Looking at the numbers from Milan-Lecce, Gonçalo Ramos tops the standings for lay-offs, with seven, but is absent from the statistics for shots on target, off target or blocked. In other words, he did not attempt a single shot at the opposition goal.
That is in stark contrast to the figures recorded by De Winter, Pavlovic, Estupiñán, Rabiot, Pulisic, Moreira and Saelemaekers. Defenders, midfielders and attacking midfielders are getting shots away and scoring too, with Rabiot finding the net from a Ramos assist, while the centre-forward of this new attack-minded Milan did not even make his presence felt inside the penalty area.
Ramos runs, battles, competes and brings others into play, with the numbers rewarding him for those qualities, but where have the goals gone? His last came against Venezia, now four matches ago, including the Europa League: a signing that, based on the transfer figures, cost Milan €70 million. Ramos was brought in to cure the goalscoring problems that had affected Leão, Pulisic, Nkunku, Gimenez and Fullkrug a year ago. For now, Ramos has had a mixed impact: he has helped the team overcome its attacking difficulties, but he has not cured his own.
A specific solution is therefore needed to get him back among the goals. The recipe is to get him closer to the penalty area. Gonçalo has not had a shot on goal since 28 August, when Milan faced Venezia in the second league game of the season. The numbers fluctuate: five total shots against Torino on his debut, one on target, two off target and two blocked; eight against Venezia; none away to Juventus and just one, off target, at Lazio; then three against Benfica without ever hitting the target, and none against Lecce.
Getting him closer also means linking up with him nearer the goal: just 9% of his touches have come inside the penalty area. Lautaro reaches 20%, while Malen is at 29%. Ramos exchanges passes with his team-mates in deeper areas and also tracks back to defend. His willingness to sacrifice himself for others is not being repaid enough. Perhaps he needs more through balls played at the right moment, or crosses, given that Amorim believes he has the aerial ability to make an impact even when surrounded by several defenders, writes La Gazzetta dello Sport in this morning's print edition.
Another recommendation is for Ramos to remain composed. After covering so much ground across the pitch, that is not necessarily easy. With 57 kilometres covered, he is the Milan player who has run the most over the first five league games, averaging 11.5 km per match. He ranks eighth across the whole of Serie A and first among the league's centre-forwards. Pavlovic is second among Milan players on 55 km, followed by De Winter on 50.6. To put it into perspective, a player who covers the entire flank like Chukwueze has managed 45 km, while ball-winner Musah is on 42.6. Everyone else is below 42 kilometres.
Yesterday, his drought continued with Portugal, where he started on the bench against Wales before replacing Ronaldo. His next opportunities will come against Norway, Denmark and Norway again with Portugal, followed by Sassuolo, Atalanta and Udinese in the league, three of the nine Serie A sides that allow the most shots.
Gonçalo is not discouraged.
He explained as much to Milan's official channels with a smile: "I would like to live in Milan for a long time. You realise how huge Milan are as a club and in terms of their fanbase. I have had a relationship with Amorim for years. With Benfica, I scored two goals against his Sporting..."
Amorim and Milan now want new goals, all of them for themselves.
