“Wrongly retained and inserted” – Mazzara critical of under-performing Milan duo
Journalist Pietro Mazzara believes AC Milan might regret not parting ways with a couple of players in the summer window.
Early in the season with a new manager in charge, both Pervis Estupinan and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have been given opportunities to show that they can be useful in the 3-4-2-1 system. However, neither of them are yet to repay the confidence from Ruben Amorim.
Estupinan in particular struggled during the 2-2 draw with Lazio at the weekend, guilty of a defensive lapse that led to a goal at the far post. Meanwhile, Loftus-Cheek again didn’t offer much in the attacking phase, playing behind the striker.
Pietro Mazzara offered his assessments and takeaways from the game in the capital during his weekly column for MilanNews, which focused partly on who Amorim should stop putting faith in.
“Roma’s draw against Lazio told us a lot about the state of this AC Milan side. A terrifying first half, a second half that’s exactly what we’d like to see, and many factors that need to be reshuffled to find a solution that will give Milan consistency throughout the match,” he began.
“Because the first forty-five minutes were unacceptable, where the team was literally dominated by Lazio players in terms of pace, physical and mental intensity, and, above all, chances created. The two goals conceded are a litmus test of the flaws in the Milan squad and of some decisions Ruben Amorim should no longer make.
“Because Pervis Estupinan is a problem. Floriani Mussolini and Cancellieri made him look the other way, he was put through the ring with extreme ease by top-class players, for goodness’ sake, but we’re not talking about top-class players, and then, defensively, he’s a constant lapse in his ability to read the game.
“The 1-0 goal is a clear example, a clear snapshot of how a player who should have been sold in the summer was wrongly retained and inserted into a system he can’t cope with.
“He demonstrated this last year under Allegri and is confirming it now under Amorim, who is responsible for Estupinan’s permanence, having wanted him on tour to evaluate him, while Aston Villa had reached an agreement with both him and Milan to sign him.
“The other player outside of Milanello who has run out of steam, though for some time now, is Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The Englishman miserably squandered the chance Amorim gave him after his reprimand in the press conference, where he said the former Chelsea player’s ability to ignite a match is very limited.
“He didn’t even see those five minutes in Rome, and the repertoire of errors is always the same: tackles lost too easily, poor ball protection for someone with his physique, poor passes, and a lack of consistent connection with Gonçalo Ramos.
“With him out and Pulisic inserted alongside Cisse, Milan completely changed their play in the attacking midfield, moving at least ten meters closer. In this system where attacking midfielders have to do things differently than he would like, Loftus-Cheek also has little impact, especially if his competitive spirit is this high.
