Hey guys! After spending 3 long years with Blogger I have decided to apply for a divorce and move onto Wordpress. I know this constant movement is frustrating but this time, I have moved for good. The new season and future seasons will be covered at my new site. You have been a constant source of inspiration and motivation for me and I would deeply appreciate it if you did move over to my new site with me.
You can find me at - http://rajaththemilanista.wordpress.com
This is the URL to the new site. No more shifting, hopefully. I don't want to break the rhythm henceforth. See you on the other side, folks!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Season Review
Milan won the Scudetto. Stale news, isn't it? Many predicted this result right from the start. With Benitez at the helm of affairs at Inter and other competitors going through a reconstruction phase, the Scudetto of 2010-2011 was Milan's to lose. That being said, Allegri did well to deliver the expected. If irony be permitted, he duly delivered on the European front too. Allegri fumbled in Europe against a Spurs side, displaying his tactical naivety on the biggest stage of club football. Sokratis took the Italian Cup away from us. But all in all, one must admit, this year ended the drought of silverware at the club. Allegri brought home the title that mattered after several years of dominance by our city rivals. He finally broke the monotony.
Let's examine the squad and their performances over the course of the season.
GOALKEEPERS
Christian Abbiati - Made his rightful stake as one of Europe's leading keepers. Abbiati had earned the reputation of being a keeper who would occasionally pull wonder saves but lacked the consistency required to be tagged 'world class'. But the season of 10-11 turned out to be quite the contrary. His heroic displays won us several games which proved vital in Milan lifting the Scudetto. (8.5)
Marco Amelia - Same old, same old. Some games saw the best of the keeper while there were some that saw his worst. He can be held partially guilty for our exit from the Champions League which saw him lie down and surrender to Lennon's finish without making the slightest effort to close the winger's angle. (6.5)
Flavio Roma - Warmed the bench like a faithful 3rd choice keeper. (n.a)
DEFENDERS
Sokratis Papastathapolous (or something like that) - Horrific signing by Galliani, many expected the Greek right back to set the stage alight after his big move from Genoa. But the talent failed to come through. Sokratis looked like a fish out of water in most games turning up clueless in the heart of defense, a position he deemed was rightfully his. Tactically awful and horrid in the execution of his defensive duties when called upon, Sokratis turned in a classic performance against Palermo in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia against Palermo which saw Milan crash out of the tournament. (3)
Alesandro Nesta - If Nesta was supernatural last season, he looked human the season after. Many mistakes from the veteran yet solid when called upon. His characteristic slides were not missed and he marshaled the defense alongside Silva admirably. 24 goals were conceded over the course of the season, a joint record for least goals conceded in the history of the league. Nesta might have been slower this year but his experience pulled through when needed. (7.5)
Thiago Silva - Milan's man of the season. An almost flawless performance. Frankly, I cannot think of a flawed move by the Brazilian but he should have made a mistake that the camera missed. I mean, he should have, right? Physical, powerful, pacy, tactical and all that comes with the making of the best defender in the world. (9.5)
Mario Yepes - Deputized meritoriously. Fit in well in the absence of the dynamic central partnership of Silva-Nesta. Milan's defense did not look imperious in their absence but Yepes hardened the task of strikers when one of the two went missing. Found lacking in pace against the quicker forwards and resorted to the retarded lunge but in vain. (6.5)
Gianluca Zambrotta - After Abate declared ownership at right back, Zambrotta moved to the left flank and played most of his games at left back. Did his job without throwing any tantrums. Solid if not spectacular, Zambrotta delivered when called upon. His legs have begun to give way which reduced his ability to gallop back into defense. Found wanting in counter attack situations. (5.5)
Luca Antonini - Much hated and despised among the Rossoneri faithful. Lennon humiliated him in Europe and many successfully followed in Italy. Relegated to the bench for his inability to defend nor attack. Clearly not favored by Allegri and rightly so. Antonini's lack of pace came to the fore on a number of occasions and his weak left foot prevented him from establishing himself at left back. (4)
