AC Milan Blog

If you have been following the comments lately you would think it was the day after the Senior Prom with all this talk about Plan B. The old adage in football has always been in order to have a Plan B, you need a Plan A, and only then to execute Plan B you need the players. We have come a long away from the days of Leo, where Plan A was to address all problems by throwing attackers at it. We now have a very firm and successful, Plan A, and for those that have forgotten that Plan A won us a title, restored balance, and made this team a force domestically last season. The true issue here is that I don’t believe we could have a Plan B with this roster.

Sure on paper it looks like we have depth, but do we really? Our depth is fictitious, can we count Bonera, Zambro, and Pippo? How about the fact that our hardest working group, the three man midfield, has few subs to maintain the balance and rhythm needed to be successful. Injuries haven’t helped that, but Urby and Ambro’s poor play and the lack of a real CDM is causing its own problems. Even our striker force, which is the most crowded position lacks cohesion despite the depth and their injuries are presenting a real problem. I am not making excuses but simply wonder how a Coach can have Plan B when he often lacks the players to execute Plan A?

Another rather odd suggestion from fans, one that isn’t well thought out, is the belief or notion that you can change formations on a game by game basis!? This is a common suggestion of fans who don’t understand the amount of work and effort required to first learn a new formation, and then execute it. The suggestions to play a 4-2-3-1 using Robinho and El Shaarawi as wingers, is simply suicide. The formation would degenerate into a 4-2-4 in mere minutes and the defense would be shredded week in and week out. Worse is the lack of recognition in the fact Milan doesn’t even have true wingers on the team outside of the fullbacks, and even they are not actually wingers in the truest sense. It is different, and in fact easier, for a team like Barca to morph from a 4-3-3 in to a 3-4-3 when you have players like Alves who can bomb forward, and Busquets and Mascherano to drop back. But this is the exception not the norm, few teams deviate from their main tactical plan, Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho work exclusively in the 4-2-3-1, can he change players to make the formation more attacking or defense, yes, but Allegri doesn’t have that luxury. Can he play a more attack minded CDM, LM, or RM, not when he doesn’t have one!

End of the day I do not believe Milan have the players to make this happen or in fact deploy any other formation outside of a 4-3-2-1 which is the only logical choice considering how this team was previously built and the players on hand. Fundamentally the formation would remain the same except you can deploy Seedorf and El Shaarawi behind a striker, but that is the only way it could even be considered, let alone be successful. So as we take the field against Juventus tomorrow, our third match in six days, you have to wonder if we can even manage to execute Plan A without keeling over from exhaustion, let alone consider a Plan B?

Yesterday I was able to enjoy the match with my old friend and podcast co-host Chad. This is usually a treat because different geographical location requires us to text during Milan matches, but it appears texting is the better option because Milan remains win less when Chad is in town! Sorry Chad…

Reading comments when Milan drops points is a real adventure. You have the usual irrational nonsense, the self-flogging fans, and the occasional insightful response and true to form yesterday was no different, but I think while there are some serious problems, the team and Coach deserve a bit more credit in preserving the point. The immediate reaction to this match is one of disappointment. Disappointment that Milan didn’t win, or take advantage of dropped point from Juventus and Udinese, but considering the circumstances I will gladly take one point over none, which could have easily been the result yesterday.

First and foremost there is simply no excuse for Zlatan’s behavior. Busy month of February or not, no player should lose their cool in a pressure cooker of a match, during a passage of play where Milan were clearly the better side. These matches are always heated and the rivalry is intense, not to mention there are a handful of Napoli players who deserve slapping, but a goal and a win would have been hurt more than ten cheap shots on a big mouthed defender. I won’t even mention the ridiculousness of the slap and how it was hidden across Nocerino, if Nocerino had been wrongly carded it would have been a far worse problem, but not carding Aronica or DeSanctis was also a failure in my opinion. Now, like last season, Milan will go about a long stretch without Ibra. Last season many were worried, but the team showed it could win without the influential big man, time to show that again.

Another point is to hit out on the criticism received by Allegri. To be honest Milan were the better side this match, and a goal was on the horizon before the red card, it was only a matter of time. Sure Robinho missed a brilliant chance, but we can discuss that later, the point being is Milan were in control. In fact they coped very well with Napoli’s width, and despite Napoli defending with a brick of 5 players at the top of the 18 yard box Milan continued to pressure getting the ball into good areas and creating chances. Seedorf was not the savior many expected as they called for him against Lazio, he simply wasn’t effective at finding the passes and breaking down the defense. He could have easily helped in exploiting the space in behind the wingbacks, but then again the whole team could have. It appeared the player’s once again failed to recognize and exploit the weakness of the opponent. In the end it didn’t matter much because we lost out on the momentum of the match and Allegri played it safe leaving Maxi Lopez alone up top and defending the point. Any pragmatic Coach would have done the same thing in a title race, preserve the point you have over chasing the ones you don’t.

For me the issue is still one of depth and personnel. Sure injuries are a factor, and fatigue looks to be setting in early in this busy month. But without the proper players in the midfield this team will struggle because there is a lack of tactical balance both offensively and defensively depending on who is deployed. Is it an excuse, not really, I don’t like excuses, but as fans cry for a Plan B you have to ask how or where that plan is going to from? Changing formations wily-nily or debuting further youth team players is not the answer here. From a simple stand point the players called on need to play better. In the absence of Aquilani, Prince, and Merkel, players like Urby and Ambrosini need to step and perform and the fact of the matter is they have not. Couple this with a poor run of a form from Robinho and lack of a real second striker option outside of El Shaarawi and the lack of options continue.

Feel free to be disappointed, but not at Allegri or the result, instead direct it at Zlatan or the players who simply aren’t rising to the challenge. This was never going to be an easy month, one point out of the first two matches is a poor start, but the month continues. If you didn’t abandon ship following the loss to Lazio, and your still hanging on now, congrats, you have earned my respect. Now let’s get behind this team, Zlatan has three games, the rest of the guys need to step up and frankly so do the fans. We have a Wednesday visit from an Old Lady to start preparing for.

I am previewing a game that may or may not happen, just so you are aware. At this point weather outlook is grim, with the game being moved from a 245 EST start time to a 9 EST start time. Until we know for sure we press on with business as usual…and business is not good…

So much has been made this season about Milan’s inability to beat the top sides in the Table, in fact almost as much has been made about Napoli’s inability to beat the weak sides in the Table. So really on the outset things are NOT looking up for Milan. We know how difficult the month is, two games a week for four weeks, and the injuries are not easy to contend with, but this is not the time for excuses. Both teams enter this match with a simple directive: must win.

The loss to Lazio difficult, in fact it left many wondering what could have been differently, but as we discussed in the comments, few options truly existed. We know in some way shape or form the defense will remain the same, which is a positive, Abbiati will remain in net and Zlatan and Nocerino will be in the starting eleven. The rest is up for debate. Against Lazio we saw an attack minded front three who often dropped deep but didn’t connect as well as one would have thought with the midfield. It didn’t help that Zlatan was a bit out of form, and in turn caused problems for his teammates, but this is not a surprise. February is often unkind to the big Swede, and no coincidence that is usually the time of his big CL failures? If Milan are to right the ship he needs to break the February slump and at least create if he can’t finish. He is a fixture in the lineup but who does he pair with? Binho continues to work but he wasn’t the live wire that El Shaarawi was, and while Seedorf can slow things down to a painful halt his qualities could be useful in the right scenario this match, so here it goes:

Abbiati; Abate, Mexes, Silva, Mesbah; Urby, Ambro, Nocerino; Clarence; Zlatan, El Shaarawi

Van Bommel and Ambro need to be rotated, not played together so it starts this week. Same can be said of Nesta, Silva and Mexes, avoiding more than two games in a row for any of them. Abate, Mesbah, and Nocerino risk being worn out, but at this point you need the points here and now. Clarence can be lethal, or detrimental, I guess 45 minutes should be enough time to decide that, if not bring on Binho or Maxi. This one is a must win and needs to be wrapped up as soon as possible.

Record in the Month of Hell: 0W 1L 0D

Have to admit reading the comments on the last post was the highlight of my evening, people looking to place blame wherever they could lay it. Rambling so irrationally it was as if the ship was sinking past the relegation zone, some even suggesting I would blame Pato for this loss, and they say I am obsessed? Sorry, but I am not looking to lay blame on a specific player, Coach or Management, this was a collective loss, and more importantly one that was down to Reja and Lazio’s ability to look at last week’s loss, make changes and come out on top. Sometimes you have to give credit where it is due…

There comes a time for every team where you dominate possession, defend with balance and somehow have nothing to show for it. It is not unheard of and usually boils down to the opponent neutralizing the right areas of the pitch and limiting forward progress where they can. Lazio deserves all the credit in the World for this. Instead of using the back three from last week, that Milan shredded, they went with a more traditional back four and filled in the space between the midfield and defense where Milan’s attackers like to sit. This created extensive traffic and made it very difficult for Milan to combine short passes in and around the defenders. Well played by Reja, but more importantly well executed by Lazio. It wasn’t that Milan couldn’t create chances, as they did, but it was often overly complex with passes being longer than they needed to be or lower percentage then they should be. Why play a ball wide and over the top when a one two combination was present? Van Bommel and Ambro were guilty of this often, as was Mesbah, but even the strikers seemed to make smart runs but couldn’t find each other to feet to make that incisive break.

