Hugely important fixture. Every one of our direct opponents won today so dropped points here will put us in a really bad spot

Our advantage is two games in hand over all of them. But yes, if we don't win this one I'd probably say goodbye to European football already.

I'm worried about us teetering on the edge of a huge form dip.

Not sure about that. If anything, I have seen improvements in key players, like Bertolacci (whom I had written off) actually performing quite well, Locatelli getting better and better, and so on. In fact, in what little market we have, mids or central defenders are no longer a priority AFAIAC. Not sure if we can credit Montella for players stepping up. However, he has been able to instill a team spirit that had been missing for quite some time, and the players seem much more willing to fight back when we are down or in trouble.

Now, I grant you that the team remains inherently weak, and all it takes is a bad day and/or some bad luck and we will drop points. So EL is going to be challenging, and CL rather unlikely. But I don't see a reason to be pessimistic at this stage, at least not yet.

I think what's happened from a mentality perspective is that players are feeling a sense of accountability. They no longer look at individuals to save them - everyone is putting in a shift. In effect, Montella has sold a project.

Bear with my controversial opinion for a moment - I wonder if this new Italian-ness of the team is unifying us a lot. And if so, will Mirabelli and co. completely derail it. None of the names they're talking of are Italian and I'm a bit concerned.

I agree with F.Milan that midfielders are not a priority. We have Bertolacci, Locatelli, Kucka, Mati, Sosa, Jack - all for three spots in the midfield.

It's on the wings we're thin - Montella has no faith in Honda and Jack is seriously overworked.

Are any wingers in sight?

Deulofeu is the only name linked especially now that Juventus have landed Orsolini, someone who we were very interested in.

I hear Mirabelli has contacts with Insigne.

Depay has been linked. Still is.

Midfield isn't a priority? You've named 6 players, only one of whom is convincingly good enough (Jack). Locatelli has struggled for me in the past couple of months (I do rate him though), Berto is mediocre, Kucka seems injured on and off and patchy with form, Mati is tripe, Sosa is rumoured to be on his way out already! Indeed the only one player you didn't mention who seems kind of OK is Pasalic.

It's an area where we're well stocked, yes, but with squad quality players. On no level are those options good enough for Europe.

It's not the team that's inherently weak, it's the depth. There's no scope for Montella to try something else when his tactics don't work. He doesn't have the options. We're running on fumes - the break didn't help that much. And you'll need to name more than two (neither of whom I currently agree with)- feel free to elaborate on the 'so on' bit ;)

Defence is still a priority. One injury to either Paletta or Romag and we're f*cked.

By that logic were thin in almost every department. One injury to Donna and we have Storari; an injury for Jack or Suso and we have Honda, Sosa or whoever.

I think we have to take the risk when it comes to our defense. You're right, Zapata and Gomez are not starting material, but there's no time for finding the right 3rd defensive ingredient in January. We should concentrate on the creative department - a winger or a midfielder IMO.

Indeed. Reality is that in what's left of the transfer season we will get at best one player, and not a superstar either (and that's if we are lucky, we may get nothing). With that in mind, a winger is the priority right now IMHO. Yes, we are "thin" all over, I get that, but we are not gonna be able to fix it, at least not until the Summer.

We're falling apart!! FFS wtf are they doing??

Back To reality.

Pasalic on that first one was in an awful position keeping Belotti on and guarding nothing. The second one was just a mess. This Torino team is definitely tough. but there are cracks in their defense which we are not exploiting. Bacca is the better finisher between he and Lapa but he is awful with buildup. The guy can't hold up the ball or make good passes.

Thats a bad penalty call....... but the ball doesn't lie.

I don't think this is reality to be honest.

We have to try and pull one back before half

This is very much reality with these bunch of hell no's.

Still watching the game though

HT. Suso, Bona, Loca the best. Pasalic, Bacca, and Calabria the worst.

Belotti really is a complete striker. He can do it all, he's someone we should really spend the money to get.

Well we have shown throughout the season so far that we are definitely slow starters and a second half team, let's see if we have it in ourselves to turn another game over. We have made it difficult by conceding twice but at least we managed to keep it at that

Terrible performance so far, that midfield is much too lightweight, I don't know what Montella was thinking going with both Berto and Pasalic, we need Kucka in there with either or the other, we're just too weak in that area and keep getting out muscled

Paletta and Romagnoli have had a terrible time trying to contain Bellotti and Falque as well

This is nothing to do with the players. This is us running on empty. That said, Montella doesn't seem to have a tactical answer to Miha's counter attacking and Falque and Belotti's running - our midfield and defence are miles apart from each other and the defence is getting no cover. It's easy pickings really.

That said we did vastly improve on 35 minutes, but it's no good that it took us that long to get going a bit. Our players are on fumes, and this is only going to continue till we get investment in the squad. If that doesn't happen this month, which it appears is the case, bye Europe and hello again 8th place.

Montella cannot do more than he is - he worked a miracle to get us second.

We've had stinkers like this throughout the season so far it has to be said, like against Udine, Genoa and a couple others, but we've so far always managed to bounce back. It looks bleak atm because the other teams around us keep winning, but we're not going to win them all, we don't have a team built for that. So a loss here and there is acceptable for me as long as we recover.