Ignazio Abate - Milan's revelation. Still to win over majority of the Calcio fans but made fans of several rossoneri. One of them would be me. Tassoti's training worked wonders on the blonde right back. His defending improved drastically while his crossing became more accurate. He tamed Eto'o, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale among others. Not a mean feat. (8)
Daniele Bonera, Massimo Oddo, Marek Jankulovski, Nicola Legrottaglie, Didac Vila - Barely played. (n.a)
MIDFIELDERS
Clarence Seedorf - Allegri's lab rat. Played at DM, CAM and LM, mastering all these positions. His best performance came at White Hart Lane where he ran like a mad man all over the pitch, bullying players half his age, winning the ball and delivering it forward. He tended to slow games down. In the first half of the season, Seedorf was booed of the pitch several times by the Milanisti. However, the second half of the season saw a very different player. (7)
Massimo Ambrosini - Injured for some parts of the season but relentless when fielded. Ambrosini is visibly tiring but the heart is still there. He dropped deeper this season and played in front of the defense at times which saw the best in his game. A destroyer with a brain, Ambrosini proved to be a usefull squad player. (6)
Rino Gattuso - Him and Abate dominated the right side of the pitch. Both would double team players like two leopards circling a deer. Gattuso's form improved dramatically after being snubbed by Leonardo. His speed might have dipped but his heart comfortably makes up for the lack of legs. Still at his devastating and bullying best, he could not be dropped while he was fit. He scored two goals this season setting a personal record at the club. (7.5)
Mathieu Flamini - Flamini might have left his intelligence back in London while making his transfer to Milan. The Frenchman is becoming famous for his two foot challenges which don't see red. An energetic engine which chugs up and down the pitch without ceasing. One of the few midfielders in the squad capable of making diagonal runs when the team attacks. Still to score with that lethal right foot of his. A clumsy defender and a decent attacker, Flamini saw more playing time under Allegri. (6)
Urby Emanuelson - Brought at €1.7m from Ajax in the winter window, Emanuelson offered Allegri what no one else could; a left foot. Used mainly as a late sub, Emanuelson added much needed width to a painfully narrow midfield. His versatility will be tested next season where he is expected to play deeper in defense. However, the winger managed to impress in a left of midfield role. (5)
Mark Van Bommel - Another one of Galliani's master strokes. Van Bommel walked into the first team and did not walk out. The Dutchman had trouble settling in because the referees were well acquainted with his reputation. His wisdom and experience helped him tweak his game and become a rock in front of the defense. Bommel became instrumental to Milan's ridiculously stingy defense. (8)
Alexandre Merkel - A player for the future, Merkel got tried as a trequartista and a LCM. He impressed in the few chances he received but in the larger occasions, he developed cold feet. The German went AWOL in North London against Spurs and did not see the pitch again. The midfielder holds terrific promise but is still very raw. (5)
Kevin Prince Boatang - A surprise signing from Galliani. Much was spoken and written about the nature of Boatang's signing but all that was forgotten once he started playing. He started in midfield before being pushed behind the strikers. He thrived in both those positions but became Allegri's first choice CAM. The host of 'Beyond the Pitch' termed Boatang as a 'forward destroyer' which would be an apt description of his position. Boatang's incredible work ethic meant the oppositions could not release fast counter attacks and his remarkable reading of the game found him in dangerous positions which the strikers had forgotten to occupy. The Ghanaian quickly became a fan favorite and danced to MJ's tune to celebrate the Scudetto. (8)
Andrea Pirlo - Barely played and the reasons are open for debate. The most popular reason is a tactical one. Allegri's fancies a destroyer in front of defense, the same position Pirlo enjoys playing in. However, fielding him there makes him a defensive liability. But he is Andrea Pirlo. So Allegri played him on the left of midfield. This choice came at a cost. The ruggedness of the midfield got replaced with the delicateness of Pirlo which stronger oppositions trampled over. The cons outweighed the pros of playing Pirlo which now sees him in black and white stripes. (4.5)
ATTACKERS
Robinho - The world saw a very different Robinho in Milan colors. He introduced a facet called 'work ethic' to his showboating game. He ran and ran and ran. That aside he did little else. Oh wait, one cannot forget his movement. He constantly made space and found space. But his finishing let him down time and time again. He missed one vs one's too which was hard to digest as a Milan fan. His finishing or rather lack of it should dock 5 points of the scale but his work ethic, his creation of space and the 14 goals he scored should fetch him a higher score. (7)