More alarming for me was the return of the lack of patience that we saw rear its ugly head often last season. Instead of waiting and possessing with the score level at zero, they rushed things, and that never works. This is a talented football who last night seemed completely incapable of reading what was presented to them and adapting. So while Allegri tried to adjust that his player’s didn’t respond. The turning point in this match was the substitutions, throwing on more attack minded players in Urby, Seedorf, and Lopez seemed to upset the balance but most importantly create space for Lazio through the middle and unlike Milan they didn’t dissapoint. The Hernanes goal was one thing, but the Rocchi goal was the nail in the coffin. Questionable subs and questionable performances means Milan got just what they deserved in this one, nothing.

At the end of the day you shouldn’t blame the ref, he doesn’t have the benefit of slow motion replay that we do. You shouldn’t blame Abbiati, Allegri, or the management for transfer deals that did or didn’t happen; all of this is foolish. In the end you blame the team, a team that is capable of scoring three goals and then just as easily they are foiled by a well-organized defense. The tried and true old adage of keeping it simple was lost on Milan in this match, instead they beat themselves. They didn’t adapt, they didn’t play the space presented, and they didn’t show their talent. For now Juve has both hands firmly on the wheel and in the driver’s seat for the Title, is the race over? No, despite what many of you say or believe, it is only just beginning. But if you want abandon ship, by all means, no one is stopping you.

On Wednesday Milan begin what I believe to be the most crucial part of the 2011/2012 Scudetto campaign. Wednesday begins a run of games so crucial and so tightly packed that it will be both exhausting and telling as to how capable this team truly is for a repeat of last season’s title winning season. Do they have to go undefeated in these matches? No, but dropping points will be crucial in the Serie A title race against Juventus and upstarts Udinese. Behold the February that will define the season:

Feb 1 2:45 ET Lazio v AC Milan Stadio Olimpico Serie A
Feb 5 9:00 ET AC Milan v Napoli Stadio Giuseppe Meazza Serie A
Feb 12 9:00 ET Udinese v AC Milan Stadio Friuli Serie A
Feb 15 2:45 ET AC Milan v Arsenal Giuseppe Meazza Champions League (Round of 16)
Feb 19 9:00 ET Cesena v AC Milan Stadio D. Manuzzi Serie A
Feb 26 9:00 ET AC Milan v Juventus Stadio Giuseppe Meazza Serie A

Four of five matches versus Serie A competition are against strong opposition. Mix in a match against Cesena and a CL match against Arsenal and you have a month to remember, or one we will want to soon forget? I have mentioned in the past how important it is for good teams to reverse results, and while I don’t put tremendous stock is “needing” to beat the big boys to win the Title, I think a team that can earn points in matches they weren’t able to do so in the first half of the campaign is a sign of success and progress.

Beating Napoli last season was a turning point in the Title race last season, Edison Cavani got his revenge this season and Milan should now try and exact theirs. Much has been said about the strength of Juventus this season and their impressive run, but little has been said to the fact that they are really only competing on one front, something Milan doesn’t luxury off. It also needs to be said that regardless of the outcome of this match the season is still on and the tempo at which Juventus is playing matches and Conte’s unwillingness to rotate players could spell a bout of fatigue in early spring for Juventus. Mind you Milan can be just as susceptible, but whereas one team has played on two fronts for a few seasons now, accustomed to the rigors, it has been a while since Juventus has truly been under the gun. A win would surely be nice in this match to silence the critics, but even a loss could have little repercussion if the wheels fall off the bus for Juventus. I for one would rather not wait for that to happen and prefer Milan take’s what belongs to them in that match; three points.

Udinese and Arsenal both also present a unique challenge because their squads are relatively young in comparison, they like to pass and possess the ball, and they can play at a good tempo. So both matches will be physically challenged for Millan, or any opponent for that matter. Everyone wants to continually discuss the scudetto being between Milan and Juventus, but I think if big Clubs falter Udinese sits in a great spot. I also think Arsenal have resigned themselves to being out of the EPL race, and will be hungry to progress in the CL while staying in touch with the EPL top four. At the end of the day these are two very dangerous opponents that should not be taken lightly.

I end the post with lowly Cesena and inconsistent Lazio. The Cesena match should be a penciled in victory, but in true Milan fashion they will win all the matches before it and lose that one!? The real and most immediate test however is Lazio, whom Milan already dispatched last week in the Coppa Italia. It is no secret it is solid well coached squad, capable of limiting chances and fighting for a draw, but Milan has proven their ability to exploit the 3 man defense and deal with the wing play, so if Reja sticks with the same game plan, Milan may be OK in this one. Allegri must consider the entire month before rolling out the same players in each and every match and it would be very good to get a few goals early in this one, which could easily happen if Milan’s attack is firing on all cylinders. Not all that sure what Allegri does with his lineup but my early guess:

Abbiati; Abate, Mexes, Silva, Mesbah; Urby, Ambro, Nocerino; Seedorf; Zlatan, Robinho

El Shaarawi and Lopez should be on the ready in this one and the lack of midfield options may prove damaging as this month wears on. This will require a bit of finesse and rotation and we may very well see the hybrid 4-3-3/4-3-1-2 we discuss last week depending on fitness of the available midfield players. Can’t help but a get a sense of deja-vu from last season’s February and the rash of midfield injuries, let’s hope this is not the case for this year as well.

Welcome to the month from the hell…hope you enjoy it!

It certainly wasn’t the most resounding win or performance, but sometimes you have to win ugly. In fact titles are built on winning ugly, and while Cagliari may not be the “big scalp” that so many crave, the three points in this match are just as important as any other and scoring three goals to boot isn’t all that bad. Even better is the fact that this game was played at a pace that allowed Milan to relax and not expend to much energy as the run of fixture in the next few weeks is rough.

Once again it was the Zlatan show, a goal, an assist and a ten minute rest were all he needed to assure Milan another win. Say what you want about him in big games, he may not win them for you, but he certainly makes sure you win the rest. His performances of late have to put him into the higher echelon of World strikers and his willingness to work both on and off the ball make him such an asset that not building around and working with him would be criminal. Let’s be honest his goal was incredible, you almost knew it was going in the minute it left his foot, but more importantly was the little touch onto Nocerino that led to the second goal and buried the match in favor of AC Milan.

Speaking of important players Nocerino continues to prove his worth with another goal, and the fact that he is never rested is becoming alarming, but he is so crucial it must be hard for Allegri to find those spots. Thankfully he is supremely fit and seems to run endlessly, but a few minutes here or there wouldn’t hurt. Goals from the midfield this season are now a norm and are a testament to Allegri’s tactics and the industry from the strikers. Ambrosini also got in on the act, scoring his first since 2010, and his presence on the defense side of the ball assured that Cagliari really were down for the count.

You have to wonder what Ballardini was thinking in this match, at times Cagliari had the upper hand pressing well and winning the ball in the midfield, but they never appeared dangerous in creating chances. Ibarbo, Cosu, and even Astori were offensive threats, but once Ballardini starting sub off his stronger players this match was a walk about. Fine by me, and for Milan, but a bit puzzling if you are a Cagliari supporter. Ballardini was not the only one guilty of puzzling moves, Allegri’s decision to sub Seedorf and Binho with Lazio on the horizon was a bit odd. But I guess it depends on his plans for midweek, which we will discuss more tomorrow. I felt he should have run those two into the ground and called on El Shaarawi and Ambrosini midweek, but time will tell if his decision was sound.

He did decide to give Pippo ten minutes in what I believe could be a final curtain call on his Milan career. Many wanted to see new signing Maxi Lopez, but if this is it for Pippo so be it. Fans will get teary eyed I am sure, but there is no reason to. Pirlo was sent packing for the good of the TEAM, and the same can be said for Inzaghi. Allegri has come in and made tough decisions making older players earn their keep on short contracts, and Pippo should be no different. These are/were loyal servants and soldiers, but in Pippo’s case his time has passed, so best of luck of to him wherever he goes, or even if he stays, he just needs to respect the vision and path Allegri is taking with this team. Especially with the continued progression of El Shaarawi who was an instant game changer with a cracking chance off a corner and great off the ball work in the few minutes of match time he had before the game truly slowed down.

A new signing that did get a full 90 was Mesbah. I have to admit it is nice to see a no- nonsense left back with a left foot, but he is not the type of player who set the World on fire. Solid, tactically sound, and a decent engine he should help solidify the left back position, but Milan should have a LB on the shopping list for depth and grooming. His crosses did appear Oddo-esque at times, but his willingness to work alone will make up for the occasional errant ball across. Mexes was also given a full 90 to assure Silva is fit for midweek, but he still makes nervous. He often reacts slowly forcing a reckless challenge on the ball, sure he occasionally wins them in exciting fashion, but you can see why he has been branded a walking red card. Not the strongest mental sense for a CB, but even a on the ball he can be hasty and a bit brash. I can see why some fans like this swashbuckling defending, but personally I would prefer a CB who looks like a swashbuckler in Yepes, but plays like he has a head on his soldiers.

