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.
