Literally translated “unpopular opinion“, which in the language of exchanging thoughts on the web becomes aopinion that goes in clear contrast to common feeling, touching on chords that almost border on the absurd but which, at least for those who say or write it, have a grain of truth that should stir the waters of the dialogue a little. Let’s also say that it can be classified as one provocation pronounced with a smile on his lips, somewhere between serious and facetious.
Necessary preamble, to understand well and not misunderstand what you are about to read: Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s first season in red and black was both satisfying and disappointing. How is it possible? Well, we said it would be an unpopular opinion.
A year ago these days Loftus-Cheek he passed to the Milan dal Chelsea for about 16 million euros plus bonuseswith the midfielder having signed a contract to remain in red and black until June 30, 2027with a salary of approximately 4 million euros net (5.24 gross with the Growth Decree) for a annual cost of just over 9 million euros.
In his first year at San Siro the Englishman played 40 official matches (29 Serie A, 6 Europa League, 1 Coppa Italia and 4 in the Champions League), scoring 10 goals (6 in Serie A and 4 in the Europa League) and putting scored an assist (in Serie A). How is it possible that a midfielder who in his first season in a new league reaches his record of goals scored can also be considered disappointing? We give you a broader context, going back to the player’s statements to Milan TV in February, more or less halfway through the season.
What role do you feel best in? “I’ve played in different positions in my career, so I feel comfortable in any role. As the years go by, I feel more and more like an all-round midfielder and that makes me enjoy it more.”
Your most important quality? “Definitely mine physicality. I am robust, I have strength, speed and power and when I manage to combine these characteristics with my technical qualities I can have a greater impact on the match.”
Role and physicality, physicality and role, two factors that combine and which serve to explain why Loftus in some ways did not satisfy. He arrived at Milan as mezz’ala box-to-box, a midfielder who would have made his ability to single-handedly carry the department his key point, appearing dynamic and rocky at the same time. We have seen very little of this version, mostly at the beginning of the season, and the motivations are different.
The first, physical problems: one in autumn pubalgia it affected him enormously, leaving him in the pits for more than a month (35 days to be precise) and also influencing his subsequent performance. The second, linked to the first: the role that Mr. Pioli sewed for him. After the physical inconvenience Loftus was practically always fielded by attacking midfielder behind the tip, in a position decidedly static and who made little use of his overflowing physicality. A physicality which, however, has increasingly been seen in dribs and drabs; the player defined himself as “robust, with strength, speed and power”, but it is clear that after the injury he had a sort of allergy to physical confrontationbecoming more and more a body detached from the maneuver and the fight in the central and crucial area of the field.
The Loftus-Cheek seen against the PSGthe player who he single-handedly annihilated the Parisians’ multi-million dollar midfieldunfortunately he was not seen again during the season. We must therefore understand how much of it depended on physical discomfort and how much on the requests of the coach Stefano Pegswho however managed to get 10 goals of the season and it is obviously a merit (for both) that must absolutely be underlined.
But football is not just about numbers and data but about much moree performance of English for most of the year have not lived up to its enormous potential. Potential that he has shown in flashes even in red and black, which is why we write that his first year at Milan was both disappointing and satisfying.
Now it’s up to Paulo Fonsecaand especially his staff atleticoto be able to field the best version of the number 8 every Sunday: if he were to succeed, Milan would have a world-class player at its disposal.