A solid no frills win, and while some will surely call it boring or mundane, it is absolutely necessary over the course of a long season. Not to mention, a win is a win is a win, if you think your team winning is boring, then maybe you are rooting for the wrong team or watching the wrong sport, try alternatives like darts or perhaps table tennis I hear the action is fairly non-stop. Be sure to check in tomorrow for a rundown of the upcoming wild fixture list and Allegri’s Mission Scudetto.

I have to admit when I saw Reja’s 3-4-1-2 formation I was nervous that Milan would be unable to cope with Lazio’s width and that they would lose the vital numbers game in the midfield. Cisse’s early goal seemed to affirm that point with a lack of pressure from the midfield causing disarray in the defense and poor marking leading to the goal. But the disarray was only for a fleeting second as Milan began to possess the ball and exploit Lazio’s back three and their inability to link the ball from the midfield to attack with Hernanes looking less like the player he can be and more like a headless chicken.

Robinho opened the scoring with a class finish, yes you read that right, for all the people who say he can’t finish, he seemed to take offense and buried it. But it wasn’t so much the finish that was stellar but the buildup and ball movement from El Shaarawi, Abate, and the flick from Merkel. El Shaarawi would be responsible yet again on one of the most sublime flicks I have seen in a while to Seedorf who buried a shot and basically put Milan in the driver’s seat for the rest of the match. With that flick El Shaarawi proved why his attributes, or strikers like him, are so important in Allegri’s Milan. Strikers are responsible for the killer pass and creativity that keeps the midfield balanced. I don’t even have to mention Pato’s one dimensional player anymore because he has done a fine job proving that all by himself. Who needs a Duck when you have a Pharaoh?

The rest of the game was very well managed by Milan and while Lazio forced a solid save or two from Amelia the Milan were consistently able to retain possession the attacking third and exploit Lazio’s three man defense.
Allegri wasn’t satisfied with simply holding the match at one goal, he made some proactive subs bringing on Zlatan and creating the hybrid 4-3-1-2/4-3-3 we discussed on Tuesday and it worked effectively yet again creating Milan’s third goal with Zlatan in alone on Marchetti for the finish. I have to say I wasn’t impressed with Marchetti was highly touted and supposed to be on his way to Milan last summer, but he looks shaky in games that matter and doesn’t have the air confidence that we are accustomed to in Abbiati and Amelia. Gone are the days of Didasters and Spider Hands Kalac and Milan have two solid keepers for the time being to step in and play.

Another interesting point to note from was the play of Van Bommel. As mentioned earlier I was worried that he would be overwhelmed in the midfield but he held his own and even made some solid runs forward to create chances, yes his shooting boots are rusty, but it was nice to see the entire three man midfield interchange in attack and defense. Even more suprising was the fact that he got punched in the head by Andre Dias but did not retaliate and kept his cool. Could it be our 34 year old Dutchman with a penchant for red cards has finally grown up!? We can only hope!

A good win and now and eagerly anticipated semifinal match up with Juventus with the potential for the both teams fighting it out for Coppa and Scudetto glory. If Milan wants to get their hands on silverware they are going to have to prove they can beat the big teams because right now they stand clearly in the way. Pretty excited for those next three matches, hopefully Conte has run his old ladies into the ground by then!

Before we worry about Juventus, we kick off the season reset with Max’s old friends Cagliari. Cagliari can be a tricky opponent. Does Nainggolan play or does he go to Juve to meet us then? Can we deal with the danger presented Ibarbo and Cossu. At the end of the day you expect Milan to perform in a match like this one and with the table so crowded you have to continue to take points when you can. Allegri will have to take into account yesterday’s match when deciding on the lineup for Sunday. I would expect to see a few repeats and a few new faces as well:

Amelia; Abate, Nesta, Silva, Mesbah; Urby, Ambro, Nocerino; Seedorf; Zlatan, Robinho

Amelia will continue to play until Abbiati is fit. I expect to see the first choice defense which now includes Mesbah who had a decent first match but was not necessarily tested. The injury to Merkel hurts and hopefully it is minor but it may force the use of Seedorf as the Urby CAM experiment is an epic fail. Nocerino will most likely play because he always plays and Ambro can give Van Bommel a break. At striker I wanted to play El Shaarawi/Robinho in the hole but we need a bit more balance and patience in possession so the first choice striker pairing of Binho and Zlatan it is with El Shaarawi on the ready.

As always three points is imperative, but building momentum into the CL knockout rounds and matches with Juventus becomes a priority as well. Stay tuned on the conclusion of the Tevez/Lopez/Pato saga as well, 4 days left in the window is a LONG LONG LONG time to negotiate.

At the start of the second half on Sunday Allegri made one of the most proactive subs of his Milan tenure. He finally recognized the inability of Urby as a CAM, a half too late mind you, and subbed off Antonini moving the ineffective Dutchman to LB and bringing El Shaarawi into the hole behind the strikers. The thing is El Shaarawi didn’t really slot into the hole, nor did he function as a true CAM, none of the strikers did. Suddenly the time tested 4-3-1-2 looked a bit like a 4-3-3, but not the Leo version that gave many of us nightmares, but a hybrid that proved rather effective; scoring three goals in forty-five minutes.

The traditional deployment of a 4-3-3 calls for a center forward and two wing forwards, under Leo Milan operated this way with Ronaldinho, Borrielo and Pato. Allegri, like anyone else with two eyes, sees the lack of balance in such a formation and deploys the strikers in a much more compact triangle calling on width from his fullbacks, while still shielding the midfield to some extent. This deployment doesn’t unbalance the formation in the midfield, but shields it, simply because of the amount of player traffic in front of the opposing central defenders and opposing defensive midfielder. While none of the strikers may actively defend, their mere presence in that part of the pitch makes it difficult for opponents to move the ball into the midfield. It is also a challenge for opponents to mark the strikers, which is the true beauty of this deployment.

While the formation lacks a true CAM, one of the strikers could drop into the role and cause the opponents defense to track the run, creating space for teammates. On Sunday against Novara, it was both exciting and fluid with the interchange between Robinho, Zlatan, and El Shaarawi almost seamless. It would appear these three had played together for years. Rotating, playing short combinations, and causing defenders fits as they were almost entirely un-markable for a 20 minute stretch. How can an opposing defense cope with marking three players in an area patrolled by two center-backs? Do they drop in a DM? Pinch in a fullback? All the while creating space for the added threats of Abate, Urby, and Nocerino!? This dynamic movement and attack when clicking can score goals at will, and strikers of the one dimensional variety all the easier to sell. Case in point, Allegri used and can use this deployment when Cassano is healthy and while it is a strong attacking formation, and that provides attacking entertainment. It is important to note that it may not be the best option against teams who can and will attack.

The deployment of Prince in the hole makes more sense against stronger opposition, adding more grit and balance, but also giving Milan/Allegri the flexibility to deploy a passing player in the midfield. Like all formations there are matches and situations where they can be tweaked and evolved and Allegri has found a good mix of work rate and industry in the absence of other strikers. Should he roll this out against Arsenal in February or Juve in a few weeks? Probably not, but depending on the team around them and their form at the time you could at least make case to see the hybrid 4-3-1-2/4-3-3 make a cameo.

Following this win Milan sit at forty points. Forty points at the midway point is exactly the same as last year’s title winning campaign and Allegri has managed 40, 42, and 40 in his first three half-seasons. Sure the knock is that Milan have not beaten a top side in Serie A this season, but the point total stands and it matters little how and were the 40 points were obtained. That is why beating Novara today was imperative, allowing Milan to stay within one point of Juventus and ahead of the pack in the Serie A.

Despite the scoreline, the match was never in question. Yes, Milan struggled to find the net in the first half but they controlled the ball and continually pressed the goal with solid possession and off the ball movement. The midfield was not first choice, with Ambrosini playing alongside Van Bommel, but Milan still managed to dominate possession and passing. The only weak link in the attack was once again Urby Emanuelson in the hole behind the strikers. Allegri appeared to finally see the error in his ways at the start of the second half and with the inclusion of El Shaarawi Milan morphed into a hybrid 4-3-3/4-3-1-2 and looked capable of scoring with each and every foray forward. Allegri hasn’t given up on Urby quite yet, as evidenced today, when he moved him into a more natural LB position replacing Antonini, and seeing an immediate response. As CAM he often drifts wide left and never checks back strong to the midfield, his play on the left was much simpler and stronger and appears what was once a problem position now has a bit of healthy competition with the purchase of Mesbah and the good showing by Urby.

The big story was the second straight influential game for the Little Pharoah. His inclusion in the second half gave Milan an immediate boost. As I mentioned early Allegri’s change made the formation more dynamic and even more difficult for Novara to pinpoint the attacking reference points. El Shaarawi, Zlatan, and Binho interchanged beautifully and three goals didn’t justify the attacks forward. While Binho was still wasteful and in front goal, and his goal was merely a cherry pick of what should have been an El Shaarawi goal, but he still continues to make incisive runs forward and create space for his teammates. More importantly Milan earned three points and the mini injury crisis didn’t seem to negatively effect the squad on this day.

Take nothing away from Zlatan who was also influential, his first goal was an excellent touch and finish on a cheeky ball from Ambrosini, his second goal was more a mistake from the Novara keeper then his own talent, but it took some quick thinking to drop that ball back in the net. You have to admit it was pretty funny to see Nocerino kicking the post while the ball rolled into the goal, but even this sour moment couldn’t hide a solid game from his as well, making great runs into the box and getting better and better at defending as well. It helped that Allegri basically had two CDMs to shield the defense, making the work of Silva and Mexes all the easier, and the attack was able to function effectively early but even more efficiently in the second half.

