[Danny]

The bolded part is sadly something that I'm now starting to believe as well

We're still seeing the silly decisions and mistakes we saw with Allegri, yet now they're amplified by a complete lack of know-how from the coach

What worries me the most at this point is the players and their attitudes. Today and Sunday's performances were shocking, not just in a technical sense (although that area was awful as well) but from a purely human angle, to see these guys jugging around without a f@cking care in the world when we're about to lose 2 vital points that in all honesty we should be getting without much trouble is just so unacceptable for me.

Menez coming on and acting like he's the sh!t and doing nothing personified this attitude for me, at least if SES is not bringing in his A game in the attack he's still busting a gut tracking back and doing the dirty work as well.

For me this attitude is what's really bothering me so much at this point, I can live with (and accept) the fact that we're not the best or 2nd best team in the league, far from it, but at least try to make up for that step down in quality with effort, and that's what I'm not seeing, it's the same thing we saw with Allegri over and over again.

As for the football side of things, the only thing I can say is WTF did I just waste 90+ minutes of my life watching??

Lethargic, slow, clueless, detached, lazy, terrible... I can't even think of more adjectives to describe what I saw out there.

I don't disagree with much in here. Whether or not we agree on this player or that one, the collective unit is absolutely shocking. The midfield is just pedestrian beyond words, and the formation is clearly not suiting anyone out there, while the attack has to be the worst I can remember. We managed ONE worthwhile shot on target in this match ffs. And that was a pearling wordly goal from Bona.

The only things positive are Alex and De Jong. Abate normally but less so tonight.

Besides this? We're really, really, REALLY poor.

But that said I do still feel an alteration in literally 3 players and a switch in formation would help so much. If Pippo could stick with the same defence for more than one bloody match, that would be a start, and if he could just kindly stop selecting God d*mn Muntari by default. Tweak attack by putting Honda behind two strikers, probably SES and Torres (shite as they are they're at least trying) and see if that tweaks the system a bit.

PS no matter what form MDS is in, he is officially the first name on the team sheet and untouchable:

With me, De Sciglio will always play because he’s a young player, an international and with a bright future.

So, Pippo, why exactly did you sign a Columbian world cup quarter finalist LB if you never ever intended to play him? I said at the time the signing was pointless, and Pippo has all but confirmed it now.

http://www.italianfootballdaily.com/inzagh...alian-football/

I defended Pippo when X-off criticised his media performances, but have to say the content of this press conference infuriates me.

WHAT THE F*CK IS WRONG WITH MILAN MANAGERS NOW? It's the same mistakes whoever the hell is the boss.

[X-Offender]

Taking on a coach like Zeman is always a pleasure, it will be a match with nice football, offensive.

Yes, for them.

[han2503]

I don't disagree with much in here. Whether or not we agree on this player or that one, the collective unit is absolutely shocking. The midfield is just pedestrian beyond words, and the formation is clearly not suiting anyone out there, while the attack has to be the worst I can remember. We managed ONE worthwhile shot on target in this match ffs. And that was a pearling wordly goal from Bona.

The only things positive are Alex and De Jong. Abate normally but less so tonight.

Besides this? We're really, really, REALLY poor.

But that said I do still feel an alteration in literally 3 players and a switch in formation would help so much. If Pippo could stick with the same defence for more than one bloody match, that would be a start, and if he could just kindly stop selecting God d*mn Muntari by default. Tweak attack by putting Honda behind two strikers, probably SES and Torres (shite as they are they're at least trying) and see if that tweaks the system a bit.

PS no matter what form MDS is in, he is officially the first name on the team sheet and untouchable:

I agree with the tweaks you're mentioning, they're so minor but could go such a long way

At this point I don't care who's playing in the defence just pick 5 (including the keeper) and stick with them FFS!!

Rami or Zapata, both bring in pros and cons to the table imo, I pick one, I know you pick the other, but atm, if I see the same 4 at the back for a consecutive run of games I'll be happy no matter if it's one of the other. A defensive line shouldn't change unless the change is forced on the coach!

