Atalanta 2 Milan 1

What we saw today was not what a football team should look like but not just on the pitch.  Having coached before the worst case scenario was a player, parent or Club director telling you how to deploy your team  Now I don't agree with the 4-2-3-1 for this team in the least and I do in fact beleive the 4-3-1-2 is the right formation; however the way Seedorf deployed it today shows his lack of experience and why he is not the right man for the job.  The key to a good 4-3-1-2 is balance and creation of width from fullbacks but playing DeSciglio at RB and Constant at LB made this a challenge from the start, mix in Muntari instead of Poli or heck even Birsa and you lose that charger from the midfield and the whole thing was a mess from the start.

The simplicity of the 4-3-1-2 comes in the spine and be able to link play through the middle and spread opponents wide with the fullbacks, Milan did none of that.  Oddly though they did generate chances, 20 to be exact, but only two of said chances saw the net and the lone goal of the day didn't come from the boot of a Milan player but on an own goal.  Changing formations is tough, but for a team of more than average players it is easy.  This only compounds how bad this team really is from a player to player standpoint.  Kaka looked confused in what should be an easier role for him, Balotelli didn't want to hold up the ball up and Constant spent more time fouling then getting wide in attack.  Was the formation not described properly?  it didn't matter because it didn't last as Honda was removed SES was brought in and any system of order went out the window ultimately leading to the fouls that led to both Atalanta goals as players were out of positions and chaos ensued.

A draw would have been the nail in the coffin for Milan's Europa League chances but a loss really seals it.  Not just for Europe but most likely for Clarence Seedorf as the Coach of AC Milan.  The sideshow of the week has been his feud with Berlusconi and like Leo before him what started as a good idea (for a few people) never really was that good of an idea in the first place.  The good news is when Leo was given the sack Milan hired a proper Coach and won a Title, can lightning strike twice?  It really all depends on if the Milan brass can get out of their own way and get this right again, but it's unlikely given the last few years of nonsense this Club has endured.