Flat-track bullies or not, Milan continue to earn points in games they should win and that is imperative to staying close to the top. Juventus remain consistent, Inter continue to press on, and Udinese are back on track. This title race is one of the best that I can remember and may come down to a three points or less, so brace yourself for the second half of the season. Don’t forget there are still 8 days left in the silly season as well, a lot can still happen on that front as well. Back tomorrow with a tactics piece and hopefully by midweek we can talk transfers with Maxi Lopex, Montolivo, and Tevez all in the rumor mill.

So here I was planning to write a tongue in cheek post about the Milan way and finding the hard road to beating Novara, but then I read this. Seeing Maldini’s words made my stomach sink, and after last week’s failure to cash in because of “family ties” you have to wonder what is going on in the front office of this Club. You have a Club legend, loyal servant and incredible talent who needed no hype, no fanfare, and brought nothing but success and professionalism to this Club seemingly finding it difficult to make his way into the front office. Yet a child gets the benefit of the doubt, for simply falling on top of the Owner’s daughter, at a Club loss of 35M Euros!? Simply put,this is disgusting…

I have been told of late to speak less of Pato, so I won’t mention his stellar tap in on a great piece of work from Robinho and movement from El Shaarawi. I also I won’t discuss his hyper awareness to move from the wall leading to the Novara equalizer or excellent effort on his errant free kicks, or the fact that he may in fact have found a way to get injured. I will let that all slide, in fact rightfully so, as I said yesterday in the comments. A goal in a Coppa match is just enough to zip my lips on the matter, I bow graciously down at the alter of Duck.

On to more serious matters, and what was really the surprise of the match, was the maturity shown by El Shaarawi and Merkel who were seemingly given carte blanche by Allegri to assert themselves on the opponent, and that they did. It helped to be surrounded by time tested match veterans like Pippo, Ambro, and Nesta but these boys did what you ask of any young player, they kept it clean and simple and made it count when they could. El Shaarawi being the more offensive and dynamic of the two could have scored three goals by half-time, but the one he took was excellent and forcing a save from Fontana soon after. Every time he touched the ball the crowd was electric, showing his skills and composure that justified his purchase.

Now with that said it is important to cool expectation for both players, this was an opponent, that outside of a free kick debacle and error by Milan, saw little of the ball and did even less to exert themselves on the match. This was Milan’s game to lose and in true Milan fashion they made it difficult. You have to believe after watching Urby at CAM yet again that the experiment is over, and I would much rather give him a go at LB or LM then CAM ever again. He drifted wide, never checked to the ball and often occupied the same space as Antonini, in fact so much so that Antonini looked more like a midfielder cutting and distributing then Urby did. For long stretches Milan struggled to press the ball in the opponents half because of this and was susceptible to losing the numbers battle in the midfield.

Allegri was not blind to this issue and his inclusion of Pato and Robinho was well thought out. I am sure many were happy to see Pippo in action in this one, and while he was his old cagey self in creating chances he lacked the pace and match fitness to make a real difference or even get on the end of some passes, sadly we have seen the end of a legend before our very eyes, and I hope this lays to rest this idea that he still has a proper first team place. I know it is difficult at times to come to this realizations, but we are seeing it firsthand. It was Robinho who was once again the little engine that could, helping to create the goal but also to spark attacks and moves forward combining with El Sharaawi. Many will continue to chastise his missed chances, but he did more off the ball and in build up in his time then Urby did. Defensively Milan was also solid, but Abate’s inclusion gave us more coming forward as Bonera seemed to defend more from the right side in the first half while Antonini attacked.

All and all a decent match and one to remember for Merkel and El Sharaawi. But continually letting weaker opponents find footholds in matches through set pieces is a failure of this team for two years running. Something Allegri must truly consider and solve as points become even more valuable against weaker teams. Had Milan taken three goals into half time the free kick would have been forgotten, but this was not the case and it also wasn’t the first time we have seen this happen. Milan are now through to the quarterfinals of the Coppa Italia and while some have come out and said they would rather win one CL then three scudetti, or that the Coppa means nothing, I have to disagree. This Coppa is important to this team and their progressive rebuilding. We may not yet be strong enough to win the CL, but we can prove that a domestic double is the next step to success, and if the Scudetto eludes us this season, which it may, then at least we will and should fight for something. The rebirth of Milan under Allegri will not happen overnight, it will take time, and in that time it will take success where it can be found, and the Coppa is just the ticket.

We play Novara on the weekend, and while I may preview the match, I think those who found the time to watch the game yesterday over the Copa Del Rey Clasico, will have found some points about Novara that should help destroy them on the weekend.

Enough licking wounds, it is Coppa Time, and what better way to forget a loss then with a win. Expect some changes to the Winning Eleven today and maybe the return of Alexander Merkel. On a side note I hope you enjoy the finer points of Novara, we will see them again on the weekend…

So Avais and I have been discussing Pato at length in emails, and he wanted to post his thoughts. I figured before we tackle Novara we can tackle a, “A Problem Called Pato,” special thanks to Avia for writing an excellent piece!

When Milan signed Alexandre Pato from Internacional at the tender age of 17 the new signing was so young that he couldn’t even play for the club which had whisked him to the other side of the world. He was hidden away in training and it was during this enforced seclusion that rumours of a “wonderkid” started to ebb out of Milanello. Milanista scoured the internet and youtube to find out what they could, meanwhile epic stories were regaled by Fester & Berlusconi who had the fans salivating with tales of what this kid was accomplishing behind closed doors, they marvelled at how they had found the new Van Basten!

“Over 30 goals a season!” they proclaimed rather excitedly but the exuberance was tempered by the ever cool Clarence Seedorf who mused that although the boy might be young and skilful he doesn’t need the pressure placed on his narrow frame that playing for such an illustrious club brings with it and that he should be allowed to develop, class as always Clarence, class.

That was 5 seasons ago and since then Pato has slowly made a name for himself in Serie A having scored 60 goals in total averaging 12 goals a season and some of them quite important ones. For anyone who is more than just a casual admirer this would be attributed to the lack of playing time Pato has endured due to injuries throughout the course of his career.

Now to some, this is just unfortunate but to others this is becoming bothersome as it feels never-ending. Frankly, its all about perception. To you he is either unlucky and WOULD be scoring 30+ goals a season for Milan if it wasn’t for his visits to the MilanLab ® or he is a kid who will ALWAYS endure injuries limiting his playing chances over the course of most seasons. Another example is sometimes when he has the ball he is unlucky and is closed down forcefully by a defender but to others he simply didn’t bother to look up and see that he was running straight at aforementioned defender.

Its true when some say “he’s had to live with changing mangers” and found it challenging to adjust to what is being asked of him but then a simple reply to that could just as easily be “how many managers will it take Pato to find a way that actually suits him?” so far he’s on his 3rd and not yet hitting 20+ goals, like I said, its about your perception.

Recently there has been epic and heartfelt discussion regarding Pato during the Tevez saga. What this brought to the fore was the far-ranging views on Pato held by my fellow Milan Offsiders and found it intriguing how the differing opinions intertangled and wanted to see whether or not I could help my fellow Milanista understand one another.

At the risk of getting all scientific on you all I’ve created Avia’s Pato scale © which I will now attempt to use to illustrate how Pato fans could be classified:

1 = He is a MUST keep as he will live out the Prophecy as foretold by Sages Fester & Berlu. The team should be built around him

2 = Keep him as he is still young, needs to improve to make the grade and might live up to his billing

3 = He’s ok but would sell for £XXM if he doesn’t improve over the coming seasons

4 = Milan wont get much more out of Pato, sell soon before his stock collapses

5 = The kid is stillborn and needs to make way for a Shev Mk1 replacement ASAP. The kid cant integrate, wont develop

Now I’m hoping that you can recognise yourself in the above scale? Good. I hope this also allows you to understand your fellow Milanista regarding their opposing views on Pato.

I need to confess that I can slide between 1 and 5 (and that’s just during the course of one match!). Another confession, I used to be a 2! To me Pato was a kid that would slowly take the mantle of former greats such as Shev & the mercurial Van Basten but I have given up believing that some time ago, even with time I don’t think he will come anywhere near close and definitely not the calibre of striker to build your team around.

Another issue is that fact that Ibra & Pato don’t seem to gel together and one of the reasons that cost us the derby. I’m not for a second suggesting the result was Pato’s fault, imo the majority of our team were poor. Now you can say what you want about Ibra but for me the guy simply brings more to the table than Pato. As for his once sublime finishing skills, Pato just appeared to do his best Robinho impression with near panicky swipes anytime he came close to the ball. For all the stats that are waved around he looked lost and nothing close to the “wonderkid” he is still perceived to be.

Was it over excitement? Maybe he was trying too hard to prove a point? Regardless, the much vaunted kid is currently killing his impressive stats that some fans cling to and the more game time Allegri is giving him the more his shine is coming off.

