Hanshithispantz Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 https://sempremilan.com/sandro-tonali-incredible-metamorphosis-ac-milan More in the article but this especially sounds great for us: Quote One of the key elements of Stefano Pioli’s tactical approach has been based around pressing, and Tonali was the focal part of this mechanism. Against Atalanta in Bergamo just as an example, Tonali’s clever pressing eventually forced Freuler into a mistake and he netted his second of the season. Tonali made a total of 576 pressing actions this season and the team gained possession 32% of the time that he pressed, showing that he led from the fore with his new-found confidence in commanding the middle of the park. At the core of its philosophy, the gegenpress emphasises pressing and vertical counter-transitions and for this you need players who can play balls vertically. One example that springs to mind is Tonali’s key pass to Ante Rebic for Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s goal in Milan’s win against Lazio at San Siro. Another of Tonali’s tactical qualities has been how he switches positions based on a real understanding with his team-mates. To scatter their markers, Pioli asked his players to change their positions in order not to give easy reference points, and Tonali would engage in these shifts by moving out wide or far forward. To facilitate playing from the back and beating the press of the opposition, Tonali would sit in between the two centre-backs and allow Theo Hernandez and/or Davide Calabria to split wide, also allowing the now wider centre-backs to go forward and take part in the build-up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFEE Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 (edited) 13 minutes ago, HaydnNUFC said: Offering 100m combined for both Barella and Tonali does seem to be teetering into the 'taking the piss' zone of transfer offers, mind. Depends on how desperate the sellers are and how big the market is for what you are selling along with contract situation and current wages. I think Chelsea to name but a few massively overpaying has really distorted how much you and others value what players are worth recently. This time last year a few would probably of thought these prices might be on the high side. Also you never go in with your highest bid regardless. Edited June 20, 2023 by LFEE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 The Pirlo comparison was never a perfect fit, and was more because of his appearance and the fact he came through at Brescia. There's similarities, but he's never had the passing ability of Pirlo. More physical and high energy though. Worth noting that he's never played in a midfield 3 really, always in a double pivot. So it's hard to really say whether we'd see him as a 6 or as an 8 if we stick with the current system. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokerprince2004 Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 For the Italian football experts: who is better Barella or Tonali?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieDazzler Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 We have a man with no hair linking us to Barella and a man with flowing locks linking us to Tonali, who to believe? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFEE Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 1 minute ago, Pokerprince2004 said: For the Italian football experts: who is better Barella or Tonali?? Barella from what I’ve heard but Tonali younger. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Pokerprince2004 said: For the Italian football experts: who is better Barella or Tonali?? I'm not an expert but been watching Serie A a couple of seasons now. They're different kinds of midfielders but Barella is definitely the more complete of the two. Edited June 20, 2023 by The Prophet Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Pokerprince2004 said: For the Italian football experts: who is better Barella or Tonali?? Different players but definitely Barella. More of a complete package in both directions, more made for the PL, and more made for our current system. Also more established in the national team while Tonali has not really started many games. Only thing to say is however that Tonali is 3 years younger. Edited June 20, 2023 by ponsaelius Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 4 minutes ago, ponsaelius said: The Pirlo comparison was never a perfect fit, and was more because of his appearance and the fact he came through at Brescia. There's similarities, but he's never had the passing ability of Pirlo. More physical and high energy though. Worth noting that he's never played in a midfield 3 really, always in a double pivot. So it's hard to really say whether we'd see him as a 6 or as an 8 if we stick with the current system. Apparently did for Brescia (according to that scouting report anyway) and moved into a double Pivot at Milan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfcastle Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 (edited) 8 minutes ago, GeordieDazzler said: We have a man with no hair linking us to Barella and a man with flowing locks linking us to Tonali, who to believe? "Hair are your aerials. They pick up signals from the cosmos and transmit them directly into the brain. This is the reason Luke Edwards is shit." - Danny the Dealer (1969) Edited June 20, 2023 by Wolfcastle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnNUFC Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 2 minutes ago, LFEE said: Depends on how desperate the sellers are and how big the market is for what you are selling along with contract situation and current wages. I think Chelsea to name but a few massively overpaying has really distorted how much you and others value what players are worth recently. This time last year a few would probably of thought these prices might be on the high side. Also you never go in with your highest bid regardless. Admitted on page 2 that I am unaware of his contractual situation and/or Milan's financial issues, if there are any. Tonali was a key midfielder in Milan winning their first scudetto in 11 years last season; €50m/£42.75m for him and the (alleged) same fee for Barella who's cited as one of the best midfielders in Europe seems a bit low on the face of it imo, all I was saying. