Gazzetta dello Sport: Fonseca emphasized pressure but failed to coordinate; Milan underestimated Parma

AC Milan only got 1 point in the first 2 rounds of the league. Today, Gazzetta dello Sport wrote an article analyzing the current problems of the Rossoneri and Fonseca's shortcomings.

With only one point in two games, the defensive performance was a mess: 4 goals were lost in 180 minutes, and if it weren't for luck, there might be more. The team's playing style is vague and arrogant, the ball possession time is long but meaningless, and Leo has no influence on shooting. AC Milan's current situation is frustrating. Fonseca has become the main person to blame, but it should not be forgotten that the new coach was chosen by the club. However, considering the performance in the first two games, the outside world has every reason to question whether this decision is correct.

When Fonseca said on Friday that Morata, who was absent due to injury, would be replaced by Okafor instead of Jovic in the offensive end because the former is better at high pressure, we were puzzled. Because pressure cannot rely on a single player: pressure must be organized and teamwork. Moreover, to press high, Milan needs to have running ability and aggression, but in the first game against Torino, Milan only showed a slight improvement in the last moment of desperation, from 0-2 to 2-2. However, in the previous 70-80 minutes, Milan's pressure only stayed in the head or was weak. It is not enough to just say "we want to press high", we must create conditions to do it, and not take risks easily. If the pressure fails, we must prevent the opponent from taking advantage of the space behind the team after the team presses forward.

In the second round of Serie A, AC Milan did not press much, because Parma cunningly gave up possession of the ball, and the Rossoneri had a possession rate of 61% and a very forward formation. Parma coach Pecchia's intention was clear: let Milan press forward and then seek opportunities through counterattacks. AC Milan lacked defensive preparation on the offensive end. The team did not show a preventive defense plan to deal with the defensive transition after losing the ball. Every counterattack of Parma posed a threat in front of Maignan. The team's formation was too long and there was a disconnect between the positions. Parma wasted many counterattack opportunities, and if Strahinja Pavlovic had not filled the gaps many times, the result of the game might have been even more tragic.

Milan now has no cohesion in defense. In the game against Parma, it almost completely relied on Pavlovic to hold the situation alone, but no matter how good one person is, it is not enough to make up for the shortcomings of the overall defense. The first goal conceded was a clear proof. Calabria and Theo did not defend Valeri and Dennis Man in the wing and the middle respectively. Losing the ball just two minutes into the game reflects a negative attitude towards the game.

Fonseca, his coaching staff and many players seemed to underestimate Parma's young players: Dennis Man, Zoum, Miheil and Bony, these four players performed exceptionally well, and Bernabe, as a midfield organizer, was skilled and intuitive.

Parma has played the most innovative and direct football in Serie B over the past two seasons, and is a team that needs to be handled with caution, but AC Milan faced them with an arrogant attitude, and was trapped by the "storm" set off by Parma players, who quickly launched counterattacks when Parma players found and exploited the gaps. We are not saying that Fonseca did not study Parma, but we think he did underestimate this opponent.

Leo failed to improve his level and grow from a potential player to a mature champion. He still stayed in his "comfort zone" - on the left, dribbling and accelerating frequently, but rarely cutting inside, and seemed to focus more on assists than goals. At the age of 25, he needs to take more responsibility in shooting and show more aggressiveness. It is not enough to have outstanding skills, but also to have a killer instinct. Ronaldo should be his role model, and the Portuguese superstar's obsession with scoring in his youth is something Leo lacks.

"I am responsible, all the mistakes are mine," Fonseca said in a frustrated interview after the loss to Parma. These heavy words sound like the end of the game, even though it's only the second game of the league. But we expected more positive and encouraging words. Taking all the responsibility on yourself is indeed a commendable move, but it can only be used once or twice. The third time, you need to learn from it, otherwise it will only become empty rhetoric.