He has stabilized the ship since he came along but the ship is now slowly sinking instead of having hit rock bottom already. We are more solid in defense but when you defend with all eleven that's no surprise. We can string more than two passes together, so that's progress too. We are mentally stronger than before. It's not a whole lot of grinta out there but it is an improvement. We are not as easily shaken as before, yet... well, that's kind of it. After two years there should be more.
Dusan has been poor but it's visible he has kind of given up. He knows very well he will never get any support and will be miles away from goal or alone in front of it. He used to move around a lot before Allegri told him to stick to the center. Milik has been better because he is better off in the build up. After that they are out there, alone. ADM is assigned to bring the ball from own half to Dusan's feet. As if anyone in the world could do that on a regular basis every game week in and week out. I know a lot of you are fuming at Chiesa since he came back but I still see a potential in him. He, like ADM, is expected to run with the ball 60 meter and "do something" (I would expect those are the narrowest instructions he gets from Max).
Kostic is a wingback asked to put in crosses and run his ass off. He does these things but it's rather challenging to put a cross in on Dusan alone against 4-5 defenders. Bremer makes Paramatti look like Messi. MDS, do I need to? Bonucci can't walk and can't wait to retire. Danilo has been wonderful. Sandro is expected to be a roaming playmaker from LCB/LB position. Sandro. Just letting that one sink for a bit. The man who needs twelve touches to make up a decision, which is to pass the problem sideway, alright I admit it's backwards.
Fagioli is deployed as a B2B, he does an OK job but why? Why? And why bother, we have never made a drill on how to put pressure on so why ask him to press high when the rest of the team sits deep? It's pointless.
Miretti is doing fine but clearly is still raw, either he becomes good or a solid bench option in the future. Rabiot works hard but can't create. Locatelli works hard but can't create. For a while, for some reason, Max figured those two with players like McDonalds and Zakaria, who works relatively hard but can't pass or create. That was on his map. We know and Max says himself he has no idea on how to transition from defense to attack and rely on players to solve problems. But there is no road map whatsoever. Look at Cuadrado who keeps going inside, which puts ADM out wide to sit out there and wait since Cuadrado has taken his pocket. Every game, same thing. Finally, ADM gets bored and ventures in anyway and no we have absolutely zero width. So we have no width and no clue what to do. So the players move the problem, i.e. the ball, around.
I have a problem, I pass it on to you. I have a problem, I pass it on to you. I have a problem, I pass it on to you. I have a problem, I pass it on to you. And now the problem is with the opponents, thank lord we gave it away.
I want to keep going on each player but my point is that there is no development. Neither collectively or player by player. Danilo and Rabiot, those are kind of it. The rest are going down with the ship. If we had any idea, any vision, any instructions at all, on how to move with and without the ball and how to occupy and create space. How to move with the ball from one area to another and how to deal with problems that can occur along the way and offer alternative solutions and paths then most of these players would come under a different light.
Allegri deserves some credit for some things, mostly his manners, but he will not work here unless he is given Real Madrid's midfield. They could probably solve all of his problems because they are exactly what he wants. Players that read the games and adapt accordingly to solve the problems thrown at 'em. And Allegri could then focus on finer tactical aspects and setting up the defense since the players fix the rest.
I'm tired of his football. He has been given chaotic hand he does the best he can, others could have been poorer but I am just so tired of watching these clueless players.
And I am not at all convinced Zidane is a much better alternative, he seems to be a pragmatic tactician but perhaps better dealing with players. I want someone who has a philosophy of football, a vision, and doesn't adapt each game to the opponent. Zidane seems to me to be more like Allegri. And Deschamps too.