09-18-2024, 12:32 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-18-2024, 12:38 AM by ACMmike.)
What I noticed from the Liverpool game, facing a team that's actually world class you can spot the differences immediately. Not sure it all falls on Fonseca, but rather the crop of players we have. Liverpools wingers for example, Gakpo and Salah - they were constant threats. Constantly tirelessly running at our defensive line taking shots on goal. Pulisic did well but Leao? Guy lost the ball countless times and did barely any meaningful running. Leao is a big problem for this club - I don't care to have my mind changed anymore he's got to go for us to be at the next level. Ya he 'saves' us in Serie A against very mediocre opposition and maybe even the odd big game but you cannot I repeat CANNOT build a consistent foundation with a player who is so damn inconsistent period.
Morata has always been a frustrating player. He scores those 'lucky' goals of being in the right place at the right time but I much prefer Abraham from what I've seen so far. Morata can't run at defensive lines and dribble to save his life and his shooting/passing is atrocious.
Point number 2, they have ball playing midfielders. Midfielders who all serve a different purpose. One who is the work horse, one who is a box to box attacking and defending, and a creative force. We have 3 midfielders that are literally serving the same purpose. Running like headless chickens and cannot control the play or dictate the tempo nor make any threatening passes into players that are in space.
Defensively - there's a lot to say here. Theo is solid.
Maignan could've done much better with how he came out on both headed goals. Garbage keeper.
Our CB's? Tomori can't pass a ball if his life depended on it and Pavlovic is great physically but a brut. Bad on the ball, and not the greatest positioning on multiple occasions. Our right back slot is utterly useless. Calabria is fkn terrible and Royal is a ghost.
I loved Ibra as a player, his arrogance was always backed up by his performance. Becoming in charge at the club unfortunately I see that going so sour. I already can't stand hearing him talk about this team anymore as a manager because of how damn terribly he's messed things up.
09-18-2024, 12:54 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-18-2024, 12:54 AM by Zio Fester.)
Ibrahimovic interview before tonight's game
About his absence
"When the lion goes away, the cats come closer. When the lion comes back, the cats disappear. From all that is said, the level is too low. I'm concentrating on work, I've been away for a few days for personal reasons, but I'm always present. We work, we pedal."
On his role
"The role is simple, many people talk. I'm in charge, I'm the boss and everyone else works for me."
Ibrahimovic throws a dig at Zvonimir Boban, present in the Sky studios and who in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport had asked himself about the Swede's role: "Boban also didn't understand my role..."
"No one understood it, to be honest," replied the Croatian. Which finds Ibra's reply: "I'll explain to you now: I'm in charge, I'm the boss and everyone works for me. We work in silence."
Did you talk to the "kittens" (in reference to Theo and Leao)?
"The kittens are not the team, those who are out are the team"
But did you talk to Theo and Leao?
"I spoke to the team, they're fine, they're fired up and they played a good game."
On the market
"The market was as we wanted. In our opinion, we took what was missing. The last one was Abraham to provide extra reinforcement in attack. I'm sorry for Jovic
Were you on Osimhen?
"I'm silent."
For me, Liverpool player wise isn’t more talented or by much. Our players are less motivated, lack discipline and not adopting the system. Sure you can say Calabria is bad, Tomori is only meant for a high press game. But players like Leao, Theo, Pulisic, Reijnders are legit very good players.
It was fair to blame Pioli. However, two coaches having similar problems suggests the players are playing a bigger role.When Leao doesn’t press like a Salah or Gakpo it hurts us. When he or Theo run past four players and instead of passing try to run past the fifth or sixth, that is a player issue.
Fonseca is in big trouble. I’m sure he plays a role in all this. But when players get beaten on headers in the six yard box two times in one game? Oye. When we take a corner short despite our tal players? Oye. When we EVER play Royal (guess what Calabria is probably injured). Oye.
I may need a Milan detox. This is going to be a tough season.
09-18-2024, 03:24 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-18-2024, 03:32 AM by ACMmike.)
(09-18-2024, 01:23 AM)honsano Wrote: For me, Liverpool player wise isn’t more talented or by much. Our players are less motivated, lack discipline and not adopting the system. Sure you can say Calabria is bad, Tomori is only meant for a high press game. But players like Leao, Theo, Pulisic, Reijnders are legit very good players.
It was fair to blame Pioli. However, two coaches having similar problems suggests the players are playing a bigger role.When Leao doesn’t press like a Salah or Gakpo it hurts us. When he or Theo run past four players and instead of passing try to run past the fifth or sixth, that is a player issue.
