A philosophical question for you…So I have done everything in my power to isolate myself from the score line today. I buried myself in work, I didn’t answer my phone or even look at it when texts arrived, and have successfully made it all the way to 7PM Eastern Time without a clue of the result. So as I begin to watch the match, as I ramble on about what I see could it be considered a live blog or at least live commentary?
-I am initially pleased with the winning eleven. Stick with what has worked and be ready for Flamini, Pippo, or even Abate at the earliest sign of a sub.
-12 minutes in and Madrid dominating possession and doing all the work around the goal with acres of space to play and no one closing down. Kaka looking far more game than two weeks ago.
-15 minutes and Pato looking like a ragdoll, doesn’t seem to want to be challenged at all. In fact all three strikers seem afraid to be hit or tackled.
-18th minute Milan look game to counter and nothing else, not really what you what you want to see from your team at home…Dida gets it though and playing some very nice long balls.
-23 minutes a great counter by Seedorf with an even better pass to Pato…save Casillas…great save really…
-27th minute Kaka slaloming through the middle following a Seedorf muff, he rifles a shot, Dida parries but not far enough, this is problems…Benzema with the goal. No defenders to be found Benzema with a top class finish but Dida and defenders should have done better.
-28th minute I can’t help but feel bad that this team has conceded the first goal to Madrid at the San Siro in 53 years…53 long years….this team has caught many a dubious honor in the past few years starting in Istanbul, losing to Arsenal at home, and now stopping a 53 year clean sheet…I hate statistics in football.
-32nd minute Borriello making poor decisions, in fact many of his teammates are as well…to forward with too many long balls, not good for a team who likes to posses.
-33rd minute Zambro goes charging in, missed cross but Pepe with a handball…
Ref calls it immediately with no hestitiation…who strikes it!?
-34th minute DInho BURIES IT, excellent PK…1-1…wow what a strike…
-36th minute Pato makes magic out of nothing, absolutely nothing…what a finish…OFFSIDE, no can’t be what is thecall, WHAT IS THE CALL!? Wow, my heart is racing out of my chest, a handball? Push? Has to be a push I see NOTHING else…
-Milan buzzing here in the 38th but need to relax a bit as Madrid is always dangerous on the attack.
-40th minute and I still can’t look at Xavi Alonso without a festering hatred for the scouser that he was…
-41st minute Milan with a horrific display of tackling through the center of the pitch with Dinho, Seedorf, and Ambro all missing wildly, Kaka strikes but wide…not good…Madrid can counter just as quick…
-42nd minute class tackle from Dinho in the midfield, the 4-3-3 really looks bad when Madrid attack with numbers, resembling something of a hockey power play. Dinho did very well to recognize and retreat. Soon thereafter tries to take on Diarra 1 v 1 but seems like a battle he will never win against Lass who looks more and more like Makele on and off the pitch.
-Dinho continuing to be a focal point as he crushes Pepe on a clumsy lunge/tackle. Frankly I like it, he looks MAD, and that is a good thing.
-Can someone tell me why Marcelo plays Madrid, I just don’t see it. I know he is a LB and is playing up in place of CRON, but the guy is not all that good…speaking of CRON, Milan has really lucked out without him on the pitch.
-45th Borriello getting chippy as well, finally these guys are sticking up for themselves up front…
-46th Pato with a HUGE tackle and Pepe seemingly takes out Borriello, this game is getting chippy with the halftime whistle coming at good time.
Clearly fortunate to go in with a draw here at half, the PK was suspect but the Pato goal disallowed was probably worse!? As I always say these things work out in the end, and clearly this is the case here. Milan seem happy to counter but that cannot continue because Madrid will eventually capitalize on these chances, a little more attack would be welcome.
-Looks like Leo missed the memo as Madrid comes out swinging.
-47th minute is Lass the best DM in the world? I mean Essien will have something say about it, but this guy is unreal. He is EVERYWHERE, but corner for Milan. Nothing.
-Oddo’s first move forward in what seems like the whole game is a wash in the 50th minute, he was far more attacking in the last match, maybe Kaka has made him fearful.
-Oddo again forward in the 52nd with a horrible cross…that’s more like it…
-53rd minute Ramos turns Zambro inside out, but a poor cross, he can be very dangerous but seems to have a hint of Oddo disease at the moment.
-55th what a ball by Dinho to Pato, but Pato controls the ball with his hand, gets a card for his trouble.
-56th announcer says Dinho has more tackles tonight than his whole career, I have to agree!
-Ambrosini reminds Kaka whose house this is with a great tackle in the 57th minute, Kaka falls as though he has been shot. Ambro has done well on the tackle but has done little else. Fast break follows for Milan and a yellow for Marcelo, Dinho really bossing that wing and forcing Marcelo to work very hard all over the pitch.
-59th Ambro unmarked, and misses the header. Our best header misses a chance…
-61st minute Benzema has two touches all game one of them a goal, the second a quality snap shot. For all the talk of the Frenchmen’s talent, I have to say he is not as dangerous as expected and seems to be lost at times. Kaka continues to be challenged, no love lost here…
-65th Pato going hard, but a bit too far from goal to be dangerous for Pato, a good free kick by Pirlo forces a corner. Nothing from the corner again…
-70th minute and Milan having some good possession but doing little in the final third.
-Kaka still with a lot of space if Ambro is not around, he is far too dangerous to not close immediately.
-74th minute Raul coming on, I don’t like him all that much because he is a Madrid’s version of Pippo and is too dangerous for my liking late on.
-76th minute Seedorf breaks nicely but Pato again fouled off the ball, Madrid has shown that they are willing to slow down Pato with fouls often and until the ref starts to hand out some yellows for it they will continue with their game plan.
-80th Leo counters Raul with Pippo, which CL legend has it in him tonight…man I hope it is Pippo.
-Madrid bringing on Ruud, hopefully Leo doesn’t want to counter this move with our own Dutch striking stiff.
-83rd Pippo so nearly, couldn’t get his feet right.
-Pato continues to get hacked, Arbeloa already on yellow.
-87th the game has grown cautious, both teams seemingly starting to look OK with a draw, and no one really wants to stretch themselves forward to be open for a counter. Madrid manages a quick shot Dida to save, but again not away, defense clears.
-89th Dida huge save on Raul, excellent reaction, WOW what a save.
-92nd minute Dinho can’t turn Ramos, but Milan earns a corner, and probably the final chance of the match…but a draw it is…wow, it ended a bit slower than it started, but a good match all around and a well deserved point on both sides.
I hope you enjoyed my pseudo live blog, it actually was a big help to me to keep my sanity during the match and if you already watched the match maybe you can re-live a bit of it, and if you didn’t see it maybe it will help. Should be back tomorrow with a recap.