Coppa Crash and Burn

By: Gianfranco | January 17th, 2008

Yesterday’s game was a prime example that not everything is a peachy as we would like to think. I believe there is no excuse for a squad with the history, financial backing, and cast of players to lose in the Coppa Italia. If our second squad is as “strong” as Berlu and Fester claim it is, once hailing it as “World Class” for every backup, the forget to add “Formerly World Class.” Take nothing away from Catania, they are a well led squad, with a great line up and a phenomenal player in Vargas, whose goal last night was just fantastic. The complacency shown by the team, by Carlo, and just about everyone in Milan hurts me as a fan. Your team is supposed to go down fighting, not laying on its back, Juventus won 5-3!, answering every Empoli goal with a thunderous attack, not a lackadaisical shot high and wide.

Last night was painfully obvious that this Milan lacks real depth, it is present in the players, as we have plenty, but their quality is really lacking at the moment. Emerson and Cafu could not even work together, let alone with another 8 field players. As we discussed in the past a lineup containing Brocchi and Emerson is a lineup that will not score, will not playing exciting football, and just plain will not win.

Gourcuff may have played his way out of the Rossoneri with a loan or sale. He really tried to do to much last night, shooting when he should have passed, and trying to maintain possession when he could have loosened some pressure on himself. He did have a few top class, his header for example was Zidanesque, but his choices of shot and passes showed that he still has A LOT to learn, and the San Siro is not ready to teach him. If a commitment was made to get him quality minutes, surrounded by good players, he would improve, but why hurt a player with a potential with lack of playing time and even more lack of supporting cast. He is not Kaka, and cannot command an offense on his own, he needs coddling and with that he will grow.

gila
That leaves me with one last man to really question, and that is Gila. I have supported Gila time and time again, but after watching yesterday I just wonder if he is in over his head. He suffers from some of the same problems as Gourcuff, he lacks support from the line ups he is slotted into. He looks lost when he is alone up front but Carletto perseveres to play him that way. I hate to say but it appears there is very little for Gila at Milan, and quite frankly that is a shame. To let a World Cup winning, and Seria A goal king walk away without a real opportunity to play game in and game out with no criticism or fear of being benched for a half fit Ronaldo is only the fault of the Rossoneri brass. To me it stinks of lack of commitment to a talented individual, and I am not happy about it. Gila will do fine somewhere else, especially Fiorentina, where he will once again be a king, and we will only be able to reminisce about what could have been.

Congrats to Paloschi for working very hard last night and putting himself on the map for another club to purchase, as we will probably put him up for sale or loan in not time. My mood is not as high as it was this weekend, and with an upcoming trip to Udinese this weekend I do not feel that it will get any better. With Fab Quags and Toto DiNatale lurking around the corner we may need another five goal victory to earn three points this weekend. Look for Ro-Ka-Pa to start again, and the return of a fit non suspend Rino Gattuso should give us a fighting a chance.