Ahead of AC Milan’s Coppa Italia clash against Cagliari, reports have emerged that Stefano Pioli is set to look to the Primavera and offer some opportunities whilst resting some senior players.
Gazzetta dello Sport have reported that Stefano Pioli is set to offer some youth talent an opportunity to calculate their current ability levels against a fellow Serie A side, with minimal risk attached.
The January mercato opening also acts as a chance for the club to evaluate where their immediate future lies – either at the club or making use of the market opening and looking for appropriate loan deals.
Starting in defence, with Simon Kjaer expected to miss the clash, Jan-Carlo Simic is set to partner Theo Hernandez in central defence. In place of Hernandez on the left, it was presumed that Alessandro Florenzi would start. However, it is now believed that Pioli will instead opt to give Alex Jimenez a chance from the start.
The Spanish left-back has had comparisons to Theo Hernandez, and his arrival was largely praised in the summer, with some describing him as one of Real Madrid’s ‘best young talents’. He is currently on loan, but Milan will have the opportunity to make his move permanent in the summer.
It is also believed that Pioli could look to utilise the 4-2-3-1 instead of the 4-3-3. As a result, Luka Romero and Chaka Traore could feature from the start to offer Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Rafael Leao chances to rest.
In this case, Yacine Adli will partner Tijjani Reijnders in holding midfield. Ahead of them, Samuel Chukwueze will start on the right (before departing to the African Cup of Nations), Romero will play through the middle, and Traore will feature on the left. Luka Jovic will lead the line to offer Olivier Giroud a chance to rest.
Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Simic, Theo, Jimenez; Reijnders, Adli; Chukwueze, Romero, Chaka Traore; Jovic
I really want to see this lineup.
But with Inter and Napoli out – think we better think twice about not going all in on this cup. So I am split.
I hear ya bro but let’s be honest, if we don’t use the primavera players now Pioli will never give them a full chance. This way the likes of Jimenez get a full game rather than a 10 min cameo.
Plus, unfortunately football is a purely financial game now, and the money is finishing top 4 rather than winning the cup. The trophy is less important, so we have to focus on resting players in the cup and saving them for the league games (don’t think we can count on winning Europa League to make next years UCL)
Funny how in England this doesn’t seem to be the case and clubs (and fans) want to win everything. And they even have two cup competitions there.
My coach will never stop to amaze me ,while not play the so called big boys to win the game for U then second half remove them am bring in the young stars
Yes to giving Primavera more playing time. That’s not the way to do it though. You plug in 1 (maybe 2) primavera playesrs into a functioning squad and that’s how they grow and learn. But fielding a whole 11 of subs and youngster usually ends up in dysfunctional play and is just a bad experience for everyone.
Clearly this rotation is in many ways forced by injuries. Serie A is still a priority, even if Scudetto chances are very slim.
Hope I’m wrong this time, but i’ve had this excitement for young squad many times and it always ends up with disappointment.
I think the lineup tells you all you need to know about how much Milan are prioritizing this competition.
In fact, I’d argue against starting Theo altogether and use Davide or Florenzi in central defense. Theo and Reijnders both need a break the MOST!
Isn’t Jimenez RB? He wants to give opportunity to youngsters yet play them in wrong position? Good start for their confidence.
No, he’s a LB.
It’s stated everywhere his position is RB
He plays both sides, but he has played mostly as LB for primavera (mostly because they are more stocked on the right side).
Why not trusting Bertesaghi??
That’s way too much rotation against a serie A team, even in a home game.
The entire attacking line has never played a game together a most of those players don’t even have a total of 90 minutes since the beginning of the season.
Jimenez is a RB and has never played a game in serie A.
I’m all for rotation and relying on younger players, but it has to be done with few players at a time.
Yes it’s difficult for piol to make his call.
I think it’s good to give some players a rest .
I believe we can win this match despite the changes .I am so pleased jovic will get his chance
Yes I am a huge fan of Olivier Giroud .Pulisic and rafeol leao , but the season is long and it’s good to rest players from time to time .