The Muntari thing is so grating I just cannot handle it anymore tbh. Jack B mentioned a great anecdote that happened during the game of how seriously stupid this guy is. Muntari has the ball with SES open right in front of him, Pippo yelling at him (standing right next to him) to pass it to SES and what does Muntari do? Try to dribble the ball and loses it promptly after the fact. I just cannot take watching him start again, is he suspended for the next game or is he one caution away now with the yellow he got today? At least that would give us a bit of reprieve.

Still, Muntari or no Muntari, Pippo needs to work on that midfield. atm, we're playing without one, we by-pass it to form attacks and they certainly don't help in covering the defence.

De Jong, as great as he is, atm is working on just individual brilliance, as part of a midfield/defensive unit, imo he's failing as badly as the others. Pippo needs to work as much as possible on this aspect of our game more than anything, our midfield needs to be capable of both covering our defence and support our attack, and atm it's doing neither of those things, just floating around passing the ball aimlessly from CB, to FB to winger back again, just so tedious to watch our "build-up play".

If our midfield play improves, I'm 100% certain that so will our defensive displays

Agreed totally on the attackers

So, Pippo, why exactly did you sign a Columbian world cup quarter finalist LB if you never ever intended to play him? I said at the time the signing was pointless, and Pippo has all but confirmed it now.

http://www.italianfootballdaily.com/inzagh...alian-football/

I defended Pippo when X-off criticised his media performances, but have to say the content of this press conference infuriates me.

WHAT THE F*CK IS WRONG WITH MILAN MANAGERS NOW? It's the same mistakes whoever the hell is the boss.

I personally cannot believe that this is the Pippo who allegedly had it out with Allegri and told him he'd do the job better than him. He's falling into the same traps as Allegri imo, only doing it worse at this point. At least with Allegri we generally took control of the game (even if it was with pointless possession that lead to nowhere)

[Danny]

Don't want to seem critical but I really want to comment on some of these ratings Danny.

First Abbiati... Cannot for the life of me understand why Pippo is picking him, he was passing out clangers all game long and imo he did make a mistake on the goal. He came flying out when there was no chance in hell that he was ever going to reach that.

It was a 3-way c*ck up between he, Rami and MDS.

Rami, he wasn't the only one at fault for the goal, he was second in a 4-bit sequence of errors imo. Also, he made an amazing goal line sliding clearance on a sure goal from Ibarbo a few minutes into the game.

Yup, he did, his one good act in that first half.

I thought he was solid overall aside from that slight blip on the goal. At this point we just have to accept that no matter who plays in defence we're going to concede. It's mostly due to the fact that the defenders have no cover from the midfield so it's very easy for teams to slice us open at will. We're very lucky to have drawn today imo

We wouldn't concede if Pippo would pick the best defence. V Fio MDS cost us, today a combination of Rami (mostly) and Abbiati/MDS cost us. You were critical of Zapata who didn't cost us v Fio but praising of Rami who has. Your call, and I know you like Rami, but he is simply not our best option. Zapata would have been gutted, and Armero...well, his backside must be getting warm on that bench.

DS, no way he deserves just a 4 for today, he was one of the better players on the pitch for me today (not saying much I know). In fact I thought he was better than Abate today.

He was a 7 in the second and a 0 in the first. So that evens out at 4.

Abate, Rami and DS all made goal saving tackles/clearances today. Without their awareness and positioning we could be looking at a loss today (which sadly is what I think we need to give Pippo a good kick in the teeth, this drawing business and somehow miraculously finding ourselves in third must have him in some false sense of calm that he shouldn't be feeling)

You missed Alex in those vital clearances. Do you not rate Alex?

The attackers in general... A this point I've given up on trying to see who's doing well and who isn't, who's **** and who isn't. The point is, these guys aren't getting any service, therefore they're not going to produce. You said it yourself, why bring on Pazzo when we're creating absolutely nothing but horse sh!t out there.

SES for me is just NOT a winger, end of. Playing him there, especially when everyone around him is so painfully static is just ridiculous. Notice that every time he gets the ball he's easily surrounded by 2 or 3 players and has not option but to pass it back to DS/Muntari. The only time that SES can work as a winger is if we're countering and he has acres of space to run into, aside from that it's a complete waste, he's not going to dribble 3 or 4 players and score.

Agree on SES, he's being as wasted on the left as Honda is on the right. It's beyond frustrating and now is just plain ludicrous. Both work hard but they're being rendered impotent.

