As has been stated a few times, I thought we had a good first half, but in the second we fell off a cliff. I think that of our three midfielders, NDJ was actually the worst, which I haven't been able to say all year. I thought he gave up possession very cheaply a few times with his errant passing, but he is a fighter and I will always appreciate his combative performances. I thought that Poli and MVG we two of our best players today. MVG was running the show in midfield, he was distributing the ball making good runs off of it and generally creating space. I also thought that Poli gave a strong performance, he got into the attacking flow of the team and his movement seemed to disrupt the inter back 4. His passing was also on point. He is definitely a limited player but I think that today he seemed to step up.

Abate and Antonelli both also played very well, and I believe that Abate should be our captain whenever he is on the field. He is the only one who exhibits that fire and passion that this team used to be built on. He motivates the players around him and on stoppages he is the one to take command and shout out orders. You can see that passion when we score a goal, he is always the first guy to sprint to the player who scored. He generally loves this team, and for me he still captures the spirit of Milan despite not being the worlds best RB.

At the end of the day a 0-0 was the expected result. These games used to be decided by true game changing players and Champions, and now both teams lack in the Champion department. Hopefully next year will see both teams return to the top, and this derby will ignite that fire in me as it once did. This year neither team is playing for anything, and tonight was evidence of that.

We really were...


To each his own and all that jazz


Yes, we're rubbish, playing in a rubbish league and against an equally rubbish team.

So all of that cancels each other out

I never said Menez was world class, I think he has the skillset of a world class player but was never able to apply himself in order to become world class. It's why he's with us after all, as you so rightfully said already

And I never said Suso was world class either, I thought he was impressive in that first half, very positive and determined in his play, certainly a lot better than either Cerci (who I didn't want to join us from the beginning) or Honda.

When I say the problem is because of the collective and not the individuals, what I mean is that under proper coaching this team would most likely be in the top 3 easily with the league as it is.

Honda, Suso, Cerci:

Honda: horrible all-round failure who delivers only decent direct free kicks. Woeful at literally everything else.

Suso: greedy, quick, talented player who rarely passes, shoots most of the time and isn't a team player. So now we have two of them. What you probably saw as 'determined and positive' I saw as a broken x button.

Cerci: truly a flop. No sign of the Torino Cerci, he's been dismal.

I'm really tired of these selfish players who just hog the ball. We had it with Taarabt, then Menez, now Suso.

I don't think Suso is selfish, far from it. Yes, he had a few shots last night, but he also plays with the team, unlike Menez who just waltz on his own all the time.

I don't agree about Suso, I never had one moment yesterday with him that is similar to what I have with Menez, meaning shouting at the screen for him to pass the ball.

Sure he over dribbles a bit here and there but nothing close to Menez.

Cerci was and is still a failure of the highest proportions, simply cannot play decently with a big side

Yes, Menez and Suso are two different things. Agreed with Han and XO here.

You've disagreed with everything I've said, so this isn't unexpected.

Really? I don't think so, but anyway. I'm not making my post expected or less expected, I write what I think. It really has nothing to do with you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

And it's infuriating. There was one attack where we had total advantage, and instead of passing wide to Abate he kept the ball, turned back and slowed it down.

I'm not saying he never passes the ball, his passes were the same number as Bona's and more than Menez last night, but at key moments he elected to shoot from the edge of the box or dribble on rather than making the right decision.

He reminds me of Taarabt - talented but head down too much at the wrong moments. Improve his decision making he can be a great player.

I just mean in relation to this topic.

The thing I can't understand with your assessments is - why you tend to make definitive statements based on one or two performances? I think we should give him more time and see if he's really overdoing it.

Exactly.

Because most of the time those 'definitive' statements turn out accurate.

I will get it wrong now and again, and when my assessment was negative I'm delighted to be wrong in those cases.

I'm trying to think of the last signing within the past couple of seasons I've slagged off on their first performance or two then they've turned it round and I've ended up waxing lyrical.

If anyone can help me out there I'd appreciate it.

I mean, can you give an example of a player who played differently on his debut (I mean in style and not form) than he did later?

That's why I assess 'definitively' - I called Alex a big, aerially dominant, strong, body where it hurts collosus when he made his competitive debut. He didn't then turn into a weak, feeble, cowardly idiot who couldn't head thereafter.

I think that comes a bit from inexperience. Many young players do this, trying to over-compensate, especially someone like Suso who's trying to prove something

The same excuse cannot be said for Menez.

Yeah, this was a big chance for Suso so it's only normal for him to show a few personal skills.