Stefano Pioli and his team have lost too many points against teams on the lower end of the table. Fans expected a win and a great performance from Charles De Ketelaere against Bologna, but were left disappointed once again. The most expensive acquisition from last summer's transfer window can't shake off his fear of making mistakes, which is certainly not a minor detail when playing for one of the most important and followed clubs in Italy and in the world.
As points out Calciomercato.com, De Ketelaere's lack of goals doesn't fully depict his crisis. Until the Monza game, the Belgian had created opportunities to score, but now he struggles to even make the right play in the final third. His style makes him in fact not suitable for this AC Milan team that relies on counterattacking play. More pace than possession. That's why the former Club Brugge player is a tactical misunderstanding as well as an economic one.
An investment worth close to 35 million euros, for a financially cautious club like AC Milan, cannot be depleted in just a few months. Now it's up to Pioli to find a solution for De Ketelaere, both psychologically and tactically. However, the first step must come from the player himself, who has had enough time to understand the new environment. The version seen today against Bologna is too far from an acceptable level.