So don’t start criticism of poli as this is what many of you want .That is a opportunity for new players..
GdS is usually full of sh*t so I don’t buy this formation. And Alex Jimenez is a right back player.
Even if the money part of it is true what your suggesting still holds up.
The idea that we play to win and make specific adjustments for specific reasons builds a team that wins in the league and in Europe.
For e.g. playing Simic makes great sense as we need him ready to play in league and he has shown that he has the ability.
That he is in our most critical position of need further underscores your point.
I hope to see Simic, Jovic and Chuk start with little other change from the last game for the first 60. Then we can sub situationally for both rest of the seniors and eval of the Primavera.
I’d really like a solid look at Barts. I’d also like to know if Jovic is fit for a full 90 before the second half of the season begins.
Forza Milan.
Sorry this was supposed to be in response to Maldini’s Heir. Not sure what went on there.
Completely agree.
The Simic thing makes even less sense if you consider that he wasn’t trusted to start against Sassuolo but he was trusted to defend a 1:0 lead without Kjaer.
This is quite typical of Serie A which generally is terrible at developing youth players:
– Youth players are often hauled off at half time if the team is underperforming. This happened to Daniele Maldini and Colombo.
– Youth team players are often introduced in tight games with maximum pressure. This is how Locatelli was introduced and it’s what happened with Simic.
– Youth players are rarely given back to back starts.
And of course it’s my well documented criticisms of the transfer market and loan system.
This is part of the reason we have less than 1% conversion rate from youth team to Serie A.
Yep Simic not starting against Sassaulo was puzzling. I chalk that up to the pressure on Pioli.
Barts not spelling Theo when we are up more often is also puzzling.
Youth do need pressure to show their ability for the entire role. Pellegrino was, by my estimate, not ready for such a situation. But he had nearly zero minutes seasoning when called upon.i hope to see him get time at the end of games (sometimes with pressure) to determine if he can adapt.
Ultimately tho, the lack of rotation is true amongst the senior players too. Giroud plays to far into games with a now fir Jovic for example. Puli on too long with a fit Chuk.
Do you see these as the same decision making pattern from Pioli or is this more coincidence?
Don’t worry,he for sure has no balls for this kind of experiment,and one question for Nava,how on earth you manage to let 41 years old Mirante to be better than you and first pick from bench 🤦
Never understood the rationale behind resting players for cup games which are knock outs and where a team can’t afford to lose.
People talk about ‘money’ and it’s all about qualifying for the champions league, but in the longer term this risks even that.
Because again the message it sends to the team is dreadful.
It’s again based on this notion that there’s this vast gulf in difference between Cagliari and Milan, it invites complacency from the media, fans and the players, and it leads to “shocks”.
Judging by our results in the all important league it seems we need all the practice we can get against the so called weaker teams.
A better approach would be treat all teams and games as equal, and to rotate players across games, giving youth players a chance across games rather than their one chance in a cup match which they could well end up losing.
Giroud need to stop starting.. he lacks pace and draws leao back.. our attack is predictable when giroud star
It s been quite a while that I ve lost patience with Giroud. He s far too static and only tries to play one touch but may be he s doing what Pioli asks…
Tijjani can’t catch a breather.
Jimenez over Bertesaghi???
If he is fit to start, that could take a hit on his confidence cos imo there’s no way Jimenez is ahead of him in their development. At least he’s been with the senior side all season.
Heck what do I know. Mister Pioli knows better.
Raineri & his team will definitely be licking their lips if this is truly the line-up.
Forza Milan though.
Much has been talked about the lineup for the next match and nothing has been said about the tactical and fitness area of the Milan game
Pioli will not come clean on his mis-management and his disastrous campaign of CL and scudetto, but he still lives in Euro league and Coppa Italia wait till tomorrow’s game
Pioli still in charge of Rosso Neri ?
Doom. Gloom. Tears. Sorrows. Y’all will be fine.