Getty Images
AC Milan flop Andrea Bertolacci hopes to turn fortunes around under new manager Brocchi
“I am not the only one who has something to prove. Most of my players have to do the same”, Brocchi told journalists during yesterday’s press conference.
It is not difficult at all to understand who was Brocchi talking about. Not only Mario Balotelli, but also Andrea Bertolacci.
The former Genoa star has failed to live up his potential at the San Siro after completing a summer € 20 million switch from AS Roma.
No doubt Bertolacci did not feel at ease in Mihajlovic’s 4-4-2 system, but the central midfielder’s problem was more psychological rather than tactical.
Fans expected higher standards from one of the best midfielders of the last campaign and some have already labelled him as the worst signing of the current season.
Brocchi will have to work on both the player’s mentality and position on the pitch. “Players need to be more self confidant, some of them face difficulties during games and they have to overcome them”, Brocchi added yesterday.
The description matches perfectly some of Bertolacci’s games. The once Italy International had started some games in a very decent way this season, though he showed a tendency to lose aggression and self confidence after the first couple of mistakes.
Brocchi will work on Bertolacci’s mentality and will also change his role on the pitch. With AC Milan believed to line-up with a 4-3-1-2 system against Sampdoria, Bertolacci will be deployed as left halfback, giving Riccardo Montolivo the key to the Rossoneri midfield and trying to use Bertolacci in the same position he used to cover at Genoa where he managed six goals and eight assists in 34 games last term.
Lorenzo Bettoni, adapted from an article by Federico Albrizio @Albri_Fede90