But with Pato doing a U turn and forcing Fester to have to beat a hasty retreat from the gloomly climes of Manchester he has nailed his colours to the mast. He has come out and said, “No, I want to stay here and prove I can be great”. Now I might currently be a 4 on the above scale but cant help respect him for it but at the same time I harbour feelings of “You had better watch your ass kid” because I for one will be an almighty angry 5 if in 2-3 seasons time we realise that we should have shipped you when it better suited us!

A few odds and ends that didn’t make it into the recap, but stuck out in my notes…

-Zonal Marking used the term “Flat-Track Bullies” to describe Milan yesterday in the following:

Now, they have a midfield that is highly powerful and functional rather than intelligent. Demolishing bottom half clubs shouldn’t be a problem, but against top quality opponents, they need something a little cleverer. It’s summed up by their record in Serie A so far – against the top six they’re P5 W0 D2 L3, against everyone else they’re P13 W11 D2 L0. They are currently the best example imaginable of flat-track bullies.

Sadly, many a Milan fan will take this to heart without even considering the fact that with twenty teams in Serie A, a squad’s record against the top six, a total of 36 potential points, has only some bearing on the title. The maximum point haul for an undefeated team in Serie A would 114, subtract the top six and you get 78 total points. Milan won the title last season with 82 points, so you really only need 4 points out of 36 from the top teams to win the title. Being “flat-track bullies” is not a problem or an anomaly, it is simply a great way to start a title run. Sure it is nice to beat the best when you are top of the table, but this notion that Milan can’t win a title without beating all the big boys is not mathematically sound.

- Inter’s goal yesterday was a bit of a comedy of errors, and given the same pattern of played Abate would have easily stopped the ball. Sometimes things simply don’t go your way. The thing is credit needs to be given to Inter who snapped on the counter and took advantage of Milan’s own way of lulling not only their opponents to sleep in possession but themselves as well.

-A point lost in all the moaning yesterday was that Allegri was extremely proactive with his subs. Moving Zambro off and shifting Urby early in the second half was the mark of a man that wanted a win, his team’s response was sadly not on the same page.

-Also lost in yesterday’s mess was the fact that in only a few minutes El Shaarawi created more chances and troubled Julio Cesar more than Pato did in the full 90. Anybody else miss FAntonio?

-How much longer is Esteban Cambiasso going to be a thorn in Milan’s side? I mean he was a boss in the midfield yesterday and did everything asked of him, I hated him before the Derby I hate him more now.

- The more strikers Allegri threw at the problem yesterday, the less of the ball we saw. Anyone else see a coincidence? Balance is crucial, without it you have nothing, it doesn’t matter how much talent you have on the pitch without the ball you are nothing.

I have never been one for excuses, and am certainly no stranger to Derby defeats, but this one just sit doesn’t right on a lot of levels. Maybe it was the midweek circus surrounding the on again off again sale of Pato and Tevez. Distractions such as this one take their toll on everyone. It could also be that a Scudetto winning Coach was faced with a meddling owner who forced a certain player onto the pitch? Or it could simply be that Milan was outplayed by a team on good form on a day where three points would have put them top of the table? No matter how you want to look at it, Milan was not up to par in this one and the result speaks for itself.

Does any else think it’s a bit odd that Pato got the start in this one? Any Milan fan with half a brain has to acknowledge that our best striker partnership is Zlatan and Robinho, regardless of how fast your heart beats for Pato or not. Isn’t also a bit odd that the Owner, who ties to the Duck are clear, and has been known to send his team sheet out from upon high, was quick to defend the fact that we didn’t take the money and run? We saw it first hand in Bergamo, and sadly we saw it firsthand again in the Derby. For those still standing tall and defending the Duck, I wish you luck in your foolhardy attempt at destroying this team from the inside out. First Bab’s keeps her boy toy, what is next? Allegri being sacked for not liking him all that much? Let’s hope it doesn’t get that far, January still have 14 days.

Due to injury, Allegri was tactically limited and left without a passer of the ball in the midfield. Seedorf is simply not a first choice any longer and Aquilani’s injury meant that Prince was dropped into the three man midfield and Urby slotted in behind the strikers. This makes sense on paper, as Urby is more likely to hold his own over Robinho in the hole against Motta and Cambiasso, but in practice this looked more like a 4-3-3 and we all know how unsuccessful that formation has proved for AC Milan. This however is all in hindsight and even though Milan saw the majority of the ball and created, as well as missed, decent chances, it was Ranieri who took this game by the balls, something I expected in my preview.

The tinkerman didn’t need to do much tinkering, instead he lopsided his formation into what at times resembled a 5-3-2, and with Zanetti holding deep and Nagatamo breaking forward it gave Milan space in which to attack, but never truly materialized. Ranieri also relied on sitting deeper and clogging up the space in which Milan usually preys between the midfield and defense and breaking forward when given the chance, a truly masterful move for a team who really lacks the personnel to play that sit and counter game. Milan fans will be quick to draw comparisons with this match and what we remember from our trip to White Hart Lane, surely bemoaning our lack of a true a CAM, but even a CAM wouldn’t have helped on this day. This day called for patience and passing, there was no space to be had in the hole, and instead Milan needed to draw Inter out of their deep position and make smarter passes closer to the goal.

That poor play in front of goal was not solely on the shoulders of Pato, though his misses and touches in the box were near atrocious. Zlatan was also to blame, as was Binho and Urby, each and every player looked nervous and rushed on this day. Inter consistently filled in the spaces in the box and instead of showing patience and intelligence Milan continuously slammed the ball into defenders and often made failed attempts at crossing. A poor performance in attack, something that happened rather frequently last season when things weren’t clicking, or maybe certain personnel not being compatible?

I am going to stop here, probably have a follow up tomorrow with some tactical points and quick comments. At the end of the day this Derby was par for the course, instead of getting three points and taking the lead, Milan took the hard way and lost it. If we win the title this match will be forgotten, but if we fail to win the title will this match be decisive? Oddly enough, probably not, but more on that tomorrow.

Being a Milan fan yesterday was a roller coaster of emotion, some fans were left cheering while others in dismay. How this story shakes out is beyond me at this point. I won’t speculate any longer, but I will say this before we turn our attention, on to more pressing matters, if it comes out that somehow Barbara stopped this deal, or that Allegri is on thin ice because of this, this will not be a happy place. Now it is time we talk Derby, because the only people who benefited from this soap opera circus are our dear friends Inter, and they didn’t need the help.

For some odd reason many Milan fans are penciling us in for a victory on the weekend. In fact I haven’t seen such confidence before a derby in a long time, even the sadistic doomsday tifosi seem high on our chances in this one. Unfortunately, there are a lot of factors playing against us and Inter comes in as the under dogs with nothing to lose, and you can never trust a team with nothing to lose.

We spoke about the merits of Ranieri and his ability to turn a match into a result oriented dog fight. We have also discussed at length the Pato saga and the Milan/Inter Tevez derby. The last time Milan endured something like this was with Kaka’s proposed sale to Manchester City and the team came out flat, almost appearing both mentally and physically exhausted. At the end of the day this was not the time for a circus. It doesn’t help that Inter are playing with swagger, winners of their last five, and with news that Wesley Sneijder may return only further tips the scale in Inter’s favor in this one. Now I am not saying we can’t win, but this one is going to be a challenge and if the goal is three points, Milan will certainly climb a mountain to achieve that goal.

It doesn’t help that Allegri is still struggling with some injuries with Abbiati and Abate just returning fit. Aquilani still injured and the threat of having to play Seedorf. Not to mention this little issue with the Duck, who started in Bergamo, but was subbed off in favor of Robinho who provided an instant spark and change in the attack. Will Allegri bow to the pressure, something he hasn’t done in his Milan career, or will he stick to his guns and play the more dynamic combination of Zlatan and Robinho, or can he throw caution to the wind and play all three? Choices, choices, choices, and not a position I would want to be in at the moment. Ranieri’s pragmatic approach will most likely see two defensive minded players shielding the defense and Allegri needs to consider that with this lineup, meaning Robinho or Urby may be physically challenged in the hole, so it needs to be a Prince day at CAM. That opens the door for some options at LM/RM and without Aquilani it has been rumored that Seedorf or Ambro will get the call, which could expose Milan on pace. I don’t think I need to say it again, this one isn’t going to be easy, so here goes my lineup…

Abbiati; Abate, Nesta, Silva, Antonini; Nocerino, Van Bommel, Urby; Prince; Bino, Zlatan

Antonini is clearly the lesser of the evils at LB and at least he can run, even it means more time chasing. We can’t possibly expect to play an old man duo in the midfield that includes Seedorf, not with Ranieri’s wing players, it just won’t work, so Urby has to get in and get his hands dirty defensively. Prince is the only player physical enough to make a potential duo of Cambiasso and Motta really work, and up top I don’t care what the Duck said or who he is dating, I want my dynamic duo of Zlatan and Binho pressuring Achilles heel, their aging defense.

So here we are winners of the last two derbies, and all the pressure to keep that hope alive. Can we make it three in a row or will the Tinkerman get the best of us? Join us Sunday to find out, and to think this one puts Inter back in the race and makes the task of a repeat scudetto all that much harder for us if we lose…nervous yet? You should be.

To Pato: as M.B. Mehdi said to me on Twitter, don’t let this be a reality, “I’m hoping we see #acmilan tifosi hold aloft a banner with this on Sunday “Pato – Barbara loves you, we don’t.”" It may not be the case for everyone, but many are starting to see the value of your departure, addition by subtraction. To Barbara: Milan fans just paid for your happiness, the cost 35M, thank you.

