before Krunic.
Play that French keeper what’s his name, Giroud! He’ll set up a wall, just like he did in goal.
He is suspended for the match.
Just put in Bartesaghi or Simic. It’s not that hard… oh and what a great idea to offload Gabbia.. man we hate those italians don’t we.
if i got to pick one of our cmf to play as emergency cb, i’d rather pick ruben loftus-cheek.
RLC did play as CB once.
There is only one option to start next to Tomori against Frosinone, in my mind, and his name is Jan-Carlo Simic. He is a natural CB and talented primavera player that has earned the right to this game. It is how you develop primavera players, by giving them these chances. If Pioli doesn’t play him and instead uses a midfielder, not only will it confirm that he’s a trash coach, but it will also confirm he has no balls. A CM should only be used as an emergency CB if one of Tomori or Simic has to go off during the game.
Simic all day
Pioli is under pressure.
He is missing Those, Kalulu and Kjaer (and Pellegrino)..
He is also missing Giroud, Okafur, Leao.
So he isn’t playing for the next three games, he’s playing only to survive this one
Personally I’d like to see Flo, Simic, Tomori and Barts with Krunic in front of them.
What I think we will see is Calabria, Simic, Tomori, Theo with Krunic in front of them.
What will be more interesting is if we play 4231 or 442. I would be surprised if we see Pobega next to Krunic for his size and work rate.
Not what I’d do, but seems predictable in the circumstance.