The transfer market is really something wonderful, mysterious, inscrutable. Only a month ago, the most total defeatism reigned among the Rossoneri fans. Via Maldini, the one who had rebuilt Milan from the rubble bringing it back to victory. Street Ibra, the great driving force behind this project, the “pack leader” as Pioli defined him. Street Tone them, the young soul of this team, super AC Milan supporter, future captain. Social dispute at the highest levels against the property.
A month later the enthusiasm is skyrocketing. And the same fans who protested are back to talking about “scudetto” and to do well in the Champions League. All this only and exclusively thanks to the transfer market.
7 shots 7. No champion affirmed, but all grafts of great perspective. 5 out of 7 at his absolute debut in Italian football. The other two are reserves. Pioli only has another month to assemble a group of players with lots of new features and without many points of reference of the recent past. 5 new starters, i.e. half the team changed. It won’t be easy for the coach from Emilia to find the balanceo and will not be easy to find in a hurry to cope with a tremendous timetable in startup.
Already the balance. Word unknown to most of the fans. The balance was missing when one thought that the new Milan of Furlani had a bad shopping campaign. There is a lack of balance now when it is assumed that by changing half of the team and inserting 5 new starters, one must necessarily compete for the highest levels. The recent history of Milan teaches that Moncada and his team worked very well in choosing reinforcements, with great foresight and also a excellent value for money. For this reason it was legitimate to expect an excellent market, made up of young players, not yet exploded at the highest levels and therefore economically affordable.
Where instead the new management rossonero must be measured and tested is the construction of the “team” on and off the pitch, the growth and protection of the same during the whole season, when defeats, injuries, referee errors, internal tensions etc etc. arrive. To manage an entire year and take care of all the smallest details, it is necessary to find the balance. And keep it. Pioli knows this well and he also knows that with this expensive and powerful acquisition campaign, expectations grow and in inverse proportion time and patience decrease for him.
He will therefore have to find the balance on and off the pitch. The new signings all have precise characteristics: physically strong and devoted to the offensive phase. This means expect an attacking Milan and consequently it becomes very important to seek defensive balances.
Trivial example. On the right Milan bought Chukwueze, which is personally the purchase that intrigues me the most among the new ones, having often followed him in La Liga. Spectacular, cheeky, a old-fashioned dribbler, always able to invent the shot and never afraid to try it, a “zurdo” capable of smashing any defense, also equipped with a deadly shot. Lots of stuff, as they say. It is no coincidence that Villarreal always attacked a lot from the right, the area under the responsibility of the “Nigerian Robben”. Milan in recent years has built its successes on the unstoppable chain of the left with Theo and Leao good at creating an elusive train for almost all opponents. To maintain the famous “balance” Pioli has always balanced with a very “defensive” right wing. Less physically and technically gifted players, who were often asked to “cover” and act as a counter to the great push of the opposite wing. This year, by inserting someone like Chuku or even Pulisic himself, Pioli finds himself with a right wing with a great offensive propensity. This is certainly a good thing because it allows for a very important attack variant, but on the other hand the Rossoneri coach will have to be good at finding the already overwhelmed balance. Show up on Sunday with Chuku on the right, Leao on the left, a centre-forward, Pulisic behind the striker, Theo as full-back and in midfield two like Loftus and Reijnders who don’t disdain to throw themselves in attack, it’s a wonderful project. On paper. We have to translate it into the field. And it’s not obvious. Fascinating, stimulating, but not obvious.
For this reason, it is good to analyze Milan’s summer with “balance”. There will be time to get excited, we hope, starting from August 21st. Historically, let’s leave it to others to dream “under the umbrella”. Beyond this invitation to caution, also linked to the uncertainties that physiologically can bring so many new things, one thing must be said. Since the days of Berlusconi, summers of heavy goodbyes have always produced stunted starts to subsequent seasons. The season following the departures of Ancelotti, Kaká and Maldini started badly, with a heavy air. Let’s not talk about the one that came after the sales of Thiago, Ibra and the farewells of Nesta, Seedorf, Inzaghi, Gattuso and company. The risk of starting another post-revolution year was real. And instead this young, rich, strong and imaginative market has certainly returned great enthusiasm to the Rossoneri environment. And to find the desired balance is already a good starting point.
2023-07-27 20:00:00
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