Harmony talk is cheap, but not unfounded [Bonus article]

In the last few days, it has been more or less impossible to not notice the increased allegations of ‘a lack of harmony’ within the AC Milan squad, following a line of disappointing results. While that talk may be cheap, it’s also not completely unfounded either.

It goes without saying that Milan haven’t claimed as many points as they would have wanted since the second international break ended. A poor run of form, one could call it, and it’s starting to wear on not just the fans but also the players themselves, who have expressed an increased frustration lately.

Is this surprising? Not really. Some are suggesting that Stefano Pioli is losing the locker room, that the players are upset with his tactics and that this ‘crack’ could lead to serious actions soon. This talk is cheap, without a doubt, and always emerges when teams go through a rougher period.

In Milan’s case, I’m not at all surprised by the comments of the likes of Davide Calabria and Olivier Giroud. The captain acknowledged that better energy will be needed to compete at the highest level, essentially, while the veteran reacted honestly to losing a two-goal lead. Were they wrong? Absolutely not. Is it everything we need to assume that there is a problem with Pioli? Absolutely not.