Carlo Pellegatti believes that Santiago Gimenez has gone missing after a fantastic start to life at AC Milan, and because of tactical reasons.
Gimenez was the signing that drew the most excitement during the winter transfer window as Milan finally decided to invest in a striker, agreeing a deal worth at least €32m with Feyenoord for the Mexican.
He certainly hit the ground running, too, with a couple of goals in his first two Serie A starts plus one against his old club in the Champions League. However, barring an assist for Rafael Leao’s goal in Bologna, the last three league games have yielded little.
In his defence, the Rossoneri’s season in general is suffering a near-vertical collapse and the attacking department seems confused, with Sergio Conceicao constantly chopping and changing, putting faith in the ‘Fantastic Four’ then abandoning it.
Pellegatti published his weekly column for MilanNews in which he touched on various topics that are worrying him at the moment, dedicated a paragraph to Gimenez’s recent slowdown.
“In the meantime, after a brilliant debut in the red and black jersey, Santiago Gimenez has disappeared. Luca Diddi, a keen match analyst, explained well what is happening, with clear, strong and worrying words.
“The characteristics of the Mexican striker do not fit at all, absolutely not at all, with his teammates in the attacking department, with Milan’s attacking game. ‘Messico e Nuvole’ is a player who must be launched, who finds space in behind, good at sprinting towards the opponent’s goal.
Instead, the statistics see him playing in support, as a support, for the runs of Leao, Pulisic, Reijnders and even Musah. Thirty metres away from the goal, where he looks like a trout on a green lawn. He suffers and gasps.
From the last matches I only remember the shot against Torino, from HIS position and nothing else. It is yet another tactical misunderstanding, with which Sergio Conceicao must share his red and black experience, who does not have a squad suited to his strategies and his playing philosophy.
“An important aspect that had to be considered when it was decided, halfway through the season, to entrust the team to a coach, who needs time and suitable elements to achieve the best results.
“The purchase of the excellent Gimenez, a striker of 20 goals per season, is yet another demonstration that, for the future, the market must be guided and inspired by the coach, based on his knowledge and his technical-tactical ideas, with the long arm of the sporting director and the economic support of the Club. An opinion always supported by the wise aestro Arrigo Sacchi.”
