Milan 0 Atalanta 1: Sharpen Your Pitchforks

No need to lie or make excuses, this loss was poor. Second of the season at home and conceding late on, is simply inexcusable for a team with Title aspirations. The problem is did we really have Title aspirations? Did we really expect this team, cannibalized and set up to fail by the summer exodus, to be a true contender. In our heart's as fans we always believe our team can win, but are we really that naive and foolish? We knew the road would be long, we knew the season would be a challenge, but without fail the moment this team hits a bump in the road, the end is nigh...

Despite attempting to help people understand why Allegri is not fully to blame for this team's problems, many will sharpen their pitchforks and demand their pound of flesh, in this case, 73 kilos to be exact, and in the shape of Max Allegri. It's all well and good, most fans without a strong understanding of the game and its chemistry will blame the Coach. Why not? They love a certain player, or players, but Coaches are expendable. They don't consider that team chemistry is important, and yet to be obtained by this team, or that formations in video game don't work in real life, but oh well. Saturday's loss was bad, frustrating, and really a let down, but was it really all that bad considering where this team is at?

The Atalanta goal, by Milan target Cigarini, was mostly the fault of the midfield. NDJ to be exact, but if I start to criticize him already I will be most certifiably be chastised? Could he not press the ball, could he not the close this space? is he not a player known for his grit and tenacity? It appeared lost in space, as did Boateng's form which continues to be inconsistent and poor. Defensively and in possession Milan played well enough to earn a draw if not a win, and missed chances once again seemed to haunt the team. But if the game is won or lost in the midfield, then Milan truly earned this result. The lack of communication and chemistry was clear, considering this trio has never played a competitive a match together, but the lack of pressure was alarming.

So the calls for a new Coach or new formation have already begun, but this is too much. How about a simple back to basics game where the player's actually run and pressure the ball. It doesn't have to be fancy, it has be to effective, and yesterday Milan were not effective. Time this team gets back down to basics and realizes they are not favorites, they don't have "Superstars" among them, but neither of these two issues should stop you from giving your all for the shirt, and nobody seems quite ready to do that yet. Oh yeah, and some finishing wouldn't hurt either...