Lorenzo Colombo’s brace for Monza yesterday has caused discussion among sections of the AC Milan fan base, who wonder if the squad might be better with him in it.
La Gazzetta dello Sport recall that Colombo scored a match-winning brace for Monza, where he is on a season-long loan, a day after Milan failed to score against Udinese when Luka Jovic and Noah Okafor made very little impact.
The Milan management made the decision to loan Colombo out again after a positive season with Lecce. The transfer to Monza arrived on the last day of the transfer window having been agreed much earlier, with Geoffrey Moncada hoping to get a striker over the like.
The Rossoneri had a deal lined up for Mehdi Taremi which fell apart, they then tried for Patson Daka and Rafa Mir but they ended up with Jovic right at the last minute, while Okafor’s signing meant the centre-forward role was full.
Yesterday, Colombo scored two goals like a true striker, the first with his right the second with his left, and he continues to develop into what everyone hopes will be an all-round centre-forward.
As a child, the now-21-year-old was inspired by Ibra and Batistuta. During his time with the Primavera they nickname Colombo ‘the Cobra of Vimercate’, while Zlatan called him Hulk due to his obsession with the weight room.
With Milan’s first team he boasts one goal in 11 games, scored on his debut as a starter against Bodo/Glimt. Last year he finished with five, but the penalty he scored to secure survival away against Monza was worth more than just a goal.
Head line reads “Why Milan decided not to keep him” instead of “Why Colombo decided not to stay”. It’s because Pioli won’t use him and we all know this and be was right to leave. Same issues one player will be having and still get maximum game time another player will have even fewer and Pioli will make sure that player never sees the pitch again. A disaster of a coach.
This is one way to see it. Or maybe it was more like that:
Pioli: Can I have a forward who could be a starter to rest Giroud?
Management: Yeah, sure. We work on it.
Pioli to Colombo: Either you stay but won’t have much playing time behind Giroud and the new guy, either you go on loan.
Colombo goes to Monza.
Management: So, we tried Taremi, but it failed miserably. But we got your back, here is Jovic.
Doubt. The only starter lvl player we asked about was Thuram. And he chose shinter
Personally, I feel that Milan should have told Colombo that they have a signed contract, and that he will do what they need.
That said, how can you write an article on this subject and NOT mention that Colombo ASKED to go out on loan to get playing time?
It’s an unfortunate situation for both club and player imo.
The club failed to sign a striker and got Jovic at the 11th hour (who is stone useless). We could really use Colombo and he would have had lot’s of opportunity if our roster was Giroud & Colombo. Fair enough if we signed Taremi and he didn’t wan to be 3rd choice.
Unfortunately for Colombo this season had he stayed could have been a huge chance for him to cement his place.
Inevitably we will sign a striker either in January or Summer and if it’s someone good, Colombo may not get the same chance again that he would have this season.
His 2 goals yesterday were nothing short of brilliant! Definately cheered me up after that other “match”.
1st goal he was brilliant in the build up, beautiful layoff before continuing forward and producing a lovely finish with his weaker foot.
2nd goal, what can you say, he had no support and was forced to go at the defense alone, engineered a shooting opportunity and buried it!
We have no striker in our squad capable of doing that.
I don’t think it’s too bad for Colombo.
Had he stayed, he will probably be second or third Giroud and maybe Okafor. Now he can get more time, improve more and deal with less pressure than if he was with Milan.
Next year Giroud will be 38, and assuming we will have a new coach, perhaps he can become our new ST.
Hope for this season is gone but we can still do something about the seasons to come.
Indeed hope has been diminished for this season.
Hopefully he scores a hat full of goals this season and comes home next year.
He has always looked a very bright prospect, big, strong, hard working, good touch and a cannon of a left foot. Reminds me a bit of Batistuta
With Jovic we are in the same situation as in Giroud plus another striker. Except that the missing piece of info here is the Arrival of Okafor. I believe this is what caused Colombo to ask to leave. Chukwueze came to the RW, and Puli would have been back up to both wings leaving Okafor in no man’s land other than the striker position. That would mean he’d be third choice and that’s no good for his development. He was right to leave. If Milan really trusted him and wanted him as a reliable understudy to Giroud they would have made their intentions clear but they brought in other players in similar roles so why wouldn’t he want to leave for more playing time (which is exactly what he’s getting)