Stefano Pioli Thread

[Sognatore]

Stefano Pioli uomo maturo really only deserves love from us

 

[Qaas]

We've not always struggled against teams that play defensively.

If we look at the past decade, I'd divide it into two main styles; the slow, possession-based style with a 3 man midfield and a counter-oriented double pivot system.

The former, which was the main style of Allegri, Pippo, Brocchi, Montella, Gattuso and Giampaolo, was very effective in home games against minnows who only showed up to defend. But it was easily exposed against competitive opponents who would press and aim for 3 points. This lead to a lot of poor results in away games against teams in the bottom half.

The latter was/is used by Seedorf, Mihajlovic and Pioli. It's more direct and better prepared for competitive games.
Not so much for matches against opponents that aren't leaving any opportunities to counterattack.
However there are ways to combine. I'm aware that it has not been this black and white.
I think Pioli has been getting closer than any of our previous coaches in finding that perfect balance. We're playing with a lot more possession since the switch to 4-2-3-1. The team is doing more than just counter-attacks. Players like Hakan, Bona and a versatile, targetman like Ibra have reduced the problem. There have been lots of great 1-2s and patient, slow buildups in the final third.

I wouldn't pin all those disappointing results on difficulties with breaking down teams though.
The Lecce game was his first game in charge, and he was let down by wasteful players like this season's Piatek and Paqueta.
The Fiorentina game was more of a fatigue issue I think.
The team was out of energy, but there was no Rebic or Hakan on the bench who could re-energize us the way they've been doing in these last two games and in January. All of our energetic players started that game, and this was also the case in other February games with strong first halves and weak second halves, such as the derby. The lesson to learn from that month is that we need offensive impact subs. Pioli doesn't have any when he fields our strongest XI. Saelemaekers has energy, but he seems to have less end product than Borini. Leao has end product, but not much energy.

As for the other poor big game results, they were among his first games. Fans weren't even disappointed at the time because the performances weren't bad. We created as many if not more chances than Juve, Roma, Napoli and Lazio. However Theo seemed to be the only one who could take his chances.
That has changed. He's had more time with the squad, more time finding solutions to the countless number of problems he inherited from Giampaolo. He now has Rebic, who makes a lot of technical errors, but he can run and he can score. He has Bona, who returned from yet another injury and can't run anymore, but he can still score. He has Ibra, who despite his age and flaws isn't completely useless like this season's Piatek. Pioli faced Roma, Lazio and Juve in a better position this time, and defeated all 3 of them. We have faced Juve 3 times since that November game and not lost any of them.


Yeah, he lost 5-0 to Atalanta, with Calabria as LB and the Suso-attack, but he's also the same coach who destroyed Gasperini's Atalanta, 7-1 with fodders like Gary Medel at Inter. That was the same Atalanta side that finished 4th with Kessie and pre-injuries Caldara and Conti. He also had a 7-1 victory with his mediocre Fiorentina side against Roma last season.

Sorry I first saw ur response now.
I agree with most of the points you made, however i have experienced too many let downs for me to rate a coach based on two months of being in form, especially under a different condition like this one under covid19

He has been completely outplayed by napoli last week, and we were very lucky with the draw.

But to be honest i want to see how we are going to perform against atalanta and even sassuolo.

 

[Sage]

Completely agree with goodfella regarding pioli, I'm not comfortable at all with the whole starting from scratch again.

When the new guy takes over, I hope he just continues on piolis good work with some positive additions, there's nothing wrong with this team tactically at the moment, just need 3 players for the starting line up to raise the quality and we're ready to compete.

 

[Goodfella]

Completely agree with goodfella regarding pioli, I'm not comfortable at all with the whole starting from scratch again.

When the new guy takes over, I hope he just continues on piolis good work with some positive additions, there's nothing wrong with this team tactically at the moment, just need 3 players for the starting line up to raise the quality and we're ready to compete.

