Cagliari 1 Milan 2

The result, regardless of how it was achieved, is always paramount. I believed this with Carletto, Leo, Allegri, and there is no reason for me not to be live by it today with Clarence. In simple short, there was a lot of really good attacking movements and tempo getting forward, and chances created. This game could have easily been three of four goals to the good. but in the same sense Cagliari was not outplayed and Milan gave them so big openings that they could not make use of. At the end of the day, it was left until late, but a win is a win!

If he game had ended in the 85th minute you would have scratched your head and asked how could this 4-2-3-1 make any sense with the liabilities in the midfield? How can the team attack and attack and be left exposed time and time again? Those questions get to live on for another week as somehow, seemingly against all odds, this team has managed two wins on the trot. Six points out of two matches, and while none of three goals have come from open play there is a sense of a urgency now and willingness to work in most of the players, emphasis on most. Kaka has been a workhorse in the last two matches, but because is it his incisive attacks are missing going forward. He is putting the team and defense first, and it is freeing up Honda to get in the box and be very dangerous. With that said Honda is getting chances, and Robinho is pulling the strings, but the three of them need to work better and harder collectively.

NDJ continues to be the cornerstone of the double-pivot, and while he understands it tremendously, his partners have not. Nocerino is now at West Ham for his troubles, and Montolivo who was in my eyes partly responsible for Cagliari's goal today has proved incapable of the rigors of the match in this role. I see why Essien has now been brought in, but an aging midfielder isn't going to help. Would like to see Cristante build on the performances, and possibly play it in that role, but that may be a lost cause. For those who pined on about the Milan youth movement, it has certainly been put on life support in Seedorf's last three matches, and curious on what opinions are on the topic.

At the end of the day, two wins out of two is something to be proud of for the Coach and the team. But it remains early to judge, and the glaring issues remain clear as day for those willing to look. Without the two late game saving goals today's match could have been looked at simply by saying, it was pretty but they didn't win, but Balo and Pazzo assured that wasn't the case. The rest of the team needs to step up as well.