Pato - Typical Pato season. Goals, flashes of genius, plenty of pace packed with injuries. Ibrahimovic and Pato reportedly fell out due to the lack of working chemistry. But that claim gradually went out of the window when the two started assisting each other and complimented each other on and off the pitch. (6.5)
Ibrahimovic - Spectacular for 2/3rds of the season and then tailed off for the rest of the season. Many would argue that he won Milan the title by December. But his dip in form affected the club's run in Europe. That being said, he won games single-handedly and became the prima-donna Milan never had. (8)
Cassano - A fantastic start to the season. 3 assists in 35 minutes. Then the Nutella kicked in. Cassano spent more time joking around players than mesmerizing oppositions with his skills. Moreover Allegri's confusion on where to play Cassano did not help the former Sampdoria striker. As time passed, Cassano became a late game sub who entertained audiences and sparked some magic sporadically. (5.5)
Ronaldinho and Inzaghi did not play enough to be evaluated.
All in all, Allegri should be duly congratulated on his first Scudetto triumph. Milan breaking Inter's domestic dominance was arguably more important. Berlusconi and Galliani will now seek to conquer Europe, a monumental task given Barcelona's stature in modern football. Serie A continues to strengthen while the Manchester City's of the world are entering the European game. Look forward to expect intense rivalries and fierce matches next season.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Helping Udinese
An exceptional manager called Francesco GuidolinUDINESE 0 AC MILAN 0
The last round of fixtures in the Serie A were of significance to two clubs. Maybe three, if honor is of any consideration. The two fighting for the last Champions League slot were Lazio and Udinese. Bari wanted to go down in honor. An eighteen year old Gandolfa secured that honor with an impressive hatrick. Lazio's dominance in the league had taken a shocking turn with Udinese's rise to fame. This last round of fixtures would ascertain their fortunes.
Udinese hosted the new champions of Italy, AC Milan. Milan had nothing to play for and fielded a virtual second string side. Didac Vila got his much awaited call-up while Allegri tried a Pato-Cassano combination. Amelia played in goal.
Milan approached the game with a narrow shape. The full backs did not bomb forward with both Abate and Vila concentrating on the defensive side of the game. Udinese's attack is startling and they are one of the few teams in Italy capable of decimating oppositions with their width. Boatang was deployed as the trequartista once again but he failed to impress in this game just like the two men in front of him. Seedorf started on the left of midfield but appeared to play out of obligation than interest. Milan approached the match with a strong sense of disinterest, looking unimaginative and lacking in idea. Udinese attacked but could not find a way though the highly acclaimed Rossoneri defense. Flamini earned himself a booking with a characteristic plunge which in any other league would have walked him to the dressing room. But his energy powered Milan's midfield. Pato was starved of service and had to constantly drop deep to get involved in the play. At the back, Vila seemed raw in his ability to defend with Udinese's forwards always finding a way to get ahead of him.
Allegri realising that a change was required replaced Van Bommel with Emanuelson. An interesting switch from a manager who has rarely displayed an undaunted attitude while making changes during the season. With Van Bommel gone, Seedorf slotted into the defensive midfield role which instantly provided Udinese with greater penetration down the centre. Silva made sure that most of the central threats were nullified with his pace and strength. The Brazilian was Milan's best player, again. But Udinese's posed the biggest threat down the left side with Armero. The left back burned the left flank with his pace and Abate often had to turn his speed by a notch to catch up with the Colombian. Sanchez finally unleashed a whiff of pace to whiz past Seedorf managing to draw a penalty. Di Natale stepped up to make it 29 for the season but Amelia produced a wonderful save. Toto however expressed his displeasure at being denied which I found rather amusing. Udinese tried very hard to break the deadlock and enjoyed a patch of incredible form in the second half. Milan frantically defended and were repeatedly saved by the skin of their teeth. It was clear that Milan had no intention of losing but they also had no intention of winning. At the end of the game, Fruili burst in celebration and immense joy.
