MN: Tatarusanu’s numbers speak volumes – management failed to address glaring issue

By Oliver Fisher -

Most teams would expect a slight dip if their starting goalkeeper has to miss a few months, but the numbers AC Milan have with Ciprian Tatarusanu are worrying.

MilanNews recall how Tatarusanu has reached 33 total appearances for Milan in which he conceded 48 goals at an average of 1.4 goals per game, with only nine clean sheets in total since he arrived.

Looking at the first choice Mike Maignan who is currently out, he has played 48 times for Milan conceding 42 goals, therefore around 0.8 per game. He also has 21 clean sheets which is one every two games.

In the first seven league matches when Maignan was in goal, Milan let in just over one goal per game; in the remaining 13 with Tatarusanu between the posts, the average exceeded 1.5 goals per game.

Even if the overall performance of the defence has worsened this season, the gulf between the two is clear in terms of shot-stopping ability, aerial command, command of the box in general and of course leadership.

It was quite clear that something was needed in January to fix this problem, especially given Maignan’s recovery times lengthened significantly in December. A goalkeeper was bought in Devis Vasquez, but Pioli says he is not ready and not many people know much about him.

The management and the club in general could and should have intervened to give a confidence boost to the whole Rossoneri defence. The blame for Milan’s negative momentum cannot be placed entirely on Tatarusanu’s shoulders, but there was a chance to fix an obvious deficiency that was not taken.

Tags AC Milan Ciprian Tatarusanu

36 Comments

  1. Tata is not the problem. The Cbs are the ones who couldnt adapt to his different style of play. Also before the wc break and total collapse of def he had better stats than Mike. All these pressure for no reason made Tata even more nervouse and mistake prone and here we are. Playing the blame game. Out of 14 goals we concede in the last 4 games, maybe 4 are his fault.. maybe. for the other 10 we need to look at the guys playing on the field

    1. I’d also add that expecting Tata to play like Mike, who is top 5 keepers of the world is a very tall order.. An imposible order.
      Might as well compare stats from reserve keepers all over to world to mikes numbers and tell us how bad they are comapred to him

    2. it’s the coaching my guy. it’s all the coaching. I truly believe that all our CB’s are capable. People hated Romagnoli last year, “oh he’s the problem, he’s so slow, etc etc”… what a joke. He goes to a different team with a manager that knows how to use him rather than just play one way (pioli style) and never be able to adapt, and look, he looks great at Lazio. Also, last year we were rock solid no matter who played. It’s down to leadership (no Ibra), motivation (no ibra, and we already won scudetto), and very poor coaching, tactics and organization (pioli). it’s not the individual CB’s either my guy, it’s all coaching.

      1. Yeah. Romagnoli is a fine example of the fact that pace isn’t everything – unlike maybe in video games.

        Maybe that ignorance about the pace is due to the fact that these whining lil bitches have never played the game themselves and therefore don’t know/understand this fine sport at all.

      2. that is true . Pioli reached his peak last season, now its only gonna go down. I hope he pulls another rabbit out of his hat but doesnt look like it this time. I’d like to see pochettino, he might be able to build something with a budget and isnt a super expensive coach

    3. No professional keeper should allow 3/4 shorts a game. The defense is in tatters but you can’t prevent a team from getting at least a few shots game and when coupled with how poorly the rest of the squad has been playing you really need to have at least average goal keeping. Tata may not be the only problem but he’s a HUGE problem. Coaching is another but with the keeper it’s simple try something different.

  2. Everyone knows that Dracula is static, he likes standing on the goalline, is bad at narrowing the angles and is not great with his feet. So he is the polar opposite of Mike. And yet we haven’t changed our formation, haven’t lowered our defense line and haven’t changed our playstyle in the slightest to accommodate that.

    Dracula is mediocre at best, but that is painfully obvious and we did nothing to adapt to that or change that. Now whose fault is that?

      1. And Pioli still hasn’t changed formation or playstyle. Management brought a kid that Pioli will never use.

        Dracula is not at fault here. Pretty much everyone else but him is.

  3. I am glad the management is highlighted. The problem is not Tataruanu, he can only do what he can do, and truthfully he can’t do much, he simply doesn’t have the talent. This is 100% on management. Such a simple fix too. So much time wasted on Sanches and Botman efforts and the CDK deal. We still don’t have our RW, still don’t have a Striker, still don’t have an AM (CDK is a long term project), and we still don’t have backup CM/DM, LB and GK…. literally none of these positions were addressed. None.

  4. It is total collapse on all fronts, started when Donaruma and Hakan left since then 6 important players left only Gigi was replaced, bad negotiations, cant renew our players, when buying someone it takes entire summer to finish it, no adequate training (to many injuries),
    Coach has no clue what players he needs for his tactics, forcing the same tactics regarding available payers, no adaptation in game, he never asks for reinforcements, he lost Kessie and thinks Diaz can replace him, he should been loud in the mercatos not quiet like some P…Y, no funds, owner who cares about the books, …. In one word.JOKE

    1. How can anyone take you seriously? Diaz and Kessie don’t play the same position. I think you’re the only one who thought Diaz would replace Kessie. Maybe you should watch a game and pay attention a little…

  5. Tatarusanu always stays rooted on the goal line. He never moves or tries to narrow the angle. In short, he does nothing other than stand stationary. That changes the positioning of the whole defense line. The CBs has to cover the space created by the attacking FBs, while also tracking their markings. Milan no longer play with Kessie & Bennacer giving support to the defense like last season. Tonali is a no.8 and has to combine more with the attack. This leaves a lot of space in midfield. There is no replacement for Kessie. Vrankcx who was bought in for Kessie is never selected by Pioli. Krunic nor Pobega is any good at that role either. Hence it becomes too much for the CBs to handle, creating confusion and misunderstandings between the CBs and GK. All of Milan’s recent defensive problems originate because of a poor GK who has no feet or keeping ability. Overall his skills are really poor, yet Pioli does not address this issue, which means Pioli does not see this as a problem at all. That is most worrying. He simply ignores it.