What better way to prepare for a Derby then to discuss your opponent, and what better way to discuss your opponent then starting with the man in charge. We faced Inter under Benitez, Leo, and Gasperini, none of them as formidable as Jose Mourinho, and now as they prepare to take the field against Claudio Ranieri, you have to believe this one isn’t going to be easy.

Sometimes I feel like the only person who actually fears the Tinkerman. Not sure why this is, because there is nothing worse than a pragmatic Coach who above all else cares about the result. Can he be prone to foolish subs and chasing a match? Sure, if not, they wouldn’t call him the Tinkerman but he prepares his team in a no nonsense balanced approach that any team and opponent should fear. Not to mention, at Inter, it is really the first time since leaving Chelsea, that he has very real talent at his disposal. No offense to a rebuilding Juventus or an overrated Roma, two teams Ranieri was last in charge of, but this Inter team has tremendous firepower and the right blend of experience and youth. Not to mention is there any better Coach at putting out fires and “fixing” teams that are on a downward spiral, most emphatically no!

The key to Inter’s rejuvenation this campaign has in fact been Ranieri. Yes the schedule was forgiving, their last five unbeaten run in Serie A were all against lower tier teams, and their last formidable opponent was a 1-nil loss to Udinese. But players returning fit and a large squad at his disposal means Ranieri can seemingly do what he does best, and that is tinker until he finds the right mix on the pitch and plays for the result. As proven he often reverts to a 4-4-2 that can at times resemble more of a 4-2-3-1 with the wide midfielders deployed more as attacking threats, and defending less, a formation that makes sense for Inter, with personnel like Motta, Cambiasso, and Stankovic. However it also allows for flexibility in attack where he has used the likes of Pazzini, Forlan, Zarate, and Milito in the absence of Sneijder. It doesn’t however look like the absence of Sneijder will be a continuing problem as he was deemed available for the weekend, and now it is up to Ranieri to decide if he goes with the Dutchman who has climbed the list of thorns in Milan’s side with the likes of Cambiasso and Stankovic.

As if the resurgence of Inter was not enough leading up to this Derby, a Derby for the signing of Carlos Tevez seems to be playing out as well. An unneeded distraction for both teams as the real focus should be the Scudetto, which appears more and more like Juventus’ to lose. I will talk more about Milan later in the week, but I think we all need to take a minute and understand the implications of the match and the opponent. This is not Leo’s Inter, or the Inter of my youth, like a kid brother, always present but never a threat. Nor do I believe this is the juggernaut of Jose Mourinho either, this is a formidable side with excellent players and a wily old tactician who is not above a dog fight for a draw. I fear the Tinkerman, I always have, because while other Coaches have taken over at Inter and tried to work them to death, play fantasy football, or install a formation that made no sense, Ranieri has done what any intelligent man would have done. Work with what he has a restore balance and order and remind his team that it’s all about results, not how you get them. Sort of reminds you of someone doesn’t it?

This was one of those games that is often difficult to summarize. Injuries were the main theme and it required some creative shuffling by Allegri and which was the foundation of some disjointed play, but at the end of the day three points was all that will be remembered. We often spoke last season about finding ways to win and this was one of those matches. Even after re-watching key passages of play, you could tell this wasn’t the Milan we are used to but still earned the result. Is it the best way to lead into a derby? Not at all, but a win is a win!

I want to start with a quote from Ibracadabra11, because if I say it people say, “I don’t let it go,” or that it’s “to much,” but truth be told I am not the only one who sees it:

“When binho came on, the whole team, not just the attack, looked 10 times better. Sorry Pato fans, but this game is proof that binho should always start ahead of Pato.”

So there you have it, yes the boy of not so much wonder got hacked incessantly, but he didn’t evolve his play, release the ball any sooner or do anything of value outside of earning a PK, he falls rather well, and getting in a good spot for a header. Insert Robinho and instantly Milan become more dynamic! Better runs off the ball, more interchange, and less predictability in their patterns of play. It also helps that Zlatan continues to impress and even without a goal, his assist to Prince was excellent, and his movement and touch are sublime. With Pato further up the line, and Zlatan acting like Binho it puts our most dangerous player farther from goal, and are most inconsistent player closer to it, while leaving our most industrious player on the bench. Allegri will have surely taken note as the Zlatan-Binho show should be back in action on the weekend.

I did pay close attention to two players who earned a start due to injury, Urby and Mexes, but sadly only one truly impressed. Mexes finally took the bull by horns and made a case to end this vice-Nesta discussion once and for all. Timely tackles, key interceptions, and great positioning made a patchwork defense look better than it actually was. It helps to have Abbiati’s steady hands at the back, but even without he chemistry and understanding the defense did enough to preserve the clean sheet. Urby was not so lucky and while he is lively, interchanges incredibly well and keeps the ball moving with quick passes, he doesn’t seem to do the little things. He often doesn’t finish his runs and loses touch with progression of play, he also doesn’t fill in behind the ball as strongly as Prince, and lacks the aggression we are used to seeing in that role. So while he is not as slow as Seedorf or tenacious as Prince, he still has some refining to do if he wants to make a case to be a starter.

Poor in possession, disjointed in attack, and frenzied in defense this should not be the Milan that takes on Inter, but clearly the rust of two weeks away is evident and no surprise. Allegri has his work cut out for him this week as Inter are making a strong charge and are not the opponent they were a month ago, but we can talk more about them later this week. Juventus also won, but like Milan made things difficult, and while many are discounting Udinese, I for one will not.

On a positive note, Happy Birthday to Rino Gattuso, I really thought he would have to hang up the boots with the eye problem, but it was good to see him in action against PSG and hope he gets fit to finish this Campaign with Milan and led us to another Title.

In a few days Milan will return to action following the Holiday break with a trip to Atalanta who sits middle of the table with 20 points and boasting Serie A’s leading goal scorer in German Denis. Sure Zlatan is hot on his tail, but Atalanta are undefeated in their last seven and while their tendency is more to draw then win, this is quite an accomplishment for a mired in a betting scandal and having their captain indicted. Milan also has some distractions with the Carlos Tevez watch still going in earnest and this little Pato thing being headline news, but the season is back, so time to cut the distractions and get back to work.

Teams like Atalanta have historically posed a problem for Milan. Strong defensive shapes and structures were a kryptonite for Carletto and while Allegri has alleviated this significantly it can still frustrate this team. The key to breaking down solid defensive units has always patience and passing and the key to this is Zlatan’s new willingness to check deep and prevent balls from being hoofed at his feet. This is a welcome change from last season but would rather not get into a brawl with a team like this one, score early and put this one to bed. With many injuries getting resolved Allegri should have a full squad at his disposal and still be able to cast an eye out to the next opponent, also of the black and blue variety.

When fit Zlatan and Robinho are easily the first choice striking combination, their interplay and chemistry is excellent and the fact that Milan simply don’t drop points when those two play together should convince just about everyone. The defensive minded midfield line has got a new player in Gattuso, back from injury, but I don’t expect him to feature much in this one as he still is a ways off match fitness. Depending on the result this could be a good match for both he and El Sharaawi to get some minutes, but again it depends on Milan’s ability to take the lead and hold it. I would expect to see Nesta back in action alongside Silva, but wouldn’t be surprised if he is limited as well to assure match fitness and readiness for next week. Point being if all goes according to plan Allegri will use all three subs this week, but when does it ever go according to plan?

My lineup:

Abbiati; Abate, Silva, Nesta, Antonini; Nocerino, Ambro, Prince; Aquilani; Zlatan, Robinho

Van Bommel appears the most likely candidate for the extra rest as he has played a large amount of games already this season. I started Antonini because at this point he looks like Paolo Maldini next to Taiwo. I dropped Prince into the defensive midfield line because I like his interchange and darting runs from that position, they seem to match Nocerino’s and are crucial in breaking down a defense like Atalanta’s. I would expect to
see Rino at some point, possibly Mexes, and hopefully El Sharaawi who was excellent midweek in Dubai.

The goal here is a three points, Juve travel to Lecce and Udinese (a very real Scudetto dark-horse) are home to Cesena. Any dropped points now could prove costly at the end of the season when the schedule tightens up, take what you can now and leave nothing to chance. Now always easy after a lay off, but Milan played well in their midweek friendly outside of a lax final 15 minutes, just come out swinging and get used to beating teams in Black and Blue, it will only help next weekend.

-Pato didn’t forget how to finish tap ins, everything else is up for debate.

-Zlatan is really taking this complete player thing seriously. Early on in the match he defended a PSG free kick with his head, then turned and received the ball in his own defensive third from Amelia and proceeded to dribble up the field. Then followed up with an assist for Pato, at this rate he will be playing every position…

-Nocerino hit the crossbar on a killer overhead kick effort, the guy seems to ooze confidence and desire in every minute of every match. Kind of wish the shot went in.

-Poor Taiwo, I mean he can’t defend, he can’t cross, hopefully Newcastle is watching, but not everything, it isn’t always pretty. He made Tiene look like Maldini, somebody call Tiene’s agent please.

-I know Mexes has a lot of rust to shake off, but there is no excuse for his lack of pressuring on the ball friendly or not.

