The Roman wall

Marco Borriello

AC Milan 0 AS Roma 1

Stopping the league leaders might not be the easiest of tasks, especially not when you are on their playground. Ranieri was aware of that and would do his homework before arriving in Milan. Cassetti was injured and Burdisso was given a start in the right back slot. I think this has to do with more than just mere co-incidence. Zlatan loves to drift wide and Casseti, even if he was fit would have been licking the Swede's heels. The Tinkerman did surprise with his selection up front. He dropped Totti to the bench and Adriano was given a rare start. This would be one of those days where Ranieri got it all right.

Milan looked every bit of their winter champions tag. They drove ahead in the game with immense drive and determination, their forwards dancing around the defenders from Rome. It took 13' for Roma to take their first shot at goal. Even this was blatantly down to frustration. Pirlo was relishing his role as a left midfielder and was also dribbling past midfielders with relative ease. Unfortunately for Milan, he limped off with injury on the 21'. This would be the turning point in the game. He was replaced by the slowest man in the Serie A, Clarence Seedorf. No, that is not backed by fact. Menez continued to play handball as the referee turned a blind eye to all of Menez's infringements. How the Frenchman played 90' without being sent off for numerous handballs is baffling to say the least. Roma's functional midfield was having trouble settling down in the first half. Pizzaro did not feature in this game. Roma were missing his expertise and his passes resulting in Borriello's increased work rate. He didn't receive sufficient service and had to drop deep. Adriano was simply out-muscling the opposition and he did a terrific job of that. Of the three centre backs of Roma, Mexes got skinned and taunted the most by the Milan front line. Identifying him as the weak link, the forwards constantly targeted him. Robinho beat him for pace, Zlatan beat him for strength. Chances were coming thick and fast for Milan. Zlatan was gifted a one-on-one chance and his decision making was horrible on that occasion. He consistently failed to beat the offside trap and his performances in the big games leads me to question the inevitable. Is he a big game choker?

The break arrived at the right time for the visitors. Milan's momentum got distorted and Roma were beginning to feel more comfortable on the ball. They defended very deep and sometimes the defense pushed up to catch the forwards offside. This was done with immaculate accuracy. Nesta had a splendid game. With a liability beside him in Bonera, Nesta stood tall and read the game superbly. Roma eventually broke the deadlock. Menez smoked Antonini on the left to send in a cross that was somewhat fortunately turned in by Borriello in the 69'. The left back position is one of great need in the Milan camp. Antonini lacks the skill, speed or defensive knowledge to own that spot for the club and is not a threat going forward either. Another player who got run down by De Rossi and Co. was Ambrosini. He arrived late in every challenge and got bullied in the middle of the park. The midfield trio of Roma were relishing their dominance in the second half. Gattuso worked overtime to mark Menez and succeeded to a fair extent. However he lacked the legs to keep up with the trequartista. Seedorf's atrocious form continued. He moves in slow motion when he gets the ball and is hopeless when not in possession. His name appearing on the team sheet is a mystery for Scotland Yard. At the end of the day, Roma's performance was utterly professional if not mind blowing and they did what they had to to win the game. Well, at least that is how things work in Italy.

Milan - /
Roma - Borriello 69'

Pirlo to the left

Andrea Pirlo

Bologna 0 Milan 3

Their players might not have been paid but the Rossoblu know how to put up a fight at home. Their is a distinct sense of pride in the players even if their wages are five months too late. Bologna last lost at home in April this year to current high-fliers Lazio. Since then, they have held fort admirably.

The confidence was also visible in this game. They were solid at the back and looked exciting going forwards, i.e. in the early stages. Zlatan is known to be a party pooper and he did poop Bologna's party. A delightful cross from the giant Swede was met with the boot of Boatang to open the scoring. A standard highlight throughout this game was the performance of Andrea Pirlo. Allegri has asked him to play on the left of the midfield three. This leaves Ambrosini to shield the defense and Pirlo to concentrate on his creativity. However, the elegant bloke from Brescia was also working hard, rushing into tackles and winning the loose balls. He ripped Bologna apart with his creativity peaking in this game. There was a restrain in the form of Gabi Mudingayi. The bullish midfield bossed around in the first half and was making life difficult for the middle men of Milan. The Diavoli were at the destructive best up front and grabbed the second. Robinho applied the finish while Boatang bagged the assist. A hallmark of this game was Milan's passing. Though rudimentary at times, there were sparks of absolute genius which was utterly delightful to watch.

