It is no news that Vincenzo Montella has been sacked as AC Milan manager. The former Roma, Sampdoria and Fiorentina manager took the Milan hot seat at the start of the 2016/2017 season. He led what has been described as the most average or poor Milan team since the 70s to a 6th place finish in Serie A and the Supercoppa Italiana title.
The 2017/2018 season however turned out to be a different kettle of fish for the former Italy international. AC Milan had just been sold to new owners (Li Yonghong) who put a whooping €220m on the table for transfers.
With that much available most fans had expected Milan to return to being a Serie A giant but after capturing the likes of Rodriguez, Musacchio, Biglia, Andrea Silva, Hakan Chalhanoglu, and Bonucci, Milan continue to struggle in the league with 6 wins 2 draws and 6 losses after 14 games.
Milan have lost all the big matches this season to Napoli, Roma, Inter and Juventus. The thrashing at Lazio was also disturbing. What was responsible for this poor run of results under Montella after spending so much?
Anyone with a decent understanding of the modern game would expect the team to initially struggle considering the number of new players. Injuries to Andrea Conti, Bonaventura and Montolivo, Milan did not have a full range of selection for the first team. New players, a couple of injuries are still not enough reason for this abysmal start which is Milan's worst since the late 40s.
Montella's rotation policy did not help. Initially it seemed justifiable considering that Milan also had to play in the Europa League. Eventually, the mix and frequent changes was just too uncertain to find any meaningful rhythm. A popular Football Manager tip warns against making too many changes to your first team. If that is true for a simulation PC game, then it should be correct in real life.
Tactically too, there were issues. There cannot be a decent talk on any Serie A or Italian football without talk on tactics. Musacchio's arrival in the summer saw Milan fans expect a new partnership with Romagnoli who would be flanked by Rodriguez and Conti/Abati as full backs. However, Bonucci arrived and that meant Milan had to play with 3 at the back.
Montella did not seem to adjust his team well enough to suit this style. In midfield, Frank Kessie, Biglia, Hakan, Suso and Bonaventura were expected to provide both creativity, possession and style. This has not happened. Movement looks laboured with no real conviction and we must not confuse passion or hunger with brilliance. There just wasn't any form of dynamism.
In attack, Andrea Silva seemed to be a good prospect but that was about that. He had nothing else on offer when he had the chance. Kalinic the experienced Croat striker was perhaps supposed to be man Milan turned to when Silva did not do well or perhaps to form a decent partnership with. This also did not happen. So on occasion, Milan has had to depend on the promising Cutrone to make things happen.
In the final summation, Montella was influential to the signing of these players but he cannot be totally responsible for bringing in that many players. There is apparently little winning quality in all of them except for Bonucci. Where a blend of average performers come together and there is no power talent to drive them, it behooves on the manager to create a style that takes advantage of the present strengths and create a rhythm therefrom. This also did not happen.
Summarily for Montella, it can be said that with the budget available to him, he should have been able to land at least one potent striker/attacking player, a hard working creative player to complement the capture of Bonucci. Then he was also expected to fashion a rhythm with the team available to him and create a unique style. Where the manager fails to do any of these, he certainly will get the boot.
Going forward though, should Montella be replaced by Gennaro Gattuso? The Milan midfield legend has far had a turbulent start to his managerial career. He has so far been sacked by Sion, Palermo, Creta and then successfully relegated Pisa from Serie B last season.
Gattuso's known quality as a player and now as a manager is his passionate work rate. He will push the players to their limits. He will not tolerate lethargy either in training or on the pitch. At Pisa, he managed to improve the defensive record but still failed to make things count where it mattered: up front.
He'll become Milan's 8th manager in 8 years since Ancelotti and the 6th since Alegri. Indeed, Milan has since declined from a dominant force in Europe, Serie A contender to a Serie A average. These managerial changes have not been helpful.
