I reiterated all summer that we should have given Hakan that contract. Because replacing him would be a huge headache, not to mention a far ore costly operation than giving him the measly extra mil he wanted

Giroud is a good player imo and a good back up. We really couldn't anticipate that first he'd get covid and then back and thigh problems that he admitted himself was still feeling just a few weeks ago. Do I think we should have gone for someone who could take over from Zlatan for the future? Of course, but the limitations are there for the management and if the budget was what it was then you can't do much more.

The decision making from the management has been good in terms of where they decide to put in money. Because as I mentioned, all the moves that we made which cost the club over 10m have all been good moves. We haven't struck out once.

Obviously the filler players like Ballo-Toure, Messias, Bakayoko (who I must admit I was all for), etc haven't turned out well bcause they had their hands ties. But at least we didn't sink a lot of money in them as we would have done in the past. Bakayoko and Messias are pain free moves which we won't go thought with. And BT was only 5m and he's on a small salary so he'll be easily moved on. That's the key here. We're not making panic moves that we'll pay for for 5 years straight. See Samu, and many other players signed by previous managements which were impossible to move on without incurring big losses because of the huge salaries and transfer fees paid.

Let's not even talk about Alvarez. Do you honestly believe that is all he cost City? I cannot even begin to comprehend the agent fees, signing bonuses and other family related fees City paid to get him. For get the transfer fee, that's become the smaller issue today. Look at the Vlahovic deal. Now it's emerging that aside from the 70m owed to Fiorentina (excluding bonuses), they paid big commissions to his agents and father. Transfers today are not that simple.

It's why FIFA and UEFA are corrupt and why clubs should have stuck to their guns and gone ahead with the SL. They implement FFP on the clubs who cannot fight back while allowing PSG and City to do as they wish. An even worse, they have not done anything about these agents extorting clubs for commissions

Zlatan and Rebic out tomorrow confirmed by Pioli. Tomori recovered but on the bench.

Really irked by this continuous unavailability of Rebic. Guy has barely played this season. It's become an inconvenience, cos it means we cannot rely on him anymore. And it's not like we can replace him with ease.

Anyway, line-up for tomorrow:

Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu, Romagnoli, Theo; Tonali, Bennacer, Kessie; Saelemaekers, Leao, Giroud.

Don't except much from the game, most probably a typical derby defeat. I just hope it's not another humiliation like last season.

Rebić and Ibra are unavailable for sure? What's now wrong with Rebić?

For sure confirmed by Pioli during the press conference today. Rebic has ankle issues which kept him out during October/November.

Have this feeling Milan will secure 3 points tonight, Forza Milan!

No game, no play. Tactic not working so far..

Hakan assist??..

Maignan and Tonali the only truly good players in field.

Without Rebić and Ibrahimović this Pioli tactic does not work. Alexis is piss poor and hopefully playing his last Milan season. Giroud is good as a contingency option, but utterly useless in modern fast-paced football. Kessie as AM is a complete brainfart that will hopefully be eradicated by halftime with Diaz in a Bennacer out. Benna is a bench player at this point.

Nothing much to say, everything went as expected. They dominate possession, great attcking manoeuver and combinations. On the other hand we have no idea what playing football means. Our players are static, we rely too much on individualisms and long balls. The quality is simply not there.

This is who we are, the sooner fans come to terms with it, the better.

Don't give up on Bennacer just yet. It's hard for him to be incisisve as a playmaker when there's a vast nothingness in front of him.

Congrats to Maldini & Co handing out Calhanglou to Inter. He secured them their second star. Brilliant season. If only we had the peanuts he wanted for a better salary...

Arsenalization under Gazidis underway. Milan will always aim at 4th/3rd, never go for the scudetto. Next season we'll replace Romagnoli and Kessie with a bunch of talented nobodies or second (third) chance players like Renato Sanches and here goes yet another cycle of "maturation". Then in 1-2 seasons we'll be selling the matured youngsters at high prizes and search for yet another batch of raw talents.

X-O was right to say that as long as Elliot is managing Milan, we won't be seeing much hopes for winning anything.

I think the partnership with Tonali isn't working out. He's getting bullied out and making many mistakes. At this point, I really don't see why we should push for him to play as a starter. He's good in Tonali's spot, but that's it. For the second midfielder we need someone strong and Bakayoko being poor screwed us over royally.

I personally don't agree with your assessment.

Meh that?s just bias. You got nothing to prove Benna is doing good or will be doing in the future..

To be honest, Renato Sanches > Kessie IMO.