Pirlo took more shots in this game than I have watched him take in the last 6 years. His passing was superb and accurate, almost lethal at times. Gattuso limped off with an injury and Rodney Strasser replaced him in the second half. As expected Bologna saw more of the ball in the second half. Abbiati had a comfortable evening except for one particular situation where he almost made a mess of a simple clearance. The situation goes to prove that he is a clown of enormous proportions. His shot stopping might be close to world-class but his decision making is hilarious at times. 56', Antonini replaced Zambrotta on the right. Three minutes later, Pirlo picks Zlatan with a quick, fantastic pass and Ibrahimovic scores the third goal of the afternoon. Just when everything was going well, a recently introduced Seedorf pulls a horrendous challenge in the box to concede a penalty. Di Vaio stepped up before being adamantly denied by Abbiati with a diving save. The players on the park knew that there was some serious repair that needed attending to after the shambolic night against Ajax. Therefore, the players worked very hard even after the third goal, also creating the rare openings.

Milan successfully ended Bologna's run at home. They also infused some much needed confidence ahead of the big evening this Saturday against the Romans. I have dished Pirlo in my previous article and I might be praising him here. But I still hold onto my reservations about the Italian cutting it against the bigger, tougher teams. His positioning on the left seems like a expert move. Much will be expected of him against Roma.

Milan - Boatang 9', Robinho 36', Ibrahimovic 59'
Bologna - /

Pathetic Powerhouse

Siem De Jong

Milan 0 Ajax 2

Being a dead rubber, this game promised no enthusiasm or will from Milan's perspective. A formality it would be and the attitude didn't change even after going down by two goals. An important feeling called shame has not been taught at the Milanello, it seems.

It has been characteristic of Milan's style of play to dominate possession and dictate the early stages of the game through energetic bursts into the opposition's third. This has bottled up several teams resulting in them becoming very intimidated by the Milan juggernaut. Ajax however, thought of giving Milan a taste of their own medicine. Using pace to run at Milan's aging legs and adopting a physical approach against the creative midfielders put the home side on the back foot from the word go. Not only were the men in red and black struggling to hold up the fort at the back, they failed to conjure anything in attack. To make matters worse, Flamini injured his ligaments in the first half and with his substitution we lost bundles of energy in the middle of the park. Ajax were playing with immense passion and pride allowing Milan to take their first shot on the thirty eight minute. The Dutch giants had taken five shots by then. Seedorf is known to be a highly decisive player but against quick oppositions, his brain works at pace much slower than the legs of the opponents. He gets caught in possession and doesn't care a dime to track back to defend because he is already bending over, giving his thirty four year old lungs some rest. We had two second strikers in attack and we don't seem to have the understanding of passing the ball on the ground after being accustomed to years of direct football. Direct football was never going to adhere to the strengths of Ronaldinho or Robinho which rendered both of them ineffective. Ronaldinho was working extra hard on the pitch by flinging himself into tackles. All this, presumably, to impress the gaffer.

Going into the break, we were very fortunate to be on level terms. The players took it for granted and were justly embarrassed in the second half. Pirlo was reintroduced into the starting line up in this game. He was quite content in loosing possession and cooling his heels when he did so. He was making no effort to create because De Jong had him shackled nor was he defensively solid. He made the midfield less combative and more cumbersome. Ajax continued to knock the ball around before De Zeeuw scored the opener. Allegri quickly brought on his 'go-to-guy', Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Milan shifted to a 4-3-3 with Robinho moving on to the right and Ronaldinho to the left. The change in formation didn't change the attitude of the midfield, who collectively were miserable. The three midfielders were busy chasing shadows for ninety odd minutes. And soon enough, the second goal arrived. Game. Set. Match. When Merkel was brought on for Robinho in the seventy sixth minute, it was a sign of acceptance of defeat from Allegri. To make matters worse, Silva was played in this game and ended up being substituted with injury. Reports are now suggesting that he could be out till January. Legs won over craft on this night, which has become the story of modern day football.

Milan might be running away with the league at home but are utterly rubbish in Europe. The change in 'DNA' has been radical and sudden. The two wins that Milan picked up in the group were against Auxerre, the weakest team in the group. Even those wins were not convincing and required Ibrahimovic's genius to settle them. A host of top clubs are awaiting the draws. I am strongly insulted that many teams would be hoping to be drawn against us.

Milan -
Ajax - De Zeeuw 60', Alderweireld 67'

Banging Brescia

Kevin Prince Boatang

Milan 3 Brescia 0

Allegri would probably have preferred Pirlo to continue his love affair with the Milan Labs. But Pirlo had returned to devastate Milan's midfield and Allegri had to field him. Fortunately, it was Brescia and not Barcelona. Boatang was promoted up the pitch and was started in the hole. The Ghanaian responded with his first goal for the club, courtesy Ibrahimovic.