Udinese had secured Champions League football after 6 years and dare I say it wasn't deserved. This team is a visual spectacle and an endorsement for Italian football. They don't just flatter but they achieve too. Udinese are a phenomenal attacking power. This win could be crucial to Sanchez and Inler's career at Udinese and might just encourage them to remain and work towards writing another admirable chapter in Udinese's history come next season. Di Natale refused to join a certain Turin based giant last summer. He will now surely become a reference point in the camp.
Udinese - /
Milan - /
Friday, May 27, 2011
Dancing To The Scudetto
Kevin Prince Boatang dancing with the stars
AC MILAN 4 CAGLIARI 1
Robinho drew first blood with an exquisite solo goal. The crafty forward possesses several tricks up in his boots but is clearly afraid to unleash them. Having spent most of the season endlessly running across the breadth of the pitch and impressing Allegri with his baffling work ethic, Robinho managed to cement his position in the first team. However, 21 million euros were not spent on a machine that can cover the turf but for a dribbling expert who can turn on the style. With Robinho enjoying his football, Milan carved open Cagliari's defense repeatedly like a slab of delicious beef stake, tormenting the back four. Aggazi tried uncommonly hard to stand tall but he is no 'Neuer'. Robinho's double brought him level with Pato and Ibrahimovic scoring 14 goals in the league this season. With the forwards mocking the back four of Cagliari, Zambrotta turned in a comical performance of his own. He bombed forward on several occasions at the cost of plonking on the sidelines due to sheer exhaustion for the next 20 minutes. Yepes being vested with the additional responsibility of covering for Zambrotta's athletic stamina demonstrated why he never made it to the list of greatest centre halves in the Italian game. The Colombian slides on the ground in desperate attempts to win the ball when faced with pace or skill. He did it against Lennon, he repeated the foolish act against Cossu as well. If I possessed the memory of a quad 4 processor, I would have cited more examples. Rest assured, the 34 year old's sliding fiascos are a regular feature of his game.
Pirlo replaced Ambrosini at the break. The ten year reign of the elegant midfielder in red and black stripes would end tonight. Serie A games usually demand high levels of professionalism and sincerity. Both these facets were blatantly absent. The fans were witnessing a friendly and uninhibitedly expressed their dissatisfaction ignoring the proceedings at times. Abate poured in the crosses but the absence of a big man rendered them harmless. On the opposite flank, Zambrotta's plonking sessions increased in length. The full back's invisibility became rather obvious in the second half. Cagliari were continually nailed down the centre and Milan capitalised on this weakness. All the goals Milan scored were right through the heart of defense, a cause for concern for the likes of Cannini and Astori, a much respected duo in the Serie A. With the game in the bag, Allegri nodded to Inzaghi who was met with a deafening cheer.
Milan were presented with the trophy on this night. Four Italian models smoked television screens the world over by walking on the red carpet which accounted for unnecessary distraction at the presentation ceremony. But when Boatang wore the black hat and made the moves, the beauties dimmed into the darkness. Boatang set the stage alight with his impersonation of Michael Jackson followed by an explosive party to celebrate Milan's eighteenth Scudetto.
