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Take nothing away from his willingness to pay out of his own pocket to stay at AC Milan, this is sort of desire and loyalty is rare. Also, I don't think he is a bad player, in general, the point I want to make here is that while many consider him our "best" defender it shows how we as fans have lost the plot on what a GREAT defender really was!
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For a long while Milan flirted with another defender, Davide Astori, and if you compare him side by side with the likes of Adil Rami you start to realize that while Rami has come in and scored some crucial goals his ability to be a real defender is simply not there. The reality is that Milan need a bear in the back and while they have tried hard after the departure of Thiago Silva the ownership has lost the plot on what a defender looks like. Rami came in and it was evident from the first minute that he was not cut from the elegant cloth of defending, but more the swashbuckling variety like his countrymen Philip Mexes. He dives into tackles, he goes in two footed, he doesn't know how to block tackle and his man marking is more the same vicinity then stick on him like glue.
Comparing to Roma's Davide Astori both have played 165 or so matches...
|
|
Tackle |
Int |
Fouls |
Offside Won |
Clr |
Was Dribbled |
Blk Shots |
Rating |
|
Astori |
2.3 |
3 |
1.4 |
1.1 |
9.3 |
0.4 |
0.7 |
7.28 |
|
Rami |
1.4 |
1.8 |
1.3 |
0.5 |
5.5 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
6.99 |
The stats above represent average over their career and you can see the difference in tactics and execution rather simply. While neither is a World Class by any means if you were to look at each based on their tool kit and ability you have to choose Astori. Now while agree stats don't tell the whole story if you look at composure and physical presence, a more subjective classification, Rami doesn't stack up either. A bit frenetic and hectic there is a reason he has scored 11 goals in his career he follows play to a fault, not my favorite in a defender.
At the end of the day, he is the best defender on this roster, which says more about the roster then it does about Rami and I will gladly stand by him. But having been treated to the likes of Marcel Desailly, Alessandro Nesta and not even mentioning the true greats Rami can barely shine their boots. Milan need a rock of a CB and this guy isn't it.