Milan played at a high tempo from the start. As it has always achieved, it put the opposition under pressure from the word go and shelved them into a defensive mode. On the rare occasions they found themselves in attack, but they lost Caracciolo. The big man was isolated by the monumental centre backs of Milan who have been at their scintillating best of late. But gradually, the away side got into the game and started to test Abbiati, albeit from distance. Gattuso was struggling with the pace of the game and constantly lost his marker. Rash challenges were therefore expected and were duly delivered. There was a sudden shift in momentum with Brescia dictating the game and Milan's defense becoming increasingly clumsy. It was a slice of luck that brought the balance of power back in Milan's hands. A poorly placed pass from Brescia's defense was capitalised by Robinho who slotted home his 5th goal of the campaign. A couple of minutes later, Ibrahimovic's masterclass sealed the game. He fooled 4 defenders and unleashed a lethal drive that would clearly be termed 'unstoppable.' With 30 minutes gone, the game and the points were in the bag. The misery was almost compounded but Boatang missed a simple one on one chance with the keeper. Kevin Prince's movement has been stellar irrespective of his position. If he improves his finishing and final ball, he could be world class. Brescia were rattled by the quickfire double and seemed distorted. Allegri's men were demonstrating a physical side to their game that hasn't been seen previously this season and that is much in demand in the big games. However, just the sight of the physicality was pleasing to the sore eyes. Milan continued to press for the 4th goal. The players seemed like they were enjoying themselves. Nesta struggled in his duel with Caracciolo. The big man's pace and strength had the veteran picking up scraps with Silva cleaning up the mess.

Yepes replaced Nesta in the second half. Milan persisted with their phenomenal work ethic. Poor finishing made the 4th goal elusive. However, the home side were firmly in control of the game and didn't seem like they were loosening their grip. Allegri used his final two substitutions to introduce Ronaldinho and Flamini to give them some playing time along with providing them the opportunity to impress him. Silva had been simply superb all game long. He resembled an impermeable wall. When the team realized that they couldn't find the 4th goal, they began to knock the ball around to retain possession as Brescia chased shadows. It was a professional performance from Milan, who are beginning to look untouchable in Italy.


Milan - Boatang 4', Robinho 28', Ibrahimovic 30'
Brescia - /

Prince of Poaching

Filippo Inzaghi

Inzaghi is 37 and is on the table, nursing his wounds and reminiscing the days of the old as the Milan management are preparing a prince to accept the crown from the aging king. Names are rattled on a daily basis and the chaos is nothing short of a media racket. From Balotelli to Grameiro, it wouldn't be a long shot to suggest that the papers have covered the globe in search of the next number 9.

But who is the right forward to don the role of the poacher? Do we need a poacher? Inzaghi's choice remains Alberto Paloschi. The king has spoken but the subjects disagree and so do I. Paloschi is a promising talent, but he is nothing quite like the player he can become. Not yet. Our need is immediate. Let us consider the options.

Santa Cruz might be the ideal fit given the similarities and the price constraints but he would be a short term option given his age. Also would he like to warm the bench and play second fiddle at another club? Fabiano is simply on another level and a player of such calibre wouldn't find room in the first team. Balotelli is a hot head and a risky investment. He is yet to mature as a footballer and until then, his capture might unleash a sense of madness in the club. Pazzini would be a fantastic signing but the striker is at his peak at the moment and would not welcome a role on the bench which is but certain with an irreplaceable Ibrahimovic in the team. Rossi is a childhood fan but he is a second striker and not a central striker. This leaves us with my personal favorite, Alexander Matri.

This young forward has climbed the ladder of success taking his baby steps at our very own youth academy. He always showed promise whilst we always showed our youngsters the door. Matri has matured into a cultured goalscorer for the Sardinians and has been a boon for Cagliari. He is a near-perfect replacement for Inzaghi as a central striker and is sneaky in the box too. He would be familiar with the surroundings and wouldn't take too long to settle down. Matri is an immensely underrated striker, plainly because he is unconventional. His goals are usually straightforward but not spectacular. He became the striker he is under Allegri, the same man who holds the reigns of Milan today. This appears to be a match made in heaven. Matri also provides the option of being the player who can be the front man as Ibrahimovic could play off him. The Italian is great in the air and has an admirable scoring rate. For a young striker, i.e. all of 26, he shows immense composure in front of goal. He has a fairly impressive record in the Serie A and has already scored 8 goals this season for a struggling Cagliari side. Matri would give us an additional touch of quality that would take us to another level. Stopping this line of attack would be a task that most defenses in Europe would sweat over.

