[Fillipo Simone]

MoM goes to Rami IMO. Very good showing, if this wasn't just a happy coincidence, we should think of combining him and Abate as our main fullbacks. IMO Mexes and MDS were good as well, Lopez especially. Zapata made a slightly less convincing appearance.

Flop was between Muntari and SES for obvious reasons. Han compared Stephans miss with Icardi's, but it wasn't quite the same. Still, my pick is Muntari.

[Fillipo Simone]

I disagree. I don't think Han showed any signs of delusion. Having faith in Pato, Balo or SES firstly isn't the same and secondly isn't delusional on a general level.

Balotelli and Pato all had talent - this was indisputable. They showed they are great individuals, they can make the extra goal and pull out the team with their individual strength. Both had mental problems alla Adriano and turned out badly (even thought there is still time to turn this around) - but never was this faith in them misplaced, at least IMO. The talent was there, the potential, no real limitation: just mental issues and (in Pato's case) injuries that made their boom impossible. But putting faith in such players is by no means deluded or extra optimistic. It's a viable as saying "he sucks" just so you can shout "I told you so" later.

SES? He needs to prove himself. Surely. But it's delusional to whine about him of call him names at this point as well. The guy never had a real coach with Milan at the first place, nor did he encounter any help - like Ancelotti provided help to Pirlo in the crucial moment. He also faced a horrendous injury spell and only came out of it this season. The question is, what do we expect out of him? Do we really play to his strengths and build on him?

[acid911]

The question is, what do we expect out of him?

Effort. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif) And nothing but.

[han2503]

Effort. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif) And nothing but.

See now this is something I think you're just saying just to do so, because he ALWAYS puts in effort, it's just that at times that effort, especially now when he's struggling, is not paying off

@ x-off, as Filippo said, having faith in players who clearly have talent is not delusions, and having faith in someone who's not as talented but works his @ss off isn't either.

I've had faith in Abate for years now, because I could see that he was working his @ss off week in week out and it's paying off.

I'm not deluded into thinking SES is some wonder kid Messi to be. He has talent, but imo, it's limited, especially since he's being played in a position that requires natural technical abilities that I don't think he possesses. But the fact that I see him busting a gut out there when he does play shows me that he's working on it and even if he's not the most naturally gifted player he doesn't give up on personal improvement.

If he doesn't come good within the next 2 to 3 years, sure you can do your "told you so dance" and I'll admit that he wasn't cut out for this, but as of yet, to see people judging him so harshly just does not sit well with me, especially since most of these same people give someone like Muntari their seal of approval each week no matter how horrid he truly is

[acid911]

See now this is something I think you're just saying just to do so, because he ALWAYS puts in effort, it's just that at times that effort, especially now when he's struggling, is not paying off

Nah, man, the hustle and bustle that he puts up in every match is not effort. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) That's the minimum requirement, and while it is good to see the guy putting in the steps all the time, or always, as you put it, that's not what I meant. Flamini put this in every time he was here, and look where that took him.

What I need to see is effort and SES trying to develop his game, failing and then picking himself up, asserting himself on the pitch, enhancing his game reading skills and visions, as well as his dribbling, pace and finishing. Keep on improving as any young player should and he'll get there.

Not this limited showings, resting on his laurels and tracking back and forth. That won't get him anywhere. As I said, that is the minimum required, the least one expects from a young player with fresh spirits.

Really? But what does that mean actually? You think SES is a lazy kid who's not showing effort. How can we translate "effort" into something more concrete?

Han beat you to it, my friend, and I've answered part of your question above. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy.gif) Lazy he is not, but crazy he is a bit, in that he is wasting time developing his game. His skills repertoire. As of this writing, at least for me, his range and talent is lower than Balotelli, let alone Pato.

Does he have time? Oh plenty. But with this attitude, he is just going to end up being a pedestrian player. We've all seen guys like him that failed to do justice to the break they got by being lulled into a false sense of security. Injuries haven't helped, I know, but were SES developing his game, concretely, it would have shown.

Also, who's now to blame? Pippo who failed motivating the players or the individuals who don't show enough effort?

In this case, I'm afraid both parties are to blame. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif) The management more so, because they are the ones that hired Inzaghi as the coach. I mean, learning on the job? That doesn't cut it in most organizations, let alone high profile ones like this. Even if Inzaghi gets to grip with the coaching side of it, he'll falter.

He'll falter with man management, growth of young players, maybe even carving out a system for himself. And for the record, I don't think he's got his hands on the coaching bit, not in these first few months of the season. In terms of coaching, we get a fat F, actually, nothing has changed from the Allegri days. Nothing much.

The Leonardo and Seedorf days were different, though. The former brought in the spirit, without much tactical knowhow, and the other was at least tying for a system before he was cut short. Inzaghi has failed with both here, he's just striding along week to week.

As for the individuals, well, to be honest, most of our players deserve a good punch to the guts. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) At least one. They're just in it for the dough, and are not doing our shirt justice, or giving it the respect it deserves. But when the whole system is rotten to the core, from the very top, what can you say? Right, right?

Once again, the fix has to come from the top, SES is just a pawn. Who is not developing one bit. Pity.