  6. Guys ween is save the penalty with inter it was the best goalkeeper.Now nobody speaking about our defender everyone judge just tata shame of you.

  7. By far the most unintelligent thing I’ve read on this website.
    If you look at other statistics, such as defenders’ numbers, or ball turnovers, you’ll clearly see that the goalkeeper has been overexposed.
    So if other teams get more shots on goal, obviously we’ll concede more goals.
    Now you can blame the keeper for conceding goals, but how do you explain turnovers against Salernitana and Lecce?
    Come on Oliver. You come off as a much more intelligent guy. You should sound more objective than an average football fan.

    1. 3/4 shots go in, how is that not a goal keeper problem. No one is saying the defense doesn’t need work but god damn! The same defense that was top of the league with Mike is worse in the league with Tata. Look at those numbers!

      1. “3/4 shots go in, how is that not a goal keeper problem. ”

        Sure, in match that’s not that big of an issue. But it happen in every game. He makes 1-2 saves (at max) and concedes 2-5. How’s that NOT a GK problem???

          1. The OP: “you’ll clearly see that the goalkeeper has been overexposed.
            So if other teams get more shots on goal, obviously we’ll concede more goals.
            Now you can blame the keeper for conceding goals…”

            Me in response to the OP: “3/4 shots go in, how is that not a goal keeper problem…?

            You: go on to make the same point I do but somehow act like you said something different.

            Guess you needed a play by play…

          2. “You: go on to make the same point I do but somehow act like you said something different.”

            I didn’t act like I said something different as I was just agreeing with you to emphasize your point. Not going to make that same mistake again though.

  8. It is not entirely the goalkeeper’s fault when they get too much goal. The whole team must defend and prevent actions from start if you kill the opponents game. If you followed the latest few matches you can see clearly the whole midfield was basically dead, the wingers basically never was in touch also Theo since his contract renewed plays mediocre and less useful in overall play while Calabria seem lost his self confidence and forgot how to defend. He went often to places where he was useless in attack but opened a lot of space to the opponents. This is entirely the team and coaching fault but the problems are entirely the whole club’s fault started from the owner take over up to the start of the season.

    The early matches were terrible to see they basically plays 4-5 match which is pain to watch and plays one or two match acceptable after that period. The people claims the problem is started after the wc end but the problems existed before but somehow the team was lucky and managed to score goals and get wins. When the Napoli started to amass that huge amount of points ahead us the team seemingly lost the motivation and mentally break down. This happens with basically every team the real question is who can pull the team out of the bad serie.

    The faults were the new owner wanted to go for the stabile financial policy which is right but need to invest into the future by buying sometimes new players to fresh up the team.

    The coach have the issue to not play the new players whom could possible get some experience and some self confidence once they get playtime. That is hard when your coach plays always the same faces and no matter what you doing you cannot play. This must be changed.

    The third thing is the players not learns from their mistakes and not sure what they are doing on the trainings but that sure they now need mental train aswell. They make so much mistakes what u18 teams does not make and very often the team looks like a bunch of player who never ever played with each other.

    So all in all it is not mainly the fault of Tatarusanu because a goalkeeper can only give extra if charismatic, agile or have vision on the field. Tata’s fault only is he is old and an avarege goalkeeper who cannot add much more extra. Maignan can be a great goalkeeper but if the whole team cannot defend as a team and make fatal mistakes on the midfield where all the problems start often, then his stats also goes down.

    So my opinion is easy to blame a person but the teamsports just like that. If you fail I fail if I fail you fail.

    1. On the season Milan is allowing just under 11 shots on goal a game, that’s 4/5 best in the league. With even slightly below average goalkeeping Milan should be allowing no more than 1.5 goals a game from those 11 shots. How many goals have been conceded this year? 18 in six games I believe, that’s twice as many as should have been let in. Yes the defense has not helped and in some games made things worse but the biggest and most easily addressed issue is goalkeeping. Check #footballref for stats

  9. Dishearting to see Young Prominent Newly Signed Goapkeeper not lineup.
    Why was he Bougjht.
    The Problem.is.Pioli who never won before milan and The Management who Better to be President ruther than Directora.
    Monceda is to be Promoted into the Position 9f Maldini and Maldini is to be Promoted into the Position of the Club President.
    How come to Renew 4 Defenders at same season,
    How come not invest after wining the scudetto.
    How come to rewnew a coach who has 2 years left.
    How Come not promote and Give Chances from Primavera.
    How Come not say some the failing Desciions of S Pioli.
    How come not sell at the right times.
    How come to Drag on the Renews while at low Coast and time by time and Then Comitting at High Coasts.

  10. Wohooo! Tatarusanu will forever be remembered for making an unbeatble record!

    “AC Milan have conceded 18 goals in a single month of a year for the first time in their history in all competitions (since 1929/30)”

    I’m sure MM16 couldn’t break it even if he tried.

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