Ronaldinho has become an AC Milan player in what can be labeled as the biggest move of the summer thus far. The former two-time World Player of the Year has raised many an eyebrow after his disappointing season with Barcelona. A season filled with off the field problems regarding such as issues as his weight, injuries and commitment to the club. With these things to consider Milan could probably be taking a risk in signing him, however as a Milan fan myself I don’t think there was a better time to get him. The San Siro faithful have welcomed Ronaldinho with open arms but there are some who are still skeptical.
A lot of the concerns regarding Ronaldinho at Milan center around the number of egos at a big club like Milan, how the player will fit into the team and whether or not he was indeed the right purchase to be made in the first place.
First of all, there is the issue of the egos at the club. How are Ronaldinho, Kaka, Seedorf, Pirlo, Ambrosini, Gattuso and Flamini supposed to fit into the same team without some dressing room bust ups. When I saw this point raised by a number of people I immediately rebuffed it. Carlo Ancelotti usually sets out his team in either the Christmas Tree 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-1-2. Ronaldinho, like his countryman Kaka, is more of a forward than a midfielder given his position higher up the pitch. This automatically rules him out of a place in the midfield trio. Hence, the likes of Pirlo, Ambrosini, Gattuso and new signing Flamini won’t be threatened directly by the inclusion of Ronaldinho, anymore than they would have had the club purchased Adebayor or Drogba for instance.
Actually only one player has been against the inclusion of the Gaucho and that is Clarence Seedorf. The Dutchman enjoyed a trequartista role in support of Pato, Gilardino or Inzaghi alongside Kaka for most of the last season. He seems unwilling to drop back into a deeper role to accommodate the Brazilian but what’s funny about it is if an out and out striker had been bought, he would still be shifted into midfield due to the fact that Pato is considered a starter and any new striker would be played alongside him with Kaka in support. The other thing Seedorf has had a problem with is giving up his #10 shirt. At the end of the day though it’s just a number on the back of the shirt and whether or not Ronaldinho wears number 10 he will still sell a lot of merchandise and Seedorf will still be a key piece of the Milan puzzle.
Now for how Ronaldinho fits into the Milan first team without stepping on other player’s toes. Formation wise, its not difficult to fit 4 playmakers as Milan now have with Kaka, Ronaldinho, Seedorf and Pirlo into the side. The issue of only putting one defensive minded midfielder should not be too much of a big deal. Many teams such as Dinho’s former club Barcelona and Euro 2008 Champion’s Spain were quite successful with only one defensive player in the midfield. Once the player’s gel properly and Ancelotti gives them suitable instructions expect no problems.Furthermore, many pundits have questioned whether or not Milan needed Ronaldinho. In my opinion Ronaldinho was a better signing than another striker not only economically but tactically as well. Why would Milan need another attacking midfielder? Well Ronaldinho isn’t exactly an attacking midfielder due to the amount of goals he’s capable of scoring. He also adds a certain creative element and tactical unpredictability which Milan would not have gotten had a striker arrived. Why would Milan need another creator when they have Kaka, Seedorf and Pirlo? Ronaldinho offers something different to the others. Also, having watched 65% of Milan’s matches last season, and reading comprehensive match reports on the other 35% I could tell Milan’s problem wasn’t the lack of a finishing touch. It was the inability of the midfield to create enough chances for the striker. And sometimes it is just difficult to break down teams, a point where a moment of magic is needed to win the match. Ronaldinho is known for such moments of magic. In addition, with Pato, Inzaghi and even Borriello who scored 19 goals in Serie A last season Milan have enough finishers to put the ball in the back of the net, once they receive the chances.
The final problems regarding Ronaldinho are his weight and his determination to play in the Olympics. The latter has already been settled and he will be heading to Beijing with Pato. It is the perfect opportunity for him to gain match fitness and improve his touch before the season starts. The former Barcelona man has already started to lose some of the weight he gained due to being out of action for so long and with competitive matches in the Olympics plus more pre-season training he should be in top shape. The coming season looks promising for Milan and Ronaldinho.
1 comment:
In all honesty, I do not believe AC Milan required Ronaldinho. Despite their obvious lack of creativity, David Silva or even Lucas Podolski seemed much better options. Aside from their obvious performances in the recently concluded Euro 2008 tournament, they are both yet to reach the peak of their careers, and their tireless running and constant bombardment of opposing defenders makes either one of them dangerous. Apart from their attacking threat their youth is a key asset if one is looking to build a team that is strong for seasons rather than a season. Ronaldinho's lack of fitness is also another problem, there is no doubt the greatness that exists within the player, however what he brings is a plaster when a bandage is what is needed to cover the gaping wound.
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