So, how was Balotelli ?

Didn't watch the game, but he scored, provided the assist to Poli and won the penalty.

#BaloIsBack

Mihajlovic: "Bonaventura was one of our best players today as well as in the match against Empoli.

Mihajlovic: "Luiz Adriano is on our list of penalty takers. He took the penalty today because Balotelli decided to let him take it."

Mihajlovic: "Balotelli needs to improve his physical condition. He's 3 kilos overweight, but he has already gone on a diet."

Mihajlovic: "Today's match wasn't positive. I saw which players I can count on, and those I can't count on. I expect much more from them."

Mihajlovic: "When someone doesn’t play, then they can’t complain, because this performance is exactly why they don't play."

Mihajlovic: "Luiz Adriano, Bonaventura and Balotelli did well today. Montolivo was alright. But I expected more from the other players."

Mihajlovic: "You could see that Balotelli isn't in shape, and he has to improve, just like everyone else - otherwise they won't play."

Mihajlovic: "If we think that we are going to win because we are called Milan, then we won't achieve anything."

Mihajlovic: "The reserves played today, and you could see why they are the reserves. If they continue like this, then they will never play."

Sounds like we were mediocre, with three half decent performances, one okish and 7 shitty ones.
Feel I didn't miss much.

I caught a good chunk of the game, Balo was the best out there but the defense was terrible. Alex wasn't able to make a tackle, but I believe there were young players playing at the back. Balo was the only standout, I believe he would be a better partner for Bacca, he is much more of a creator than Adriano.

I've never seen an assist by Balo half as good as Adriano's pass for Bacca's goal v Empoli.

Both Bacca & Adriano are quite capable of being creative.

PS being a standout against actual amateur opposition is up there with impressing in training!

So refreshing to read Miha's real talk after all the bs Inzaghi used to spout last season.

+1

It is a difference, surely. If it's positive, well, I'm yet not sold on it.

Aye, words before action, so far! I'm liking the words, but would love seeing some action now.

The actions will take time. There is no magic wand here.

Signs in our next match will do. The last thing our new coach needs is to leave it too late, which in our case might mean never. The team needs some positive belief to build upon, to carry them forward. And if he has to instill (or should it be said install) it, then the sooner we see some results the better.

Countless times, in our past few seasons, with different coaches, we've played well in patches, and bad in stretches.

I agree. Some positive signs would be nice. I don't expect it to happen over night though. It's more likely to happen in fits and starts than a smooth trajectory. Fingers crossed for sooner rather than later. I don't think the fan base has much patience at this point and we all know how fickle Berlusconi can be.

I won't lie, this international break is happening at a good time for me. My enthusiasm for Milan has been really hurt by that window - and there's literally nothing to be excited about. Our manager is constantly furious, our players don't perform for club or country, we lose out on all the useful targets and we have zero to look forward to. Plus the complete lack of balance in the squad means each match is a lottery as to what 'team' (because we don't really have one) Miha will pick.

I had more enthusiasm last season for Pippo.

It's that bad.

Milan need to give us something to get thrilled by, because right now it's totally hopeless. And I won't lie that about 70%/30% of my attention has been on Rangers - things, by contrast, at Ibrox, couldn't be better right now.

I'd actually put money on Rangers giving Milan a hell of a match right now.

Anyone know where I can find a replay of the game?

Also, the comparisons with Pippo's team last season are a bit pre-mature, I'd rather start a bit slow and finish strong than start with 2 wins and everything goes dramatically downhill from there

Finish strong...yeah that'll happen.

Your either/or scenario forces the choice, but I'm afraid we're not starting slow and finishing strongly - we're just plain terrible. I see no evidence in management or players that we have a glimpse of the ability to turn this around. We just plain don't have the players and Miha blatantly knows it.

We'll be absolutely pummeled in the derby.

As for saying it's a comparison, far from it. I'm just saying I had more enthusiasm this time last season. And that was after the absolutely diabolical ICC. That team was mismanaged but it had balance - it had potential. Pippo ruined it, sure, but there was a quite feasible possibility, on paper, that the team was actually quite good. I particularly liked the defence.

I'm sorry Danny but I really don't understand where you're coming from with this.

You're talking like half the season is already gone and we're in 10th... "plain terrible", "turn this around" We're only 2 match days in!

Sure we've started the season shakily but not terribly.

Also, I don't get when you say that we're imbalanced this season yet last season we were balanced... We weren't balanced last season either and we had a worse midfield. We played a 4-3-3 with Honda on the wing, Menez as the false 9 and sometimes Bona or SES on the other wing...

Pippo played Muntari, Essien and De Jong all at once is some of the games. How was that balanced?

What's important right now for Miha is to try and make that midfield work at least until January, and the best way to do this is to play the best 4 combo we have and stick to it as much as possible, chopping and changing for each game won't help at all and will only create the same scenario as we had with Pippo.

I said it was balanced on paper. Never said Pippo selected the right players.

PS two matches gone and we are in 12th. That will get worse after the derby. And you can't make sh*t work, sorry.

And clearly you didn't watch either match if you don't think we started terribly. We played disgustingly in both matches. That we beat Empoli was down to Adriano and Bacca.

Danny, I think you are a little more pessimistic than you should be. No doubt, we dont have a good squad, we could have had a better one with the same amount of money spent, but I wouldnt say it is ****.

