QUOTE (han2503 @ Jan 29 2017, 04:37 PM)
This team is basically finished. Danny was right. There's no self belief left.
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Montella worked miracles getting us to second - I truly briefly bought into the idea we were a UCL level team and when we beat Juve I think it was the worst thing to happen (long term) - gave the players an inflated sense of how good they were and made them complacent.
What match followed Juve? That absolute horror show in Genoa, and while we got a little form back, the moment that killed this season for me was the debacle v Crotone. I have never felt sicker at a win in my life because the players, who hadn't shown up, celebrated Lapa's late winner against the bottom team as if they'd won the UCL itself.
Since then (4th December) we've been frankly woeful, with a combination of Montella errors and (already average) players running on empty.
We desperately needed a significant influx of players this January, but instead midfield and attack remain basically the same and Deulofeu (why did I think he was Dutch?!) who failed at Everton is the best we can do. We're back to the usual Milan I'm afraid guys.
Some ratings:
Donna: 4 Sorry but this guy is in bad form now and really struggling. He did make one outstanding save today, but it was the first time he'd made an impressive save since the Juve win last year. He's failing to stop what a keeper of his apparent quality should, and he doesn't look confident at all right now.
Abate: 6 Had a pretty good game. Did make one dreadful assist for Udine's first but otherwise had a solid day at both the back and going forward.
Paletta: 7 Did little wrong and made one or two massive blocks.
Romagnoli: 6 Good enough, but r*ped for what should have been Udine's third. He's been beaten one on one a few too many times this season.
MDS: 7 Give him his dues, it's the best I've seen my least favourite player in the entire squad play for a long time. Defended much better than normal and had a good work rate.
Locatelli: 5 Assist for the second goal and a lot of errant passing. I just don't rate this kid any more and don't trust him as the future of our midfield. Not mentally big enough for Milan IMO.
Kucka: 4 Put simply I can't remember the last match he played well in.
Pasilic: 6 Best of a really weak bunch - heavily involved and tried to get forward. He's an average to above average player and it shows.
Suso: 3 Excellent assist for Jack's goal but otherwise his form tumble continues. Teams got wise to him last year and his game is being limited now. Today he was just plain poor again, assist aside.
Bacca: 2 This system in no way suits him - he will pounce on half chances but has nothing else to his game and he's low on confidence. Worked far better under Miha than he does under Montella.
Jack: 8 Says a lot that our best player only managed about 15 minutes - during which time he had the most impact of anyone. Stunning goal, hard working, and his loss was a big blow.
Subs:
Deulofeu: 6 Horrible first half but really good in the second - didn't know what he was doing till half time but Montella's advice clearly helped and he was more symbiotic with the setup in the second. Has a lot of potential but then he's 22 and 'lots of potential' at this age is a worrying description.
Lapadula: 3 Horrible. He's gone to utter rubbish. Barely even doing the work now that formerly had many favouring him over Bacca.
Vangioni: 3 Covered MDS but unimpressive at best. No idea why Antonelli was overlooked here.