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRaspberryJam Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 28 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said: Oh, KaKa's banned? Because the regime don't like it, man. He said you lot would go mental. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 7 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said: Apparently did for Brescia (according to that scouting report anyway) and moved into a double Pivot at Milan. Yeah, fair point. I didn't really comment on his time at Brescia because they had 1 season in Serie A when he was 20, were pretty hopeless, and went straight back down. Didn't think it was a great sample to judge on either way. I actually saw him play live in Brescia in 2020. 1-1 draw with Udinese just before they went behind closed doors for COVID. Remember being disappointed after the hype but like I say Brescia were poor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFEE Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 1 minute ago, HaydnNUFC said: Admitted on page 2 that I am unaware of his contractual situation and/or Milan's financial issues, if there are any. Tonali was a key midfielder in Milan winning their first scudetto in 11 years last season; €50m/£42.75m for him and the (alleged) same fee for Barella who's cited as one of the best midfielders in Europe seems a bit low on the face of it imo, all I was saying. Fair enough. Just don’t underestimate how skint most Italian clubs are is all I’m saying. Maybe why we are hovering in that region. Also what is the going rate for good midfielder? £50-60m surely not that far off? There’s only English clubs between themselves paying more in general these days it seems. Never see many fees north of that elsewhere apart from the usual suspects in Spain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 6 minutes ago, MrRaspberryJam said: He said you lot would go mental. Fight it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderson Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 This window feels like it might be a buyers market, loads of clubs seemingly needing to sell. Just need to hold your nerve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieDazzler Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 Where is @Milanista when you need him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 20 minutes ago, ponsaelius said: The Pirlo comparison was never a perfect fit, and was more because of his appearance and the fact he came through at Brescia. There's similarities, but he's never had the passing ability of Pirlo. More physical and high energy though. Worth noting that he's never played in a midfield 3 really, always in a double pivot. So it's hard to really say whether we'd see him as a 6 or as an 8 if we stick with the current system. Double pivot with Bruno G potentially, with Maddison more advanced? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaqen Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 £50m seems about right to me. Barella would go for more as he's more established and complete as a player. Tonali has tonnes of potential but definitely less guaranteed to succeed outside of Italy I'd say. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 (edited) It's more that with both Barella and Tonali they are basically the 'emblem' players for both clubs. Both national team midfielders, boyhood fans of the clubs and with plenty miles left on the clock. Italian clubs are skint but even then there tends to be untouchable domestic players that they'll put a high price on even above the players actual value - particularly in cases where the players themselves I think would take some convincing to move and otherwise will happily keep signing new contracts. They're more likely to shuffle/recycle others out the door - wary of missing out on transfer fees when players' contracts run down. I think you'd be looking at closer to 70-80 million to get either club to sell. I can definitely see why we're testing the water with the bids rumoured but I'm just not convinced they're going to be doable in our budget unless we're happy to go silly. Edited June 20, 2023 by ponsaelius Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffee_Johnny Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 19 minutes ago, GeordieDazzler said: We have a man with no hair linking us to Barella and a man with flowing locks linking us to Tonali, who to believe? We were linked to Tonali first, to be fair. Monday or Tuesday last week. I posted an interesting article in Transfer Rumours. Sounds like he’d be a great acquisition. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFEE Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 1 minute ago, Anderson said: This window feels like it might be a buyers market, loads of clubs seemingly needing to sell. Just need to hold your nerve. Yep. Reminds me when the sharks circled Leeds and we picked up Woodgate cheap when we called their bluff and also had a bit more ability to pay a bit more up front. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 Pretty sure Howe has said before that we won't pursue players that don't want to play for us. We must have had encouragement to make a bid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 He feels about the right level and style to me. Good enough to come and improve us, hopefully gettable and won’t be going to Man City or Real. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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