-With rest Nesta looks like the ageless wonder, with rest Zambro, Pippo and Rino look like creaky old men. It was very good to see Rino on the pitch though, just needs a bit of game time to get back fit.

-I may have CarlettoPhobia, but he has his work cut out from him. You can see the discomfort in the formation shift as the wide midfielders often came high up the pitch, but he will work out this out for what is a fairly talented team.

-Our young players look like they have been starved their whole lives, how is it that De Sciglio, Valoti and El Shaarawi combined weigh as much as Ronaldo? Time these boys beef up, it doesn’t matter how talented they are with their feet their physical presence needs work.

-Speaking of El Shaarawi, was actually pretty lively today, and likes to challenge the opposition.

-Abbiati is a beast.

Details from Football Italia for those who missed the match:

Milan 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain

Scorers: Pato 4 (M)

Milan First Half: Amelia; De Sciglio, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Taiwo; Aquilani, Van Bommel, Nocerino; Robinho; Ibrahimovic, Pato

PSG: Sirigu; Ceara, Sakho, Bisevac, Tiene; Sissoko, Bodmer; Jallet, Pastore, Nenè; Hoarau

Milan Second Half:Abbiati; Zambrotta, Nesta, Bonera, Antonini; Gattuso, Ambrosini, Emanuelson; Valoti; El Shaarawy, Inzaghi

On a side note, we should be hearing about Tevez very soon if not already, that frees up Fester to do some selling…

Shine your boots and put on your Sunday dress, you have people to impress. The better you play the more money we make, eh screw it the better you play the more money we extort! Come on Ducky, you haven’t had a good game in a few months, no reason why you aren’t due for one today.

I have never been afraid of oil rich football teams. Sure, they have endless amounts of money, and can literally buy whoever they please with those resources. But when you hire a bunch of clowns, I mean Sheiks, to run a football team you will ultimately have a circus. Why you ask? What happened when kids unwrapped their new version of FM 2012 after XMAS? They chose their favorite team, probably turned off any transfer “rules” bought everyone they wanted, won the title, then the CL, and then went on some blog and spit about how good of a manager they are and how they supremely judge talent. Well in a bizarre way the Sheikhs did the same thing, except they don’t judge talent, they don’t understand player wages and value and at the end of the day they don’t know much about football. I mean look at Man City who are just now starting to get their act together but purging salaries and over paid players, or the lunacy of Mohamed Al-Fayed at Fulham. All these folks do well is right checks, but they don’t even spend properly. This however doesn’t appear to be the case at PSG. What did PSG do that these other teams didn’t? Sure they splashed the cash, but they hired a Champion, and that scares me.

First and foremost hiring Leo, who may have zero ability as a Coach, but is a decent Sporting Director, was a step in the right direction. Having worked directly with one of the best in the business, Adriano Galliani, our old friend Leo must have learned a thing or two and whatever he didn’t learn he can clearly make up for his errors with blind check writing. What Leo did do however, is instead of installing himself as a Coach (best move of his career), he went out and got one of the best in the form of Carlo Ancelotti. What some people seem to forget is that he is one of the greatest Coaches of the modern era, vastly underrated, and better than most at getting bang for your buck when it comes to players of all ages and skill levels. Unlike Man City, Fulham or Malaga, PSG now has a true visionary and tactician to put the unlimited resources to good use and build a Champion.

Looking over PSG’s current roster, they were always a talented a team. Former Coach, Koumbare, who I believe was wrongfully let go here, but that’s a discussion for another day, deployed them in a decently successful 4-2-3-1. But now Carletto, a man of who made famous the XMAS tree can bring it back to Paris in devastating fashion. Gamiero leading the line with Pastore and Menez just behind could be a problem for any team, and it will be interesting if Carletto sticks with the status quo or goes ahead and makes significant changes. A move for Pato? A reunion with Kaka? Sure he lacks a true a deep lying passer, and this is probably why they are hot on the trail of David Beckham who looks unlikely to arrive, but deploying a more defensive minded three man line could allow even more freedom for the likes of Menez and Pastore or any other flashy attacking talent they can scrounge up this transfer window.

Tomorrow when Milan take the field against their former tactician the match will not be truly representative of the current PSG, but more a glimpse into the future. A future that I believe will be rather bright for a team who is not new to success, but more or less on a hiatus since their successful run in the 90s. The back room talent of Leonardo and the master class tactics of Carletto means that for the first time a filthy stinking rich oil money backed team will have the leadership in place to build a Champion instead of simply trying, and failing, to buy one. Sadly Carlo, you will just have to learn to play second fiddle to Milan because Max and Company have other plans for now and the future, but in the meantime best of luck.

So on New Year’s Eve I was presented with a question that I want to share with all you. Tomorrow we can get back to business as usual but today a little New Year diversion…

The big topic this year is who can beat Barca and how, so if you could take 11 players from the past and presentand well as a Coach, who would it be and why?

Coach – Allegri 4-3-1-2

Who has come closer to beating Barca than Max? Sorry Jose, not so special. The key here though being the formation and the balance that is so paramount to modern football.

RB-Cafu

WC and CL winning fullback who can kill it going forward and just as good on defense.

CB-Baresi and Franz Beckenbauer

Before Pepe wanted to add midfielders to the defense for passing and possession, Baresi and Der Kaiser were already doing it. Imagine Messi having those two chase him around.

LB-Maldini

No explanation needed.

RDM-Rino

From 03-07 was there anyone better than Rino? Don’t agree, ask CRON if anyone stopped him quite like Rino did.

CDM-Makale

I still think there was no better pivoting DM EVER. He could do it all and won it all to boot.

LDM-Frankie Rijkaard

Comfortable making forward runs and shielding the defense. Who better to beat Barca then one of their own.

CAM-Zidane

For me one of the best ever if not the best ever. One minute he is scoring on a half-volley the next he is kicking you in the back of the legs. That kind of grit and class is rare, if not extinct, but his play is just what you need to stop the Barca machine.

Striker-Baggio

Ask Piqué who the best striker he ever played against was. He may say Suarez, RvP, or Rooney. None of those guys could shine Robbie’s boots.

Striker-Maradona

This team needs an Argentine to rival Messi and who better than the best? His dashing almost a incisor like runs were unstoppable for World Class defenders, imagine the carnage on Barca’s defense?

Back to regular business tomorrow, we have to discuss Carletto to PSG and we need to make a list of things that Pato needs to pack for Paris.

This piece was meant to run as a Tactics Thursday yesterday, but the thought of extorting 50M from PSG and doing a little post-XMAS shopping was simply too good to pass up. Now this isn’t meant to be a eulogy for my favorite position by any means, but a discussion on what has happened to the fullback?

Being a Milan fan we are no stranger to the fullback position, being the home of arguably two of the World’s best in Paolo Maldini and Cafu, not to mention a host of other talented options in Costacurta, Serginho, Panucci , Janks, and others. But in the past few years outside of the emergence of Ignazio Abate at RB, Milan, Serie A, and much of the World has seen a decline in the fullback as we knew it. Gone is the marauding fullback capable of joining the attack as well as defending better than anyone else on the team, able to track down wingers and negate opposing crosses. I am not talking Maldini-esque challenges, but simply the ability to be tactically sound and handle both sides of the ball equally well.

Now players with the athleticism of their fullbacking forefathers are moved into wing positions in the midfield, attacking more and defending less, or into wing-back positions for coaches who choose to deploy only three at the back. In fact few players are turned into fullbacks as was done successfully with Serginho and now Abate at AC Milan. Players like Dani Alves and Gareth Bale have the athleticism and raw talent to be some of the best fullbacks in the game but instead their inability to learn the nuances of defense has turned them into attack minded wingers as opposed to all around talents at fullbacks. Why aren’t coaches nurturing this position anymore, has the game changed to make the wide attack irrelevant? Pressing and possession is now the name of the game, and a lot of teams are using more narrow formations with skilled players in the middle of the field and less reliance on outside attacks. Sure some teams still play very wide, but often times with wingbacks and wingers instead of the old fashioned way with fullbacks.

Italy, often known for producing quality defenders seems to be having the same problem. Maggio and Dossena of Napoli are now wing-backs; same can be said for Armero at Udinese. Promising young defenders like Santon and Motta are afterthoughts, with Motta being the biggest pile of unrealized hype I have seen in a while, no coincidence it was Roma fans doing the hyping, but you get my point. At Juventus Conte has deployed Chiellini, a prototypical CB at LB, even Arsene Wenger has deployed four CBs at the back due to injuries. Pep Guardiola has seemingly done the same, but instead of removing fullbacks he seems to be stepping away from the defender completely hoping to deploy more midfield type players. Is it tactics, is it lack of talent, or is it simply the extinction of the fullback like the sweeper before him?

Tough to tell really and I am not going to go ahead and say that the fullback is in fact going extinct, but the idea of seeing the next Paolo Maldini seems farther and farther away from ever happening. There are still supremely talented players and youngsters at the positions, as well as tried and true throwbacks. Leighton Baines, for one, always makes me smile as does Patrice Evra and Balzaretti. But players like Bertrand, the vice Ashley Cole at Chelsea, or Van Der Weil or even Abate can help bring the role back into prominence but we may never see the completeness of the Legends before them.

