today highlighted why we needed a real regista this season. Loca isn't a guy to dictate tempo and spray passes around, neither is Rabiot, so the double pivot didnt make much sense. It's not a coincidence both guys play better when there are more technical mids around them. Rovella gonna be a really important player next season.
Loca played well though, his defensive energy/ability is undeniable.
A combination of factors don’t help our cause.
1. We rarely have an out ball, so when we are pressured it either goes backwards, lumped aimlessly forward or played to Dusan who is usually tightly marked by a CB and his touch has gone to shit so nobody trusts him currently.
2. We pack so many players behind the ball, that when we win it, there are limited options and we turn the ball over quickly under minimal pressure.
3. Concentration levels of the mids are down because we often don’t have the ball and have to endure long stretches of defensive work. This often contributes to poor decision making and/or execution of basic passes.
Locatelli misplaced a poor number of passes yesterday, but so did players like Rabbit, Di Maria and Chiesa that you wouldn’t usually expect which makes me think the above is also to blame and it won’t be turned around solely by bringing in a regista or players that are more comfortable in possession.