Monthly Archive: November 2024

A dour goalless draw vs Juventus, a tie with Cagliari and a late win at Slovan Bratislava were not what any one involved with Milan expected after beating Real Madrid days earlier. Defensive woes and strange decisions continue to plague Milan. Fonseca likely now has even less time to right the ship. Fixing the leaky defense is not an easy task and may require more than just a move or two. Members of the team management share a good portion of the blame as well. Almost grandiose statements about wanting Milan at the top are looking farther away from reality than a year ago.

Milan get to this Empoli week 14 match with two (perhaps small) examples of how the team’s transfer moves and team building are flawed. First, an unknown goalkeeper was brought in from the Paraguayan league to serve as an apprentice. His departure on loan almost as soon as he had arrived may not have been seen as much of note but now, on his third loan already, this time at Empoli his stock has risen but only after Milan provided a cheap option to buy for the Tuscan club. The second is Lorenzo Colombo, a home grown player at his fifth loan who is also due to be lost for little. A forward of his nature can and should prove more valuable for the team that needs players to grow and stay home.

Meanwhile Milan have spent millions on players like Emerson Royal who look like disappointments if not down right flops. On the other side of the back four a star actually blossoming at Milan may or may not stay for the long term. Theo has not always looked his best this season but tactics and expectations have not always been on his side. A left back expected to defend deep in his penalty box and by default ignore the opposition’s right sided players or wingers is a recipe for a defensive mess. Thiaw and Gabbia should start down at the center of the defense but Fonseca is unusually a man of change of defenders, even in the middle of matches. The latter of the two defenders is one good example of a home player improving at home and on loan. Gabbia has just extended his stay till 2029 after having a solid 2024.

Fofana and Reijnders look to the mainstays of the starting 11 in the pivot roles. The former is still not fully adapted to the Serie A but offers glimpses of being a solid defensive midfield star. The latter is showing his worth and could be more effective as an attacking threat instead of a more defensive one.

Up front is a mystery of sorts. Leao, in particular, is not a regular starter despite Fonseca claims. The coach’s words do not exactly match Leao’s absence from many starting lineups. Others like Pulisic, Musah, Chukwueze, Loftus-Cheek and Okafor have occupied the spots behind the center forward in an almost rotation. The first on the aforementioned list has been the star of the season so far. Up front Morata is expected to start, his season has been interrupted by injury and it is hard to fully judge his impact and play so far. Abraham has not been used regularly enough to get into any sort of a rhythm and his presence on the team will will remain questioned. Jovic is another example of Milan’s questionable transfer business. The Serbian came in for a pseudo probationary season and near the end of it was given an extension only to be banished by a coach hired soon after the given extension. He now sits on the injured list.

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Milan’s inconsistent season was best illustrated when the Rossoneri managed only a 3-3 tie away to Cagliari days after beating Real Madrid 3-1 away. Defensive woes as a unit and individual mistakes were again on show. Players like Pavlovic and Royal have shown glaring lapses and others like Tomori and Thiaw have struggled as well. Gabbia, in the few games he has played, has shown greater promise and passion for the cause. The center back is part of a dwindling number of home grown players on the team and if he continues to shine this season might serve as a notice to management. The Futuro must attempt to develop younger players ‘in house’ better and faster.

Juventus lie six points ahead of Milan, albeit having a played one more game. Those six points are worth only one place ahead however. Only late November or not seventh place is not where Milan needs to be and not jump starting the season, again, now risks losing the season altogether.

It is hoped Leao’s upswing in form continues as the Portuguese is a desperately needed threat. The same can be said for Theo. Calabria looks to remain on the bench, and is likely to depart in the summer as a free agent. Emerson Royal will start and has not impressed and indeed few expected his signing to be of any note. Thiaw and Gabbia look to start in the center of defense with Theo on the left. Fofana and Reijnders should be the pivots, although there is little evidence that the latter is at his best there. Chukwueze, Pulisic and Leao should start behind Morata. Pulisic who is undoubtedly the player of the season so far is not 100% however. Overall it looks like Milan has survived the latest international break unscathed.

Pierre Kalulu is set to face his old team for the first since a widely criticized move away form the San Siro. For once Milan does not have a bigger injury list as its opponent. Bremer is out for the season and Dusan Vlahovic is set to miss this match as are Arkadiusz Milik, Douglas Luiz and Nico Gonzalez.

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Milan surprised virtually all by beating Real Madrid away 3-1. The Leao controversy that was at full crisis mode has cooled now. After spending many minutes and starts on the bench Leao started and went some way to ease the presumed and reported Fonseca – Leao tensions. Many big Milan names, now commentating, were singing doom and gloom and it is hoped that the big win is not another one off result.

Leao is now set to regain his starting spot and it is not as if any of the alternatives, Okafor for example, have been on fire. Leao needs to continue to deliver, more so on the offensive front. Asking the Portuguese winger to be very involved defensively is not the most realistic ask. He and Theo work well on the left and it is up to the coaches and team in general to manage the failings at the back . One such glimpse was on display during the aforementioned win at the Bernabeu. Musah as a right back or right wing back allowed for a more compact back line and could be one way to load provide space for Theo on the other side of the pitch.

One forced change for this week 12 match at Cagliari is set to be historic one. Morata is out after injuring his head in a training collision with Pavlovic. Couple this with Jovic and Abraham’s recent not so great displays or downright missing in action and it is now confirmed that Camarda will start up front. The not yet 17 years old could and should be a part of a new youth developing Milan team. Chukwueze, Pulisic and Leao will support the young Italian. Fofana and the very much in form Reijnders will be in midfield. The back four is not likely to feature Musah however. The above mentioned successful experiment will have to wait for stronger opposition perhaps.

Cagliari have now lost three games in a row. Davide Nicola’s men of course feature a familiar name in Gianluca Lapadula. The now 34 years old Peruvian is not likely to be starter.

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The season is threatening to go ‘off the rails’ as controversy and losses mount. Fonseca looks to start Leao on the bench for the third successive Serie A game and the controversy is brewing. The relationship between the two Portuguese, one new coach and one presumed super star, has propelled the team into a crisis and losses versus Napoli and Fiorentina – either side of wins versus Udinese and Club Brugge in the Champions League – have left Milan with a distance to climb in the standing. The atmosphere soured further when the week 9 Bologna game was postponed due to floods in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. Images showed that the Renato Dall’Ara pitch was playable and the game could on, if necessary behind closed doors. It meant that Milan’s suspended players, Reijnders and Theo, would miss the midweek Napoli clash instead of the Bologna game. In the end Milan lost at home to Conte’s men and fell 11 points behind the league leaders.

As Mentioned Leao looks to be on the bench with Okafor getting the start. The Swiss player’s form has not made this justifiable tactically. Pulisic more centrally and Chukwueze on the right will support Morata up front. Fofana and Reijnders will play as pivots, It is rather evident that Reijnders is more suited to playing further up but Pulisic centrally in that spot is a no brainer. Defending has remained a concern with most at the back somewhat error prone. Gabbia’s absence due to injury does not help the cause as he has shown more than most of his team mates. Thiaw and Pavlovic will start with Tomori on the bench. Emerson Royale and Terracciano are ahead of contract expiring Calabria and Theo returns to the line up. Maignan remains in goal of course, he is not excluded from the dip in form affecting the team.

Monza feature familiar names, not least of all Daniel Maldini. The now 23 year old playmaker debuted for the Azzurri last month.

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