Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders have become very important for Paulo Fonseca’s AC Milan, but a journalist has highlighted a rather worrying fact.
There is no doubting that Fofana and Reijnders are starters for this Milan side, but they are the two most used outfield players by some distance and at present there is no sign of them getting any rest.
Milan host a Serie B side in Sassuolo at San Siro tonight in the Coppa Italia, and yet the Frenchman and the Dutchman are expected to keep their places in the midfield double pivot.
This is despite the fact that on Friday a very challenging trip to face Atalanta away from home looms, one where having all the crucial men at close to 100% would surely be preferable.
However, the midfield depth is a real issue. Both Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Yunus Musah have not started the season in the best form, and the latter has found a role recently as a right-sided ‘hybrid’ player.
Antonio Vitiello published his weekly column on MilanNews and as part of the preview of tonight’s game against Sassuolo he spoke about the midfield situation.
“In midfield, Fofana and Reijnders could still play [vs. Sassuolo], or at least one of the two. There is this risk. The reason? Simple. There are no players. Fonseca has no alternatives,” he said.
“Unfortunately, they are two elements that will be squeezed to the last drop of sweat because there are no players who can play in their place. And so we return to a fundamental concept: it is impossible not to participate in the January transfer window.
“The winter session is there and must be used. It would be a waste and a crime not to use it to improve in an area of the pitch where there are few solutions. Beyond the return of Bennacer (expected for tomorrow at Milanello where he will begin a phase of re-athleticisation).”
Fonseca has plenty of alternatives. He just lacks imagination to use them.
The best players are the ones who play the most games—this is not a new concept. They have been our two most consistent performers, so it’s essential that they continue to play, especially since we need every single point after our poor start.
If this team can achieve three consecutive wins, I believe they will set themselves up for a strong finish in the top three for the rest of the season.
Nobody is saying the beat players shouldn’t play.
But we are in a tight schedule and if they are overworked they will make mistakes or worse they’ll get injured eventually. Fonseca can rotate the fûcking cbs each fùcking game but when it comes to midfield, blank.
I’m the first to shìt on ruben but yeah. He can fùcking start the game in a double pivot vs sassuolo in a cup match. He really can.
And vs Empoli..
And lord musah can play in the double pivot there is no real need to play him on the wing..
Because if he isn’t a midfielder that means we bought 4 right wingers in summer 2023 and that’s just absolutely crazy.
Or maybe I’m crazy.
i was really hoping that both could rest with RLC+Musah instead and a youngster AM. but Zeroli seems to be injured and Vos+Liberali played for the Futuro/Primavera (which i dont understand at all). another hope was Terracciano DM and Barts LB (but he also played Futuro). last option is Camarda 2nd striker instead of an AM.
Wait wait here me out on this. 24×60=1,440, correct?
1,440×7=10,080
90 minutes in a match
2 matches
180
10,080-180= 9,900 minutes
training=180 minutes a day
180×5=900
9,900-900=9,000
For players that live alone, that’s 9,000 minutes of “rest” (As in, downtime, of course people have things to do, but they put less pressure on the body)
I’d say 9,000 minutes is plenty of time.