Still haven't given up hope that we can pull this back though

I don't agree. He's got pace and thrives on counter attacking. His game relies heavily on getting behind defenders. He's excellent in Torino's system - just like Di Natale at Udi - made him look brilliant but he was clever enough to never leave because he'd have ended up like Gilardino. Belotti reminds me of that. He'd struggle as much in this Milan team as Bacca does.

True, but defence has probably been our best area this season. It's the one thing we've been able to kinda rely on. Well, till Belotti and co. showed up!



We're probably not going to sign anyone of quality this month, for any position. I've written this season off, just like the rest. I want to be proven wrong on that.

Well I think he made a mistake with the initial selection, I think Kucka should have started instead of either Berto or Pasalic, the midfield with both of them in there is just too weak and gets easily sliced through.

Also, I don't think it has anything to do with running on empty, I don't think the team is tired or losing form, if anything I think our general play has much improved over what it was at the start of the season. But it's just a natural thing to see a bit of fluctuation in our performances/consistency. We don't have a top class first 11, let along a top class squad that has strength in depth. If one of our regulars is missing we tend to struggle a lot. So yes it is a miracle that Montella has got us to where we are now, but I don't see a loss today being a defining moment in the season. We've had set-backs and recovered incredibly well from them. Montella just needs to work more on a plan B of sorts. I think he also needs to make quicker and smarter subs.

I disagree, they are completely different players. If anyone was like Bacca it would be Gilardino. Belotti has the ability to play with another striker or to lead the line. He is strong in the air, he's good with the ball, he can hold it up and he can create chances for himself. His finishing has also really come along this season. Bacca is a poacher, Belotti even as you just described him is much more. Bacca plays inside the box and relies on other players providing him with opportunities. Belotti does that as well, but it you look at the way he plays for Italy even he is responsible for creating for himself and even Immobile when they play together.

Nooooooooo

Don't compare Bellotti to Gila!!! Bellotti for me is a complete forward, he's got pace, he's very strong, he can tap them in, he can play as a target man, he can play counter attacking, he can dribble (something Gila couldn't do if his life depended on it), he can score with his head, both feet, inside the box, outside the box. For me he is the complete forward. Di Natale was simply a counter attacking player who could finish as well as anyone, but don't compare Bellotti to him, he's one of the best young Italians around right now, and I generally tend to spot the old fashioned Serie A striker from a mile away, Bellotti is definitely not one of them

^^ This. He is nothing like Gila. Bacca is more Gila than Belotti. Belotti kind of reminds me of Benzema, with perhaps less pace, and less ability to score from distance

BERTOOOO

GET INNN

Penalty!!!!!

Bacca!! and just like that we are level. What did Montella say at HT.

Now let's turn this thing around!!!!!

This game is screaming for Lapadula

Wtf Montella??

Niang for Bona?? Taking off a difference maker to bring on a clumsy idiot

F****!!!! Romagnoli red! Misses Napoli

Yeah, that is arguably Montella's biggest weakness, his substitutions are generally awful. It should have been Pasalic and Bacca coming off for Kucka and Lapa.

Selfish stupidity there from Suso after another strong game from him.

Niang was so lazy on that! I understand Bacca not reaching it, but Niang was fresh, he should have been busting a lung to get up there

Anyway, this is certainly a situation where we can look at it as a point gained rather than 2 lost

Still p!ssed off that they lost their urgency once they equalised, should have continued to press for the winner

Yeah, agreed. But Montella didn't help either. He made the subs too late and took off the wrong players (not to mention forgetting about Lapadula).

I wasn't comparing style ya eedjits (as we say here in Scotland), I was meaning big fish small club then moving onto big club and sinking.

His subs are getting worse. I am fed up with the inexplicable Milan manager awful sub syndrome that has plagued us for nearly two decades.

Again, wasn't comparing the kind of player - I was comparing the situations. See my earlier reply.

This was Romagnoli's worst match in a Milan shirt. He was destroyed repeatedly.

I was very disappointed in Niang. He didn't look interested at all. Most the of the time he just passed back to defence.

I really have given up on him ever being an asset for us.

Niang? Bah, I gave up on him a long time.

Btw. why not one post with all the quotes? I think it's better then five consecutive ones

Dude, like 3 of us even use this forum now! Does it matter how things are presented?

Everyone's gone! I'm amazed I'm still here. Mind you I dumped social networking completely so this is one of the few online interactions I actually do. Guess I still need somewhere to vent about Milan on.

Sure, no problem with that. But yes, rules and regulations still matter to me. That said, this wasn't a request, just a kind reminder.

Feel free to ban me

Seriously, fair enough if the place was a thriving forum and which needed to be kept maintained with its rules and practices, but it's deader than our Scudetto chances.

I wonder why.


btw Aug 21 2012, 11:52 PM
In: Sign-ups temporarily disabled

Then again i doubt anyone would sub here anymore.

I like the idea! XD

It's like we are in our little cocoon and one is allowed in.

I don't mind it either tbh. My other half is an admin on a forum and apparently she's one of literally only four or five users. She says they all know each other and no one ever argues.

I used to think that was a bad idea for a football forum, as Jack once said the lack of signups means no new ideas or fresh thinking to invigorate stale conversations.

But in hindsight we all get on (more or less) there's generally mutual respect with everyone and while a few of us will take a break now and then (had a couple myself) it's generally the same clutch of circa 20 folk on here and there's something reassuring about that.

Yup, have to agree to that.

Aren't we playing Napoli today?