Yes, we dont have a single creative midfielder, but that doesnt mean we cant balance the team. I dont think we aim to play with a possesive philosophy, bur rather play a more direct passing one, so as long as the players are mentally well and have decent passing skills we should be fine if they are able to play at a higher physical level and if we have some decent finishers. We have them both, since our players are quite young and also strong.

I dont know if you noticed, but the main problem that Mihajlovic has with the squad is the mental stature. He knows that De Jong is not Pirlo and Bertolacci is not Seedorf and they cant work miracles when it comes to long passing or making asists. But we expect from them to run the double of what Pirlo and Seedorf runned.

I'm with Danny on this one.

Mediaset says that our midfield in the derby will be De Jong, Kucka if Bertolacci doesn't recover in time and one between Poli and Nocerino. Bonaventura behind the strikers. Can't you guys see the absolute mediocrity we have to deal with? Kucka, Poli and Nocerino contending two places, completely mediocre if not terrible players. And our trequartista, a vital role when you play 4-3-1-2 is frigging Bonaventura, whom might be above average, but is certainly not someone who can pull of with that role like it should be done properly.

This mercato has been, by far, the worst I've ever witnessed as a Milan fan. Because in the past we used to get the same quality of players, but we barely spent a penny. This time we spent almost 90M. 90!!!

#GallianiLeave

I don't think it was balanced on paper, at all. Just like it isn't balanced this season

You know, I was probably the most negative poster here during the summer. I saw that Galliani was once again repeating the same old mistakes he's done countless times now. And what I was afraid of from the get-go ended up happening.

However, it is what it is now and no one can change it, not even the idiot who put us in this situation in the first place. At least not until January. So with that said, and even though I'm just as p!ssed off about how things turned out as you are, it's time we get behind the team and stop crying over spilt milk.

As I said, it's 2 games, 3 points so far. 3 official matches, 2 wins and 1 loss. It's not a great start by any means, but it's not the apocalyptic event you're painting it out to be either.

And yes, I watched all our matches so far, and yes, you're also right the performances have been generally bad. But for now I'm hopeful that Miha can at least get them to function as a unit, which is our biggest issue. Will it win us the points against the top sides? Probably not unless we have some serious luck on our side. But do I think that we'll be winning the points that on paper we should be? I believe that we will.

I wanted us to jump immediately back into the CL, that's why I was so desperate for Ibra to come. But now we'll have to have more moderate expectations; being the EL, which is what you wanted us aiming for anyway. And if we do win the points that we should win on paper, then imo we will get there.


Problem is that we're going for the former. Mostly to try and satisfy Silvio's penchant for Champaign football when we don't have the players for it.

Bertolacci and Bona are the epitome of direct players. Like you said, it's pointless to go for possession tiki taka type stuff when we don't have the players for it


Miha's personal issues with Monto will hurt us this season.

Hate him as much as you do, he's a better option than either Poli or Nocerino (who shouldn't even step onto the field for us). At least ha can actually make a proper pass.

Midfield should be Berto, De Jong, Monto, Bona and Miha should stick with that as much as possible, continually changing things around will be counter productive. I seriously hope we're not in for a situation similar to what we had last season with Pippo where he changes the team each week. How will the players build a rapport and understanding with each other if we never play with the same 11?

Bit hypocritical when you refused to stop whining about Muntari, Allegri, Essien etc etc.

If I wanna moan I bloody will



It's three bad displays.



I just cannot see how Miha can get success from a squad which isn't built for any particular formation.



If we make top 5 I will kiss your crazy Maltese face.

Those were individuals who ultimately did nothing but be liabilities to the club

You're moaning about the whole team when it's still too early. I mean if we're in December and we're in a similar position to what we were last season, then sure, moan away. But, I repeat, it's still too early to completely throw in the towel like you're doing now


3?

We played 3 official games, and looked pretty good in the Coppa game, the opposition being less than stellar that is.

Yes we've looked bad in the league, but we still have 3 points so far. We'll see how we do in the derby. I'm personally optimistic considering how we played against Inter in the summer and having watched a good few minutes of both their 2 opening games.


I'm not talking about success. I'm talking about winning the points we should be winning. We have decent players in midfield, not great or creative masters, they're all very direct players. So if Miha can find a way to play to their strengths. Pick his best 4 from the side and stick with them, we should be able to do enough against most sides in the league barring the obvious ones.

The loss against Fiorentina was a blow because imo we have a better side than their, but we started badly, Miha imo picked the wrong players and going down to 10 so early killed any hope of even getting a draw.

However, I'm hoping and choosing to believe that Miha will be willing to learn from his mistakes and be able to build a proper unit from these players which is something we haven't had since Carlo


We'll see. I think EL is the best we can hope for, and as I said, if we win the points that we should, we'll get there

Milan-Inter in 10 minutes for the Troefeo Berlusconi. Not gonna watch, but this the line-up:

Donnarumma; De Sciglio, Mexes, Romagnoli, Antonelli; Poli, De Jong, Bertolacci; Cerci, Luiz Adriano, Honda.

I can't believe how craptastic players like Cerci and Honda get a free pass whereas Suso is ALWAYS relegated after ONE bad performance. First Pippo, now Miha. Meh. I'm not asking much damn it, just a few consecutive games to establish his potential.

Bertolacci out for distortion. Gotta love these useless friendlies.

Just watched the last 20 minutes of the half, we'd already conceded but we looked okay.

Hopefully he's using the Mexes-Romagn duo as a warm up before the Sassuolo game