Torres is just not getting any service, he's literally been forced to play a target man with long balls being punted at him or trying to shoot from balls that come loose after challenges. Just ridiculous, of course he's going to be utter sh!t and worse than at Chelsea, at least at Chelsea the guys behind him were creating chances for him to sky over the bar, here he's not even getting that

I'll be critical when he sucks but happily ready to gush with praise when it kicks into gear for him, however, whenever and if it indeed does. He is a symptom of what is wrong with our attack.

Honda, same argument as with SES really, he's been trying to do his best there and has mostly succeeded so far this season and that mostly goes to his sheer will and determination, he's still working his @ss off in the defensive phase of the game but he just cannot do what Pippo envisions for that right winger role. I really wish we could either see him as a CM or in the AM position, although neither will ever happen

To have a 4-3-3 that works you MUST have 2 wingers comfortably with that notion. The old Ronaldinho Barca had him on the left, Guily on the right, and Eto' in the middle. 3 players happy with that combination and each placed to their strengths. Torres is being isolated alone because the other two cannot produce chances for him. SES simply NEVER crosses the ball, he always tries to dribble in and then loses it. Honda cuts back and crosses with the left. Exactly the same every time and it's no wonder it's easily nullified.

Pretty much agree with the rest of you assessment, especially that last bit.

I absolutely cannot believe we're in 3rd! Just goes to show how weak the league is and my point about us having just as much of a chance to get 3rd simply on the bases that the other clubs competing for that position are just as terrible as we are

Still aiming for 5th but after tonight I don't think we'll get it.

But yes, Serie A is absolutely horrendous. From its heyday in the 80s and 90s/early Noughties it's now behind England, Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, and vies with Turkey, Greece, Russia and Holland in terms of where we're at.

[han2503]

It was a 3-way c*ck up between he, Rami and MDS.

I don't think DS had anything to do with that. It was Rami's man, and he lost him, Abbiati came flying out which made it 10 times worse. However it all started with first Abate then Alex both letting whoever the Cagliari player that was who crossed to do it so comfortably and accurately. Therefore, for me, it's a 4-way f@ck up.

Yup, he did, his one good act in that first half.

I don't think he did any other thing wrong throughout the first half or the 2nd. Minor blip aside he was good, and saved a sure goal, which sort of balances out

We wouldn't concede if Pippo would pick the best defence. V Fio MDS cost us, today a combination of Rami (mostly) and Abbiati/MDS cost us. You were critical of Zapata who didn't cost us v Fio but praising of Rami who has. Your call, and I know you like Rami, but he is simply not our best option. Zapata would have been gutted, and Armero...well, his backside must be getting warm on that bench.

I think he is playing our best defence, for me our best defence atm is the one we played today, you prefer Zapata, I would even be okay with that for now as long as he kept it consistent for a good span of games, this changing things around each week is getting seriously old.

Yes, Zapata didn't cost us, but his mistakes last Sunday could have easily done so had he not been as lucky, fact is he can be a bit of liability, which is the only reason I choose Rami over him, simply because I don't trust him. He's simply terrible on the ball, yet instead of passing it on quickly to Alex or his FB, he chooses to hang onto it to try to dribble or make some ridiculous pass which usually ends badly, if he removed that aspect of his game I would trust him a lot more and would have zero issues with him being the starting CB

He was a 7 in the second and a 0 in the first. So that evens out at 4.

Nah, he had a solid first half, nothing great but was defensively sound, second half he was easily one of our best performers (again, not saying much, but that's how I personally see his overall performance today)

You missed Alex in those vital clearances. Do you not rate Alex?

Rami cleared off the goal line when Ibarbo had an open net to shoot at. Abate slid in with a last ditch tackle at the far post to clear a cross that would have reached the Cagliari player for an easy tap in and DS slid into a tackle inside our area to win the ball off a Cagliari player who was clear through on goal and just had Abbiati to beat. Alex was his usual solid self, made all the correct clearances, challenges and tackles. He's our saving grace in defence this season no question about that.

The other 3 just made 3 spectacular interventions though that have most likely saved our 1 point, that's why I mentioned them

Agree on SES, he's being as wasted on the left as Honda is on the right. It's beyond frustrating and now is just plain ludicrous. Both work hard but they're being rendered impotent.

