Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s place at Milan is becoming a more pressing issue than one misleading running statistic. The midfielder has covered marginally fewer kilometres than Mike Maignan across the opening five Serie A rounds, but the difference reflects playing time rather than effort.
The decision
Maignan has completed 25.9 kilometres in 450 minutes plus added time, having stayed on the pitch throughout Milan’s first five league matches. Loftus-Cheek is on 25.8 kilometres, yet his total has come from only 210 minutes.
Measured per minute, the picture changes sharply. Maignan has averaged 57 metres per minute, while Loftus-Cheek has reached 123. For comparison, Luka Modric has averaged 112 metres per minute, Yunus Musah 130 and Adrien Rabiot 128.
The overall Milan leader in distance covered is Gonçalo Ramos, with 57.3 kilometres. But the Maignan-Loftus-Cheek comparison is not a useful verdict on either player: a goalkeeper can move aggressively from his area and act as an additional defender, but cannot be expected to cover ground at the same rate as an outfield midfielder.
Loftus-Cheek’s concern instead is his standing under Ruben Amorim. He began the campaign as a starter, starting three of Milan’s five league fixtures and appearing as a substitute in the other two, whether coming on or being replaced. Since August and September, however, his role has diminished.
He is now regarded as a reserve and has continued to give the impression of a player whose contributions arrive too irregularly. The return of Christian Pulisic and the progress of Diego Moreira are set to make his route into the side still narrower.
Provided there are no injuries, Loftus-Cheek and Alphadjo Cisse appear the players most likely to lose minutes in Milan’s October schedule. If Loftus-Cheek is to regain value in Amorim’s plans, it may be closer to the opposition goal: his physical presence and capacity to produce a goal or an assist are attributes that can influence a match. A role built around ninety minutes of constant running looks less suited to him.