Milan - Robinho 22', 35', Gattuso 23', Seedorf 77'
Cagliari - Cossu 38'
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Curse
Delio Rossi does it, againPALERMO 2 MILAN 1
The biggest frustration in a Milanista's life is Milan's incapability to overhaul the curse of Palermo. Coppa or the Serie A, Milan have no answer to this pink juggernaut. What Palermo possess is the hunger and the drive to succeed. Not winning this tie was out of question for Delio Rossi's men. Reaching the final in Rome would almost guarantee a place in Europe next season, a prize worth fighting for. Pastore and Ilicic started behind Hernandez. Antonini was handed a rare start by Allegri. Palermo made their intentions known right from the start. They attacked Milan from the flanks and down the centre. Milan defended deep providing Palermo with ample space to dictate the game in midfield. Milan's defenders invited Pastore into the box which increased his threat dramatically. He thrived on the space provided to him and he ran straight at the defense. He turned on the style with the nutmegs and the dribbles, often getting into scoring positions. Pirlo played on the left of centre, spraying those beautiful diagonal balls and allowing the full backs to move up. The width stretched Palermo and Milan's attacking style expanded across the pitch. Abate's crosses bombed Palermo's box but there was no one to get on the end of these crosses. Allegri started with Robinho and Pato and neither of these have shown potency in the air. The man who does demonstrate the needed potency was warming the bench. Pato's prolific nature overshadows his characteristically invisible performances. He wore the 'invisibility cloak' for the umpteenth time and rendered another dismal performance. After a bright start to the game, Palermo ran down the clock by parking the bus till half time.
Delio Rossi might have turned up the heat in the dressing room during the break. His 11 resembled the 300 spartans in the second half. Their fearless attack and dogged defense numbed Allegri's men, stupefying them of any response. Palermo's philosophy had changed from parking the bus to attack being the best form of defense. Milan took the turn to sit back and hit on the counter but the team lacked the pace for effective countering. Robinho might end this season as joint top scorer at Milan but his inability to get past Ilicic in a one-on-one situation raised eyebrows. A forward gifted in trickery must be able to get past an attacking midfielder with relative ease. Especially when the club paid over 20 million euros to purchase him. Many fans were restlessly looking at the bench. Ibrahimovic had to come on to add an dimension to Milan's predictable attack. However, Allegri took forever to make this change. Pirlo exposed his defensive frailities when not in possession. He does not track back, cannot keep up with a pacy forward and is tactically stupid to judge a run made by the opposition. Pirlo does not fit this system and is visibly not the type of player who would thrive in Allegri's set up. Palermo knocked and knocked until Milan's defense cracked. A set piece situation. It had to be. Silva, who had a remarkable game switched off allowing Miglaccio a free header to open the scoring. Promptly, Allegri introduced Ibra hoping for some magic from the Swede. Palermo continued to dictate skill on the ball but also revealed their dirty side. Ilicic's dive saw Van Bommel walk, unjustly. Sometimes, the Dutchman gets undone by his infamous reputation. Milan now faced the impossible task of overturning this fixture with 10 men. Bovo also saw red which levelled the playing field. The task no less harder though with the clock ticking fast on Allegri's double. Allegri's act of desperation saw new light when he introduced Cassano for Nesta. These desperate measures did win him a goal, but not the game.
Delio Rossi won the match and the tie for Palermo. The disgraced manager proved that he is a superb tactician. Changing the mentality of the team over 15 minutes is one of the biggest challenges of the modern day manager and Rossi succeeded in this challenge. Kudos Mr. Rossi. Now to the final.
Palermo - Miglaccio 63', Bovo 73' (pen)
Milan - Ibrahimovic 90'
Sunday, May 22, 2011
18
Allegri with the Scudetto
AS ROMA 0 AC MILAN 0
7 years ago, we won the title in Rome. 7 years later, we were going to seal the title in Rome. History has a funny way of repeating itself. The 18th Scudetto for AC Milan; a proud moment for any Rossoneri.
Ibra returned to the starting line-up. Destiny had it that the man responsible for Milan’s pole position in November would play the game that would clinch the title. A draw would confirm the obvious. Milan appeared to play accordingly; slow, boring tempo without any penetration. Roma had much more to play for. The glitter of Europe enamoured them and a promising future with an Italian-American beckoned them to give their best in this game. After failing to show up for the first half an hour, Milan turned the heat on the Romans. Possession stats began to shift in Milan’s favour and so did the chances. Bommel and Totti were having a private duel which kept the fire in the game. With the other players entirely disinterested in the match, the two veterans kept biting at each other to make the contest remotely entertaining. Just to emphasise the extent of indifference, Abate allowed Taddei and Totti to dribble past him throughout the first half. Admittedly, Taddei has some skill. But Abate’s pace is more than sufficient to counter mediocre skill.