A major drawback would be the price tag. Cellino won't let him go for cheap, however that is where Mr. Galliani's expertise comes in handy. Inzaghi is one of a kind and if the scouts are out there searching for an exact replacement, they might find it easier to discover the remains of Isaac Newton in Cambodia. But Inzaghi's injury and Pato's love for the meds has caused the club to flip the notes once again. Ring the cashier and bring the Italian back home. I think we have found our prince.

Pazzini Pinches

Giampaolo Pazzini

Sampdoria 1 Milan 1

Many Italian pundits are of the belief that Giampaolo Pazzini is currently the best Italian striker in the world. And not many look beyond the fact that he needs Cassano to maintain that tag. Cassano's spat with Garrone has seen him sit out of first team football, leaving the responsibility to score and even create at the feet of Pazzini. The hitman took his time to take up this responsibility but now is duly performing. After scoring a hatrick recently, he was up to the task of proving to his boss that he can sting the net against the big boys. Unfortunately for us, he did.

Robinho has been getting better and better with time. Some whispers have begun to suggest that he has won over Pato's place in the first team and also Allegri's conviction. His movement was fantastic but now he is even finding the back of the net. The Ibrahimovic-R70 partnership is getting harder for the defenses in Italy to handle. The neutral might have had a difficulty deciding which was the home team with Milan dominating the possession and the chances. Sampdoria saw little of the ball, 37% to be precise and defended deep allowing Milan to pass the ball around to their convenience. Sampdoria recklessly tackled on the edge of the box a few times giving Milan several gilt edged opportunities. But the absence of Pirlo rendered these situations ineffective. To add to their misery, Sampdoria's best midfielder, Angelo Palombo was having a horrid night in the middle of the park. Milan's now dynamic midfield of three were running all over Sampdoria's middle men but the wide-men of the home-side relished the space they found. Zambrotta's aging legs couldn't keep up with the pace on the flanks but Abate settled in admirably. Seedorf had an off night but given his splendid outings in recent weeks, this show of incompetency can be gladly pardoned. Allegri left it late with his substitutions, again. This is an area of his management that I absolutely dislike. He constantly seems to forget that game is a 90 minute affair and not a 180 minute two-legged tie.

This blip can be overlooked purely due to the fact that we have been winning games that should have been draws given Pato and Inzaghi's absences. However, we need to get back on the winning road. Brescia next and we must quite simply make our moments count. Against Sampdoria, we had sufficient chances to win 3 games, yet we scored only once. This result should urge Milan to thrash Brescia and continue this run of form. That being said, against the smaller teams in Italy, it's easier said than done.

Sampdoria - Pazzini 59'

Milan - Robinho 43'

Passage

Thiago Silva

Auxerre 0 Milan 2

Struggle has been a fore value for the club this season. A mechanical, methodical system has resulted in favorable results and therefore acceptable results. Just about, almost. That was not going to change in France. A result was absolutely essential at the Stade Abbe. So come how may, a win would be enjoyed from the top to the bottom at the Milanello.

A win we did achieve. Two wonder-strikes from two wonderful players settled the game. Ibrahimovic scored from distance and Ronaldinho struck the decisive second from a tight angle. However, it can be argued that Auxerre were hard done by this result. They attacked Milan relentlessly shooting twelve times at target with only three troubling Abbiati. Milan had eight shots at target and scored the two times they had the ball directed on target. It was a fairly even game with Milan holding the ball better than Auxerre. Auxerre however tried to do more with the ball at their feet while Milan played safe by building up slowly, carefully. Robinho's movement is getting better and better in every game and the centre backs are enjoying another wonderful season at the heart of defense. Also, Abate is quickly developing into Milan's best full back. He gallops forward without fear and tracks back to clear up the occasional mess. This facet of his game has developed under Allegri who has successfully enforced some positive changes across the squad. Ambrosini has been reinvented as the holding midfielder, a position he has donned very well since his return to the first team. However, Allegri opted to rotate the squad in this game and slotted Gattuso into that position. But Gattuso tends to venture up every now and then which was exploited by Auxerre on the counters as they attacked through the centre. Silva is in the form of his life and has been a wall in front of Abbiati. His timing on tackles and closing down of forwards has been top notch thus far this season and is rapidly transpiring into the world's best centre back.

Milan's movement and game play has been frighteningly similar over the last few games. This system might work against the mid-table sides but the better coaches and the better teams will find loopholes in this team, which are evidently visible. We have found the passage into the knock-out stages but having finished second in the group, it's perhaps recommended that fans of Milan brace themselves for elimination.

Auxerre - /

Milan - Ibrahimovic 64', Ronaldinho 90'