Going forward, Gattuso will need to bring in an assistant to help him where he is lacking: tactics. He should concentrate on the area of his strengths: motivation and drive. Good bye Montella, yours truly actually hoped you'd turn things around starting with the Torino match which preempted your boot but it did not. Good luck Gattuso, you'll need to earn your job.
The 2017/2018 season however turned out to be a different kettle of fish for the former Italy international. AC Milan had just been sold to new owners (Li Yonghong) who put a whooping €220m on the table for transfers.
With that much available most fans had expected Milan to return to being a Serie A giant but after capturing the likes of Rodriguez, Musacchio, Biglia, Andrea Silva, Hakan Chalhanoglu, and Bonucci, Milan continue to struggle in the league with 6 wins 2 draws and 6 losses after 14 games.
Milan have lost all the big matches this season to Napoli, Roma, Inter and Juventus. The thrashing at Lazio was also disturbing. What was responsible for this poor run of results under Montella after spending so much?
Anyone with a decent understanding of the modern game would expect the team to initially struggle considering the number of new players. Injuries to Andrea Conti, Bonaventura and Montolivo, Milan did not have a full range of selection for the first team. New players, a couple of injuries are still not enough reason for this abysmal start which is Milan's worst since the late 40s.
Montella's rotation policy did not help. Initially it seemed justifiable considering that Milan also had to play in the Europa League. Eventually, the mix and frequent changes was just too uncertain to find any meaningful rhythm. A popular Football Manager tip warns against making too many changes to your first team. If that is true for a simulation PC game, then it should be correct in real life.
Tactically too, there were issues. There cannot be a decent talk on any Serie A or Italian football without talk on tactics. Musacchio's arrival in the summer saw Milan fans expect a new partnership with Romagnoli who would be flanked by Rodriguez and Conti/Abati as full backs. However, Bonucci arrived and that meant Milan had to play with 3 at the back.
Montella did not seem to adjust his team well enough to suit this style. In midfield, Frank Kessie, Biglia, Hakan, Suso and Bonaventura were expected to provide both creativity, possession and style. This has not happened. Movement looks laboured with no real conviction and we must not confuse passion or hunger with brilliance. There just wasn't any form of dynamism.
In attack, Andrea Silva seemed to be a good prospect but that was about that. He had nothing else on offer when he had the chance. Kalinic the experienced Croat striker was perhaps supposed to be man Milan turned to when Silva did not do well or perhaps to form a decent partnership with. This also did not happen. So on occasion, Milan has had to depend on the promising Cutrone to make things happen.
In the final summation, Montella was influential to the signing of these players but he cannot be totally responsible for bringing in that many players. There is apparently little winning quality in all of them except for Bonucci. Where a blend of average performers come together and there is no power talent to drive them, it behooves on the manager to create a style that takes advantage of the present strengths and create a rhythm therefrom. This also did not happen.
Summarily for Montella, it can be said that with the budget available to him, he should have been able to land at least one potent striker/attacking player, a hard working creative player to complement the capture of Bonucci. Then he was also expected to fashion a rhythm with the team available to him and create a unique style. Where the manager fails to do any of these, he certainly will get the boot.
Going forward though, should Montella be replaced by Gennaro Gattuso? The Milan midfield legend has far had a turbulent start to his managerial career. He has so far been sacked by Sion, Palermo, Creta and then successfully relegated Pisa from Serie B last season.
Gattuso's known quality as a player and now as a manager is his passionate work rate. He will push the players to their limits. He will not tolerate lethargy either in training or on the pitch. At Pisa, he managed to improve the defensive record but still failed to make things count where it mattered: up front.
He'll become Milan's 8th manager in 8 years since Ancelotti and the 6th since Alegri. Indeed, Milan has since declined from a dominant force in Europe, Serie A contender to a Serie A average. These managerial changes have not been helpful.
Going forward, Gattuso will need to bring in an assistant to help him where he is lacking: tactics. He should concentrate on the area of his strengths: motivation and drive. Good bye Montella, yours truly actually hoped you'd turn things around starting with the Torino match which preempted your boot but it did not. Good luck Gattuso, you'll need to earn your job.
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