39 Shots, 10 on Target. 62% possession with twelve corner kicks. I can gleen two things from that stat line, Mattia Perin is a BEAST and AC Milan was once again bitten by the inability to push the ball past the goal line. For those who were concerned about a formation that was not attacking enough, the question is how much more attack did you want? In a sense the team was well balanced, Monty's suspension allowed a midfield much akin to the one in the scudetto winning season. A pure DM, two box runners and a compact shape, it worked even when Muntari went down in favor of Birsa.
When Allegri did decide to chase the goal he went to a 4-2-4 for the final fifteen minutes, somehow feeling comfortable on the defesnive side of things. Had Milan conceded in those final 15, I would have brought out the ax, but they did not, it was the expensive attack that let us down once again. Mario Balotelli the pillar of PK concentration a season ago, may never score another again. Matri, putting himself in good positions can't score, and Robinho is simply Robinho. Even Zapata got in on the action missing a sitter late on.
Had it not been for Urby's moment of stupidity this game could have easily been locked away. It must have bitter pill for those clamoring he play at LB only to cost us three points, while the much maligned Luca Antonini has become a folk hero in Genoa. We get Bonera slotted in at CB and that guy is now a wing back and a CB, great judge of talent some of the Milan fandom are!? At the end of the day, you can keep the ball, create chances, but that little bit of edge and heart is what continues to be missing from these players. Some may call them talented, but talent is not simply the ability to pass and kick the ball. Talent is what is inside as well, the will and desire to win. To his credit Kaka has shown it in his return, and has been reminding me each and every week. Even on this day when Milan needed the extra man in the midfield he proved his worth. Not the CAM we need, but the CAM that will work. Yet on the pitch is a skulking Balotelli, with 45 minutes of garbage or Zapata who made Bonera look like Nesta on this day. This team simply lacks the character to be a true winner. You can only hide from that fact for so long.
Now the team travels to Glasgow, for what purpose exactly, is as good a question as any. Because winning for this group no longer seems in the cards...