We need evolution, not revolution.

Rangnick's end goal is a 4-2-2-2 similar to Leipzig's? Fine.
Steer the team gradually and slowly in that direction if that still seems rational after spending some time with the team and gaining some Serie A experience. Let it take more than a season, and several transfer windows if needed. Don't force it on them overnight like Giampaolo. That is bound to fail hard, turn important players and the Curva against him and create a big enough pressure to cause another resignation due to burnout syndrome.

 

[helloAgain]

same thing happened with allegri's 12/13 team. berlu forced to change system instead of adding proper players to the one that already worked.

 

[Goodfella]

same thing happened with allegri's 12/13 team. berlu forced to change system instead of adding proper players to the one that already worked.

It happened almost every season at the end with Berlu, and continued into the next ownerships as well.

Seedorf's and Miha's choice to switch to double pivot systems reduced the enormous midfield problems since we had a lack of proper anchors and mezz'ali for many years(still do). Both were fired in favor of coaches who basically undid it all and reintroduced the midfield problems while attempting to pull off Berlu's idealistic 4-3-1-2 with a trequartista from the 90s.

Mirabelli forced 3-5-2 on the Montella 4-3-3 team that beat Juve several times, won the SC and qualified for EL.

Rino did a good job but was replaced by Giampaolo, who's like the anti-Rino.
Zero people skills, zero intensity, all about overcomplicated tactics. The only thing they seemed to have in common was the self-destructive Suso obsession. Baka, the key player in Rino's midfield was sent back because he didn't fit the new coach's tactical system....

And now it seems to be happening again.

 

[Thenebra]

It happened almost every season at the end with Berlu, and continued into the next ownerships as well.

Seedorf's and Miha's choice to switch to double pivot systems reduced the enormous midfield problems since we had a lack of proper anchors and mezz'ali for many years(still do). Both were fired in favor of coaches who basically undid it all and reintroduced the midfield problems while attempting to pull off Berlu's idealistic 4-3-1-2 with a trequartista from the 90s.

Mirabelli forced 3-5-2 on the Montella 4-3-3 team that beat Juve several times, won the SC and qualified for EL.

Rino did a good job but was replaced by Giampaolo, who's like the anti-Rino.
Zero people skills, zero intensity, all about overcomplicated tactics. The only thing they seemed to have in common was the self-destructive Suso obsession. Baka, the key player in Rino's midfield was sent back because he didn't fit the new coach's tactical system....

And now it seems to be happening again.

It truly is amazing when you look at the past decade and how mismanaged we are.

Hope we end the banter era soon.

 

[SpartanMilan]

Elliot should read Aesop's fable about The Dog and Its Reflection... we have a very good thing and are going to risk fucking it up on a hope and a dream

 

[Ronin]

I expected a tough game, but he just prepared it perfectly. This is champagne level football. Give him some proper reinforcements and a preseason and he'll get us back to the top.

 

[Fusiproe12]

Pioliland resta

 

[WILL2K]

Congrats on the extension! So happy! Great news!

 

[Sage]

good decision to give him a chance, the organization and the tactical shift is not a fluke, its very clear to see on the field.

he + ibra managed to make the players believe in themselves, that's even bigger than being solid tactically.

+ the intelligence to understand that players like suso and paqueta only hinder team performances, preferring hard working players and giving everyone a chance is a great quality of his.

 

[Az.]

good decision to give him a chance, the organization and the tactical shift is not a fluke, its very clear to see on the field.

he + ibra managed to make the players believe in themselves, that's even bigger than being solid tactically.

+ the intelligence to understand that players like suso and paqueta only hinder team performances, preferring hard working players and giving everyone a chance is a great quality of his.

I'm inclined to believe that. He took over a shit show, and the result got built overtime.

There is however an asterisk to all of that. How much of it is Zlatan's influence, and how much is the Corona virus fucking with the rest of the teams momentum.

