Milan 4 – Lazio 1

By: Gianfranco | September 22nd, 2008

Usually I am not one to get all wound about a win, but when your team gets no points from two matches and you are playing an in form team in Lazio, you can’t help but smile at the quality of the win. No offense to Juventus, Inter, and Roma who beat mid to low table teams, but Lazio was a very formidable opponent who will be very capable of taking points from anyone and everyone in Serie A.

What won me over most about the win was the fact that players on the pitch were will and capable to show grit and determination. Rino was a beast and a very much his old self, Ambro was all over the place, Kaka on pace, Abbiatti making saves, and Janks remembered how to defend and attack in the same match. The bottom line is that the eleven players Carletto selected were all willing and able to make things happen and play at the intensity necessary to earn three points.

But with the great comes some bad, specifically Milan conceding on a counter attack off the corner. Seedorf, who after the goal struggled to find himself in the match, floated a poor corner that saw Ambro and Kaladze in the attacking zone and Zarate flying down the pitch for an excellent finish. If you are Carletto, and you know your team is a not as fleet in the foot as most, why not commit fewer players offensively on the corner and play a more control possession type corner? The world may never know.

MOTM for me was Borriello who did all the nitty gritty stuff that was needed on offense and was missing only a goal of his resume for an excellent match. His defensive play in the Milan box was better than some of our defenders and his ability to move on and off the ball really opened space for Seedorf, Kaka, and Pato. He needs to play game in and game out and I feel that the right partnership be it Sheva, Pato, or Pippo will make he even more valuable to the team. How ironic would it be if his good play keeps the likes of Sheva and Dinho on the bench?

OBSERVATIONS

-Anyone else think that FSC’s dynamic duo of Bretos and Sullivan are miserable. I can handle Sullivan but Bretos is a waste.

-Lazio looks like a very capable team and Zarate is a real player, but Di Sivestri and Foggia should be starters.

-Abbiatti looks to be on his game, his save late and on the offside ball were totally forgotten because of the score line.

-Lazio’s young Frenchman Menghi was referred to as the next Zidane. That means Benzema of Lyon, Menez of Roma, Gourcuff of Bordeaux/AC Milan, and Menghi of Lazio are all labeled this very inauspicious title. I have a funny feeling none of them will ever live up to the billing.

-The Rossoneri players were smiling, real ear to ear smiles!

-Here is an excellent video recap of the game

Now I have to admit I have an eye on the derby this weekend but we will talk more about it closer to the day. We can’t forget that there is a fixture midweek against Reggina and though I feel more comfortable going to Reggina, I hate the fact that they only have one point to show for three matches and will be poised to played well. Milan have always been susceptible to dropping points against clubs like Reggina as they showed last season against Atalanta, Parma, and Empoli. Carletto will have to use a lineup similar to what he did midweek against FC Zurich to assure proper rotation of players and strength of squad.

This is most important in defense specifically with the wingbacks who should be rested first and foremost. I would also expect Carletto to cycle the starting eleven as well so that the squad is still strong and capable of playing well in both at Reggina and in the Derby. Wednesday will be an interesting day to kick off a very exciting end of the week.