Yep

I'll be critical when he sucks but happily ready to gush with praise when it kicks into gear for him, however, whenever and if it indeed does. He is a symptom of what is wrong with our attack.

I think at this point I'm finding it hard to be critical because he literally has nothing to play off of. If we were creating bucket loads of chances for him and he was pissing them away then yeah, I'd jump happily on that band wagon, but at this point I just feel sorry for him

To have a 4-3-3 that works you MUST have 2 wingers comfortably with that notion. The old Ronaldinho Barca had him on the left, Guily on the right, and Eto' in the middle. 3 players happy with that combination and each placed to their strengths. Torres is being isolated alone because the other two cannot produce chances for him. SES simply NEVER crosses the ball, he always tries to dribble in and then loses it. Honda cuts back and crosses with the left. Exactly the same every time and it's no wonder it's easily nullified.

Yep. A 4-3-1-2 would look so much better with the players we have. This 4-3-3 thing is so unnatural. Sadly I think Pippo will continue to persist with it until it dies a slow, agonising, natural death

Still aiming for 5th but after tonight I don't think we'll get it.

But yes, Serie A is absolutely horrendous. From its heyday in the 80s and 90s/early Noughties it's now behind England, Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, and vies with Turkey, Greece, Russia and Holland in terms of where we're at.

I don't think it's that bad, probably around the same level as Portugal and France at this point.

That being said, I'll continue to be hopeful for that 3rd spot for as long as the other teams continue to be the utter sh!t they currently are.

[X-Offender]

Meh guys, there's no point in nitpicking at this point. We need some serious changes in our tactical plan and our disposition on the pitch. If we continue with this mentality, where shaky wins are overshadowed by the three points and shameful draws considered as acceptable, we're not going anywhere.

[Fillipo Simone]

Maybe one of you guys should be picked as new coach.

[X-Offender]

Maybe one of you guys should be picked as new coach.

Seriously? You gonna keep defending this team?

[Fillipo Simone]

How is that comment defending the team?

Nah man, it was supposed to be double-funny. On one side, our board keeps appointing rookies. On the other, you guys flick the word "amateur" so easily and are all full of know-how. That's a win-win (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[X-Offender]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMH8pXsGSR4

[Danny]

I don't think it's that bad, probably around the same level as Portugal and France at this point.

That being said, I'll continue to be hopeful for that 3rd spot for as long as the other teams continue to be the utter sh!t they currently are.

Agree to disagree on what we disagree on, and agree to agree what we agree on.

But I take distinct issue with you suggesting Italy is anywhere near Portugal or France. PSG and Monaco would absolutely destroy anything in Serie A, and Porto and Benfica...well they too would dismiss this league with ease.

I'm sticking with fifth.

[X-Offender]

How is that comment defending the team?

Nah man, it was supposed to be double-funny. On one side, our board keeps appointing rookies. On the other, you guys flick the word "amateur" so easily and are all full of know-how. That's a win-win (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

We're fans who discuss and make suggestions, what do you expect? That's what this board is for. And yes, Inzaghi is an amateur, whether you like it or not.

[Danny]

Maybe one of you guys should be picked as new coach.

Sure, I don't mind being paid a fair few quid to choose the team Berlu wants me to.

[han2503]

Sure, I don't mind being paid a fair few quid to choose the team Berlu wants me to.

I highly doubt that Silvio is pushing for this, he's a huge advocate for the 2 striker system and already criticised the 4-3-3 after the Juve game if I'm not mistaken

[Rossoneri7]

Maybe one of you guys should be picked as new coach.

There are a lot of moving objects when your a football team. With Ancelotti we had a lot opposing him, had we taken Van Gal on as coach instead of Pippo; criticism will remain.

It is just that some can not come to terms with the fact that we are reduced to a 3rd place finish as the 'ultimate' we can achieve. This translates to us achieving a UEFA cup birth as something respectable, considering where we are and where we came from.

For me, Milan is a project under construction. Expecting to explode onto the scenes with wins left right and center, is an equivalent of shooting yourself in the foot.

That said, Pippo's stats in these 9 games are impressive, considering his rookie tag.