Fonseca is in big trouble. I’m sure he plays a role in all this. But when players get beaten on headers in the six yard box two times in one game? Oye. When we take a corner short despite our tal players? Oye. When we EVER play Royal (guess what Calabria is probably injured). Oye.
I may need a Milan detox. This is going to be a tough season.
I think Liverpool players are far more talented. Darwin Nunez and Chiesa are better than our entire attack and they're sitting on the bench. Salah clears anyone we own by miles he's an ACTUAL world class player. Our only truly consistent top level player is Theo that's it.
Leao can be as talented as he wants but at 25 years old if he's not finding his consistency yet he's no different to me than someone like Rashford. Those players can have all the talent in the world but if they don't want to put in the work to realize it on the field they have no place in any real project at any club. Go to Saudi get paid while you can and leave. I'm tired of his BS today was a dreadful display even if he scored a goal I'd still be saying the same I'm tired of seeing him walking around and choosing when to run and losing the ball with ease 80% of the time for that 20% of the time to have a half chance of changing our fortunes.
Konate and Van Dijk are miles and miles clear of Tomori-Pavlovic. VVD arguably still the best CB in the world and Konate a beast. Macallister and Szobo are both pure class on the ball and Gravenberch does the job top tier experience. Our midfield is a Chelsea reject who's inconsistent at best, and two young players coming from small clubs with everything to prove still. Not to mention Alex Arnold is both a way better RB than our right backs and probably a better passer than our entire midfield to boot. Miles ahead of us unfortunately in talent, coaching - top to bottom. Reality.
IDC how soon it is, this is an emergency situation. We're actually painful to watch I don't see a system here at all. If Fonseca doesn't win, and only win against Inter if this mgmt has any balls they fire him immediately.
19 shots for Liverpool vs our 2 is embarrassing. That's total domination and a massive gap.
(09-18-2024, 12:27 AM)Leoni9900 Wrote: Agreed. IMO Fonseca looks like he’s trying to play a hybrid of De Zerbi football, where there are a lot of passes at the back to encourage the other team to press in order to open up space, and Guardiola, with his fullbacks playing high to join the attack/Tiki Taka.
Like you’ve mentioned we do not have the players to play that way. I get the board wants a company man as the coach but you need to give the guy something. At the same time I don’t know if Fonseca is a great communicator either. His players are all confused. I think he’s giving them too much information at once instead of working on his system little by little.
There are plenty of yes men coaches who would play the way we are more suited to play. Hell, keep Pioli (i feel dirty even saying that), he didn't make a lot of noises either, if that's all they wanted to do. Why try to reinvent the wheel completely with a yes man hire? What exactly were we trying to do here? The plan and execution this offseason were disastrous, absolute failure on all levels.
Compared to Liverpool, we certainly are at a disadvantage talent wise, but the gap shouldn't and isn't this big. The last couple of years, we did at least admirably against EPL teams. Sure, we lost some games, but we made them competitive and even dominated stretches and ended up losing cause our execution. Nowadays, we look like Venezia against Liverpool. We have talented players on this team, most of these players performed much better even last season. The problem is the systematic fit and the lack of buy in for this coach. It honestly looks like the players just do not give a f-ck about what happens on the field, which is crazy considering how early in the season we are in right now. If Fonseca already lost the trust of his players during preseason, I do not know how he can salvage this. But would firing him really fix anything? To me, there also needs to be a real reflection period for the front office. Why did they pick this coach? How did it all go wrong? And what can they do to ensure the next guy they hire won't lose the locker room in a month. Ibra/Furlani/Moncada like to talk as if they are real experts in the game, but the mistakes they have made are amateur level mistakes. They need to quit acting like they are the smartest people in the room, and get down from their high horses to do real work and build a real team. Without them changing their ways first, no coaching hire is going to fix anything
Fonseca already lost the locker room! So its gonna be damn difficult for him, if not impossible.
Save the season and get Sarri please.
It's like everyone who go through the gates of AC Milan get their little bit of talent and enthusiasm sucked right out of them. Nothing works. We're in a dark place at the moment. I see no leaders in our club at any level who I believe can guide us in the right direction.
Mercato looked like maybe 5/10 before we started playing. Now it looks like 1/10. Dumpster diving.
Is Moncada the worst sporting director in recent history?
Pulisic and Reijnders apart the signings have been pretty awful. Loaded the squad with mediocrity given away players on loans and unable to sell anybody.
At least when Maldini called other clubs picked up the phone, when Moncada calls it shows up as unknown number and goes to voicemail.
Now Pioli is not free anymore. Al Nassr has taken him to coach Ronaldo.
We saved Pioli's remaining wage, and maybe he would take some with him: Bennacer, Leao...
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