Yahoo Sports CM: Morata providing work rate not goals – management reflect on ‘summer mistake’
The defeat against Napoli to fall 11 points behind the Serie A leaders has brought further profound reflections regarding AC Milan, and Alvaro Morata is included.
Calciomercato.com write how Morata has shown plenty of positive signs since arriving but has also become a bit of a problem for Milan, because they need him to be more dangerous in the opponent’s area.
The Spaniard up to now has been exemplary in terms of his hard work, leadership and selflessness, qualities that have already earned him the respect and affection of the fans. However, he clearly is not the man to deliver a big return in terms of goals, as his two in 10 games shows.
Rewinding the tape, Morata’s performance against Napoli had some positive numbers: two successful tackles, six ground duels won, three tackles and one interception. However, they are met with one shot off target, zero on target, zero attempted dribbles and 19 successful passes out of 27.
At this stage, Milan are not only lacking goals from Rafael Leão but also from Morata. The 32-year-old was never going to be the striker who scored 30 goals a season but he can and must get at least half of that figure.
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The work he does in terms of movement also serves to open up gaps for the wingers or midfielders but the risk concerns wasting a lot of energy outside the 18-yard box. Fonseca will certainly have to reflect on this aspect, and the management must too.
Morata was an opportunity seized by the directors, but what has been made even more evident by Olivier Giroud’s farewell is that the striker issue has not been resolved despite the long time available to plan.
Tammy Abraham, for example, has confirmed that he lacks a clinical nature in front of goal. Geoffrey Moncada and Zlatan Ibrahimovic will to think about how to undo the ‘summer mistake’.