Maldini will need to step up this summer big time, he needs to provide him with the missing pieces that will make this team a top four candidate.

Because the team's current members will not qualify for CL next season.

 

[Sage]

well in regards to covid, every team got effected by it, so it's not our fault lazio and inter (for example) are 2 clown clubs that can't deal with a pandemic

I think Milan should promote moncada and have him work with maldini.

 

[necromancer]

Well deserved extension! So happy with his work. Forza Stefano!

 

[Ronin]

I didn't know anything about him before and had no opinion when he was appointed, so for me it's a clean slate.

So, judging only on what he's done with us, I am very much impressed. Well deserved extension, I hope he will continue in the same way + hopefully will get the necessary transfers.

 

[Pingu]

Will be interesting to see how a full preseason works with him in charge if we can maintain this. He doesn't seem like a coach who handpicks his players and would rather work with Maldini and co. on that front.

The change in our play was noticeable early January even if we weren't in good form we had many good halfs and then lost games but- bar the Atalanta game - never seemed to just implode. Example, the Inter game first half we were unplayable and even the second it was individual mistakes really that let us down. Juventus game as well we did well and were unlucky.

With the new-found confidence in the squad I hope Zlatan renews and can ingrain this mentality in them all for once he is eventually gone.

 

[Hondayum]

Will be interesting to see how a full preseason works with him in charge if we can maintain this. He doesn't seem like a coach who handpicks his players and would rather work with Maldini and co. on that front.

The change in our play was noticeable early January even if we weren't in good form we had many good halfs and then lost games but- bar the Atalanta game - never seemed to just implode. Example, the Inter game first half we were unplayable and even the second it was individual mistakes really that let us down. Juventus game as well we did well and were unlucky.

With the new-found confidence in the squad I hope Zlatan renews and can ingrain this mentality in them all for once he is eventually gone.

Isn't just a month this year?

 

[Pingu]

Isn't just a month this year?

Regardless how long, it's better than coming in 7 games into a season where pre-season was entirely wasted and the team was mentally gone.

 

[Polotelli]

We're not only getting good results, he makes us play in a way we've wanted for a very long time. The same players we've called shit are finally performing and their values are going up. We have a very interesting project right now. It needed some time but the results are finally showing. He deserves the stay 100%.

 

[joyrider]

yeah Pioli resta

 

[Boban1982]

He deserved the new contract for the teams improvement and due to there being no better option out there. Good luck!

 

[vidarth]

He deserved the new contract for the teams improvement and due to there being no better option out there. Good luck!

 

[Boban1982]

I certainly wouldn't say Ralf Rangnick was a better option.

Never coached outside of Germany, never won a major title and has never managed a club with the statue of Milan.

 

[joyrider]

I certainly wouldn't say Ralf Rangnick was a better option.

Never coached outside of Germany, never won a major title and has never managed a club with the statue of Milan.

And he wouldn?t have had the RedBull money.

 

[Qaas]

But to be honest i want to see how we are going to perform against atalanta and even sassuolo.

Impressive especially against atalanta with that below tier backline.

Good luck pioli, prove me wrong pleaase

 

[Australiano1980]

I really didnt like the choice of him for next season.

 

[Goodfella]

I really didnt like the choice of him for next season.

You really dont like that he's benching Paqueta

 

[Australiano1980]

You really dont like that he's benching Paqueta

I really dont care about it, Paqueta is good player that got into a messed up team. Pioli didn't actually do anything in special on the squad, the change of actitude came from the arrival of Ibra and the lack of pressure on the field combined. Giampaolo imo would have achieve more with time to work, duo the way his teams are set to play football.

 

[KujaIX]

I'm afraid I'm going to have to hard pass there.

Giampaolo got fired at half time of a game he actually won, due to not playing his best players.

The Ibra arrival was also vitally important, but let's not pretend Giampaolo isn't our worst manager in history...