[han2503]

Football is really failing me atm. After the big Azzurri disappointment. All that's left to do now is a big drubbing from Napoli and I'm set

[maldini03]

Anyone watching?

A crucial problems lies within Montella. I'm not sure if we're holding onto him for just this season, but I'm pretty sure that had we got rid of him at the beginning Milan would have been in a much better competitive position. Now it's September and we're practically out of all chances to play the CL (unless we win the Europa League, which is quite unlikely - we're probably get run over by BVB or someone else).

This ^ we gave him all the tools. We brought in a new crop and we gave him time to build. We didn't have time to waste, but we wasted it anyway - should have pulled the trigger when things began to get rough.

Montella is missing to inspire and move our players both individually and collectively. Not able to find the best spots for certain (important) players, not able to find the right team mentality and goals. Also not able to let the team play well, organize a thought-through intelligent gameplan. IMO he has to go and we gotta find a interim coach for the rest of the season. Panucci, Brocchi or whoever. I don't care. Montella simply has lost it.

I think that this is part of the problem that bleeds into your next point, but I agree. At this point we need someone to galvanize these players and get them headed in the right direction mentally otherwise we wont be getting a coach with any real pedigree.

But on top of this I think other problems pop out as well. I know some of you guys will jump to the argument that this is a brand new team, 10 players, bla bla bla... But I've watched football too long now to know that there's always more then just one problem or angle. Yes, this is a new team. Yes, the coach failed in producing the necessary cohesion. But I also think our transfer campaign failed miserably.

This is easier to say in hindsight, but I think for the most part you are right, we started the summer looking good. Wanting X player for X amount and getting the deals done but at the end, the train came off the tracks.

I'm not the one to gloat or shout "I told you so", but I was for the most part right I think (and so was Danny). Bonucci is a special case, I think he'll be regaining form and will turn into a real asset for us in the future - that is if we have one. But the other buys turned out very unimpressive. Musacchio is solid, but shaky for the experience he has; should have. Rodriguez is a good option and probably by far our best catch.

The defensive signings I'm okay with. Conti getting a serious injury was unforeseeable, RR has been good, Mussachio was signed before the rest and at the time was a good signing to pair with Romag. Then we got Bonucci and his position was one he has to fight for. Bonucci will be an asset goign forward. Today he actually looked really good as did the defense as a whole.

Kessie whom I expected great things is rapidly turning into a "Kondogbia buy" for us. A "jack of all trades" player who IMO has little room to improve and become good in modern football. Calhanoglou is exactly how I remember him from the Leverkusen days - a typical product of Balkan mentality - talented, very gifted but lazy, moody and completely unpredictable. Biglia IMO was a fair shot and might turn out okay just yet, but I do fear that he's past his prime and not really up to it.

I disagree with the Kessie criticism I am seeing a good amount of on here. He is a very talented player and is just a kid. Look at Diawara for Napoli, he is the same kind of player but he has had a year to come off the bench with no responsibility. We have placed a world of pressure on Kessie, and although he has had lapses, for the most part, he has been solid. You can't expect him to singlehandedly be the creator, enforcer, and box to box. His is a new type of position that only a few coaches really know how to get the best from. Kondogbia has been good in Spain - with the right system and the right players around him he can become something special. Hell, look at who Pogba got to play next to. Pirlo and Vidal (a near perfect tandem). The guy had no responsibilities in that team and in that environment, he thrived.

Andre Silva (although too soon to assess) is also raising some serious questions. Just like I warned, Silva is reproducing his Portugal form - scoring against the various Austria Wien and Rijeka teams, while at the same time not scoring a single goal in the league.

Silva I was never sold on for the present but hopefully, he will come good in the future. I am concerned mostly about his position on the field. I can't really figure out where he is supposed to be playing and that makes me a little nervous. But, he is still young and has the potential to be a starting striker. If not, hopefully a few good appearances from him in the WC, and a few more goals this year will keep his value high.


I watched the game too Fillipo and I think you bring up some great points. Today Kessie played well along with the defense and especially Montolivo. The problems for me mostly lie with the coach. He can't figure out a way to get these guys to play cohesively. He is wasting the potential of a guy like Kessie. The formation and constant changing is stupid. A guy plays well one game and sits the next makes absolutely no sense. For me, Locatelli was our best player against Napoli. I missed the midweek game but if he is playing well he should play every game. I think Montella has gotten too worried about who the players are and has lost sight of what he was all about. Everyone should earn their start. I don't care if we dropped 20M on a guy he shouldn't play if he is playing poorly and I'd guess that is what made some of the "senators" mad about this season.

Last year Bona and Suso were our best players. This year Hakan comes in and starts over Bona. That doesn't make any sense. Ditto the Kalinic - Cutrone situation.

Kalinic, Biglia, Hakan hell even Silva seem like stupid money. For what we spent on those three we could have gotten a real do it all forward like Belotti and a real midfielder who could make us better. The rest could have been spent on picking up young hungry players to build the team for the future.

5 years ago we spent money the same way, just gap filling the perceived holes (think Honda, Menez, Adriano etc.)- then we seemed to get smarter. Romagnoli, promoting our own youth, Bonaventura, Suso these were good deals for players that would help us create something. Then money came in and they said throw it at players with a name instead of a guy who is going to grow with what we are already building.

This post has been edited by maldini03: Nov 26 2017, 05:32 PM