Ambrosini replaced Gattuso at half time. Gattuso struggled with the pace of the opposition and his passing was appalling. His incompetence coupled with Abate’s indifference made Taddei look world-class. The tide shifted in the second half. Milan created several opportunities but failed to take them. Abate dramatically improved after the break and showed glimpses of his fantastic form. Vucinic’s injury forced Montella to introduce Borriello into the match. This change reduced Roma’s fluidity up front and made Totti drop deeper to collect the ball. The threat of Totti was therefore neutralized. Milan relentlessly attacked while Roma’s struggled to construct a single attack. Seedorf added to his tally of superb performances this season. Playing on the left of midfield, he covered ground effortlessly. All this at the age of 35. On the contrary, the very reliable Van Bommel had an off-day. He continually lost possession under pressure in dangerous positions only to be saved by Thiago Silva. The pain of watching this side play was finally put to an end by the referee. The party started right after. Much booze was spilled with half naked men running around the pitch like madmen. One of the more interesting sights was that of Oddo who covered 400m of the track around the Olimpico in less than one minute in the effort to earn a contract extension. Roma might reluctantly take the draw but they will gladly accept the prestigious tag of being the only team in the Serie A with two clean sheets over two legs against the new champions.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
A Maniac Called Malesani
Alberto Malesani - your team listens to youAC MILAN 1 BOLOGNA FC 0
Malesani proved to be Bologna’s saviour this season. His imperative involvement in aiding the club to safety brought him immense credit and probably thickened his head with an overdose of air. After securing the club’ position in next season’s Serie A, he allegedly told the media that ‘we can lose every game from now’. The team gladly adhered.
4 defeats on the trot, Malesani’s objective had shifted from survival to dignity. To make matters worse, his opponent were title-bound AC Milan. Milan drilled a hole in his objective right from the start. Flamini opened the scoring for Milan which put the home side in the driving seat. Bologna’s two brightest players, Gimenez and Ramirez were warming the bench, much to everyone’s surprise. Malesani probably thought to himself that he could come to a packed San Siro and pull the carpet from under the feet of the future Italian Champions. Idiot. Ambrosini started this game after a long injury lay-off and visibly struggled against the pace of the game. Milan failed to convert their chances in the box. With Ibrahimovic, Pato and Inzaghi missing due to various already famous reasons, the task of leading the line squarely fell upon Cassano’s shoulders. Flamini continued to burn the right side with his immense energy. The goal surely pumped his confidence which transmitted into the Frenchman’s output. Viviano impressed in goal for the umpteenth time, standing tall and proving to be the only resistant force for the Rossoblu.
Beretta eagerly waited for his chance on the sidelines. The Rossoneri faithful were rubbing their hands in anticipation, picturing what this young lad could be capable off. Malesani introduced Ramirez on the 54’ after learning that his side is probably not capable of altering the fate of the game. Cassano cannot lead a line for any team and he knows that better than any other. He assumed the frustrating role of setting up Robinho who characteristically missed one-on-ones. Zambrotta pushed up and played the role of a wingback throughout the second half. Seedorf covered for him in a counter situation while Silva too dropped towards the left of centre to prevent Ramirez from running riot. Zambrotta’s legs have given up on him. An old man can get off his chair faster than Zambrotta can cover ground. Thankfully, the left side of Milan will no longer see the lack of speed at least for a few years now. Malesani finally played the Giminez card with twenty minutes to go. Milan looked cumbersome and bored in the second half. Watching them play might have put Allegri to sleep. The bench remained the same with no activity whatsoever which frustrated the fans. When a change finally arrived, Pirlo replaced Boatang. Absolutely ridiculous, I thought. Beretta, Beretta. The prayers of the fans were heard at last with Beretta given 5 minutes to impress. And he did. The youngster showed glimpses of strength and pace but is very raw and perhaps is not mentally prepared for a stage like the Serie A. But, he is a promising prospect for the years to come.
Milan - Flamini 8'
Bologna - /
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