What?

Yes, there sure is plently of time to see about Kalulu.

But what about Pioli? Do you guys think we should keep him if we fail to reach 4th spot?

Yes, investing is key. But there are also some other factors we should mention:

1) Last summer Milan did invest, but we made some absolutely horrible choices. Of all players we signed or brought back, only Thiaw managed to justify his signing. All others played a minor or even very bad role. CDK also included. Whoever picked these signings must also be questioned and avoid this mistake come this summer.

2) We lack a true leader, or better - Calabria is not captain material. The whole defensive line has been consistently bad for the most part of 2023, but Calabria along Kalulu is the icing on top. He made me rethink my opinion for a moment after the Napoli games, but now it's even clearly that he's a problem we should solve.

3) I'm not referring to Pioli's tactics (which are dubious at best IMO) but to his manhandling. I'm not sure he's the man to go any further with our project. Even if we reach 4th place it will be most likely down to Juventus being take points off and not Milan really deserving to be 4th.

Yet it's not a question of being realistic or not either. It's just that reaching the semis means very little compared to missing out on 4th spot and CL football and making a rather evident step backward and not forward in terms of organizations. It's rather clear that this season is filled with all kinds of mistakes and wrong turns that put the Milan project - not based on short-term results but on a vision to bring Milan truly back on top - in jeopardy.

Oh and Pierre Kalulu is the new Bruno N'Gotty (anyone remembers or am I the oldest here?). One really good season and then a massive downfall. Perhaps Milans worst player of the season.

Inter are not that bad Han. Let's be realistic.

We're very disappointed but now we have to try and fight our way through to 4th spot. Juventus may very well end up with -9 points, meaning we have to at least get a draw and hope Roma and Lazio will slip up.

Does it?

Well, anyway, for that kind of strategy we played poorly in the first tie, regardless of Leao missing, don't you think?

Justified? Loosing CL money over some no-win scenario final? I don't think so. Not ending up at least 4th will be one of the worst defending title seasons in Milan history and also a major blow to our project.

I still think the management is to blame for the choices they made - not buying the necessary players, many mistakes in judgements, not assuring our best players stay (Kessie, Hakan, Donna - which turned out fine but anyway) or not making an effort of replacing them (Romagnoli, Kessie, etc.). Not investing during January was the icing on the cake.

Yet Pioli really baffles me. The way he uses players really bothers me. Players who don't play for weeks suddenly become part of a starting formation (Vranckx) or get pushed right into the fire (Bakayoko for a period) - mostly fail and end up on ice for another cycle.

Yes, our roster is mediocre and poor. But the way Pioli has handled rotation, player mentality and playing routines is shocking for an experienced coach. Just think of Rebić (neverminded the injuries') - he never was a superb player to begin with, but the explosiveness he had and the involvement he brought in his first 2 seasons. Look at him now. Useless, like mostly all other bench players. It surely isn't a coincidence.

Secondly, he destroyed any sense of order and tactic. Our awful game plan and game style is what makes me finally want a change in the coaching department. Yet sadly I don't see anyone suitable for us. Conte surely wouldn't join Milan.

Wow, you baffled me for a moment. But looking at the table, we are now in 5th position with Atalanta being 5 points away. How are you so sure we'll manage to surpass Inter, Lazio or Roma?

Yet Italian teams made good results on all european fronts.

Agreed

Well I don't buy into that so much to be honest. We managed a few wins over Italiano's Fiorentina as well.

The mindset was completely wrong. We started like Fiorentina was a test team for Tottenham and like we had to defend a lead. We never ever managed to find a way out of this. Pioli just gave up and never bothered to change anything up until it was too late.

CDK is jackshit and he can be traded to the next hype team IMO. What a fragile little creature...

Overall terrible performance. How on earth did Pioli let this happen?

I disagree that #PioliOut is unfair. I only concur that he is not the only cluprit, but this is why I think Pioli should go:

1) Pioli has a history of meltdowns with his former teams - Parma, Lazio and Inter. All marked with series of good results followed by complete or partial meltdowns.

2) Pioli is not showing any sign of knowning how to develop and bring Milan to the next level. He's handled Paqueta poorly in the past, but is also not properly utilizing the strenghts of his team. He crossed over players like Adli or Bakayoko yet uses other players like Pobega or Krunić on a constant basis even if they're not playing good.

3) Other then the scudetto-winning formation, he has no real plan B. If playing with a defensive 5 is all he can come up with in moments of crisis I'm speechless. He reminds me very much on Zaccheroni, a good coach who also won the scudetto quite miraculously infront of much stronger competition. Yet Zach never seemed to grasp this crucial "next step", transforming a miracle-winning-team into a consistent contender and champion.

4) The way Milan behave on pitch is apalling. Not in the days of Mesbah, Constant and Traore did we really play that frightened against Inter. The Madonnina derby is what I cannot forget and blame on Pioli. We played disgustingly cowardish and the lack of mentality and grit was unbearable. How on earth did he let his team start like this? And how is he unable to fix small and simple errors like defending set pieces?

That being said, the management has to be blamed as well.

#PioliOut

Milan playing like this after a shameful derby. In 30 years of football I haven't seeen such a disgrace.

#PioliOut

Yep, agree.

Shameful and disgraceful showing. How this isn't 2-0 or 3-0 is only up to Inter not being good actually.

He has. But it's better then to do nothing.

I'm ready. Back to no expectations at all in a jiff.

But why on God's name have we signed this Vasquez fellow?

I've missed your valuable input and valid points of argument.

Zidane is not a top coach and he never would pick Milan, he'd only come for a sure thing like Real or City or France.

Enrique is pretty mediocre bar that one season with Barcelona to be honest.

Tuchel is problematic but very good. None of these are what we will go after if we fire Pioli.

Conte should be IMO our top target. He'll be free after this season and I think his return would be doable. Bielsa and Favre are avaible. Not many options to be honest, yet I think this step is necessary.

So you instantly add some spice Danny, right?


I hope this is the end of Pioli. Maybe he resigns.

CDK out for Leao? But Alexis staying?
No defensive subs?
Have you seen Pioli row with the referees in the tunnel?

Interim coach until the end of season and then a good one or even a good one right now for sure. Both options are better then this.