I was going to post a piece about the Death of the Fullback in modern Football but that will have to wait for the weekend. Instead it is time we turn our attention to more pressing matters, shopping. If all goes well and Pato is sold to PSG, for far more than he is worth, then our old pal Fester gets to go shopping, and knowing the way he does business that means a fair amount of new players to help this team go from good to great. Getting your Golden Tie Ready because it is addition by subtraction at its finest.

I am still torn on this Tevez thing, Tevez the player is incredible, the perfect blend of grit and finesse, and a true asset to Allegri’s system. Tevez the person, on the other hand, is circus sideshow on the brink of lunacy. Will Italy give him the change of scenery and mentality that turned Robinho from problem child to the little engine that could? Maybe, but the risk here outweighs the reward and if Fester can bag Maxi Lopez as a fill in for Ibra, and then use Cassano and Robinho with El Shaarawi as a fill-in, the striker department is not as hard pressed as people make it out to be. I don’t think Lopez is the best option, but we really only need a fill in to cover for Ibra not compete with him as he is the focal point of the attack, so why break the bank for a player who may only have a bench role? That goes for Tevez as well?

Above all else, what this team really needs is a DM to replace the aging Van Bommel and Ambrosini duo. Both players have fallen off from last season and an injury to either could prove disastrous for Milan. The money from Pato could go onto fund a serviceable CDM. Heck, I am not his biggest fan but if Fester wants to go after DDR on a Bosman, with a loan in January, I won’t argue. My dream is Alex Song, but we all know that even Pato’s over inflated cost couldn’t pry that guy from Arsene Wenger. I am sure many of you have your favorites for this position, but it is imperative the player shields the defense and plays a simple brand of football to fit Allegri’s system and allows Prince and Nocerino the freedom to get forward and join the attack. He doesn’t need to be the next big thing, over-hyped, or any of that nonsense. Just give me a guy who can do what Ambro and Van Bommel do, just a few years ago and bit more pace.

Lastly, this team needs a real LB, and while I don’t think the problems we have there at the moment are catastrophic to the point of failure, as some have made them out to be. It is time we take a good hard look at the position that has been a void since Maldini moved to CB and Serginho retired. If Taiwo isn’t going to work, ship him off to Newcastle for Santon. If Milan aren’t interested in grooming then Santon, then start looking at left backs in Italy! What better way to have a player ready for the rigors of Serie A then by getting one that already plays or played there: Crisciti, Armero, or Balzaretti. Unless of course Milan wants to really splash the cash and go for guys like Ansaldi, Baines, Bale, or Maxwell.

One more minor point, for those worried Milan won’t spend the money as they did with Kaka and Sheva, times have changed. That team back then was different, under performing and keen on balancing books, those days are gone. You can sense the excitement with the performance against and the last two trasnfers windows saw plenty of movement to better the team, Robinho, Zlatan, Urby, Cassano, Van Bommel! Yes they were cheap moves and cost effective, but we still added players, and we did it Fester’s way, without breaking the bank and overspending. Personally I don’t worry about this money going to the bank, Allegri wants players and Fester is out in full force! So there you have it, I always contended Pato was worth more to Milan as a pile of cash then a player, so how would you spend the money?

In the summer, while everyone lusted after Mr. X, Fester quietly made the signing of the season with Antonio Nocerino. One could argue, specifically Juve fans, that Pirlo is just as valuable to his new team, but this was a given, whereas Nocerino was a wild card. So much so that even some Milan fans wrote him off as a pub player and someone not up to the caliber of AC Milan, well those fans have been proven wrong by the player and it looks even Allegri is on the Nocerino bandwagon!

“Among my players Ignazio Abate has made the most significant improvement. Who is the symbol of Milan? It’s too easy to say Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Thiago Silva, so I’ll vote for Antonio Nocerino.” – Allegri

To me this comes as no surprise; in fact his signing merely reinforced my belief in a player I felt had the makings of a future workhorse for both Club and Country. Often called a more complete version of Gattuso, a young Nocerino, then plying his trade for Juventus was a bolt of energy tracking down opponents and winning possession. His move to Palermo for Amuari was met with resistance but the smarter Juve fans, but in this modern age where everyone loves strikers, it is players like Nocerino that are often glossed over. At Palermo he further refined his skills, becoming a more complete passer and attacker, and was called irreplaceable by Zamparini. Granted Zamparini had never made a deal with the Devil, and for a pittance he was shippd to Milan. Full disclosure I bought my Nocerino jersey that day, and bid my time while Antonio showed the World what I already knew! Nocerino is a player!

To be fair he fits the Allegri mold perfectly. Exuberant runner, great tackler, and excellent movement he has made the RM spot in the three midfield line his very own. While the great Rino Gattuso fades into retirement, it is Nocerino who will take on the mantle. Flamini was thought to be the heir, but anyone who watched the Frenchmen for 90 minutes could see that a headless chicken often covers ground in a more sensible fashion. So Nocerino simply took advantage of what was given to him, and made it his own, rendering the loss of Gattuso to a severe eye injury palatable, and making Flamini an afterthought. But his defensive strength is not the only thing to cheer about, his six goals in 13 matches equals his tally in 70 matches with Palermo! He has taken the freedom to get forward to a new level and Allegri and Company welcome his efforts and goals, as his return after a brief injury was a missing spark and helped Milan get back to winning ways.

The Nocerino purchase was stroke of genius, but more importantly his play and contribution have given Milan some hope for the future. His understanding and chemistry with Prince has been excellent, and he is no stranger to Aquilani either. If Milan can build around those three, while adding a CDM in the vein of Mikel, Asamoah, Diaby, or even hand over the reins to Strasser then the midfield problem that was evident last season will be history and the new breed will usher in the next generation of success for AC Milan. Nocerino, Silva, Abate, and Prince will be the new guard of AC Milan taking the venerable reins from Amborsini, Nesta, Rino, and Clarence. Future doesn’t look so bad anymore now does it?

Here is a little something from Football Italia to mull over as you head back into the doldrums of work before another Holiday…

Alexandre Pato has made some strange comments on life at Milan under Massimiliano Allegri amid reports linking the striker with a move away.

Speaking to Il Corriere dello Sport and Il Corriere della Sera, the Brazilian striker discussed a number of topics, from captaining Milan to his relationship with Coach Allegri. However, he began by focusing on how the calendar year has progressed from a personal point of view.

“My 2011 was a very good year – I won my first trophy in Europe, I scored some important goals. It would be a year to remember if I had not had so many injuries.”

The 22-year-old has suffered eight injuries over the course of the past 12 months.

“Every time I have tried a different method to try to find a solution. I’ve never been afraid, even after the injury in September. I thought, ‘I will return slowly, only when I am 100 per cent’.

“I’ve always done double training sessions, arriving at Milanello early each morning. I have worked more and more to return better than before each time.”

Pato was pricklier with the follow-up question that suggested his form since returning from his latest injury has not been better.

“I have scored two goals in three games. At Bologna I did not play well but then neither did the rest of the team. It is said that you win and lose together, no?

“We always talk about me because I am an important player for Milan.”

The No 7, who joined Il Diavolo in January 2008 for a reported €24m, was then asked about his relationship with his Coaches. Where he described Carlo Ancelotti and Leonardo as his ‘godfathers’, he was less-than-forthcoming with compliments for Allegri.

“Carlo always spoke to me, told me what to do on the field. If I have to improve [now] then [Allegri] has to recommend how. Champions must always move forward, they are expected to be the best.

“Every now and then Allegri will explain something to me, but a Coach should always suggest to his players how to correct defects.

“I would like to have a more direct relationship with Allegri, I won’t say much more. If he thinks it is right to criticise me then I have to keep my head down and work. I have to respect what the Coach says.

“The fact remains, however, that if he has noticed something wrong with my game then he would be better to come directly to me so we can discuss it together.”

Pato was then asked of Allegri’s comments that he had to get used to the position of striker again after previous Coach Leonardo had used him out wide on occasion.

“Even in the national team I played as a striker and I don’t think I did badly.”

In late November, Milan’s League win over Chievo was notable for Thiago Silva’s selection as captain, even though Pato was thought to be in line for the armband, according to Italian football tradition.

“The truth was, until I arrived in the changing room, I was convinced that the rule of seniority would see Milan assign the band to me.

“It did not turn out so, but I was not disappointed because in the end it ended up on the arm of a friend and a teammate.

“I did not [ask for an explanation], these are the decisions of [Adriano] Galliani and Allegri.”

Pato’s comments come on the same day that he is being linked with moves to Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain. The London side, who the Rossoneri face in the Champions League in a couple of months, are reportedly monitoring Pato’s situation in Milan and are even prepared to make a €28m bid for the youngster.

Competition, according to Mediaset, comes from PSG and Pato’s ‘godfathers’ Ancelotti and Leonardo, who have been given a €20m budget to try to tempt Galliani with.

So what does this mean for the beloved little duckling? I don’t like it when players air their grievances and talk out of turn, and this is no exception. The rumor mill has been strong that PSG is his next stop to be reunited with Leo and Carletto, and frankly the way he has been playing he is worth more to Milan at the moment as a check then a footballer. Four long years we waited for him to become what many have touted and few have seen. No sweat off my back, I made peace with his departure last season, now time to go shopping shall we…