Milan are coming off of a win on the weekend that was nothing short of miraculous. But the reason for the miracle was the worst half of football they have played in a very long time, having conceded three unanswered goals to 19th place Lecce. Wednesday’s match will give them the chance to show whether or not that first half was a fluke or a huge red flag on the season. Meanwhile Parma, sitting 14th in the table with three wins and four losses will also be looking for some redemption by taking down another Scudetto contender and earning a much needed three points. It seems that both teams have something to prove.
Keeping with former Parma sponsor Parmalat’s ad campaign featuring adorable little ones
in cute animal costumes, I thought Giovinco could help sell some milk in Parma's colors.
Certainly, the costume was the right size.
Milan are probably grateful to be playing at home on Wednesday with everything that took place on and off the pitch on Sunday. Hopefully it will give them some calm and ground them in preparation for yet another important match. They cannot relax on this one, especially considering that Parma’s most impressive performance of the season was away against Napoli less than two weeks ago, they are known for being a giant killer.
I would assume that Allegri will be working first to instill a sense of calm following the emotional match on Sunday. The players have said that it was his belief that he instilled in them during halftime that inspired the victory, so I have no concerns there. But logistically, he’s got to figure out how to stop the hemorrhaging of goals, and that seems to be hard even for him. Creating a lineup that takes into consideration injuries and also resting players to ensure continued health and good form, but also leaves a solid squad on the pitch each match is always a challenge for any manager. But given the hit and miss form Milan has displayed this season, I think it will be speak wonders of Allegri if he can sort it out and put out a team that plays more consistently despite injuries or other woes.
He also has to consider that we play Roma a short three days after the match, whom we are currently tied on points with and who are also hot and cold this season, then our return leg with BATE three days after that, etc.… it makes me wonder if he’s got a sub for me with this schedule, sitting in front of my TV can be very draining physically, and I am very injury prone. Getting up to get a drink could rule me out for the season. But back to the ones who are really doing the work, I would expect him to be acutely aware of the back line and also to find a way to rotate our midfield with more effectiveness.
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| A Milan win might look something like this. |
Parma on the other hand do not have the congested schedule that comes with playing in Europe, so while this is a busy week for them, so manager Franco Colomba has fewer questions about his lineup. I would expect him to go with a similar lineup to the one he sent out against both Napoli and Atalanta, with Mirante in goal, Lucarelli, Paletta, Gobbi, and Zaccardo in the back, Morrone, Jadid, Modesto, and Biabiany in the middle and Floccari and Giovinco up front. Giovinco is one of the league’s highest scorers with 5 goals already on the season. He may be adorably small, but he is always a threat and will need to be kept in check if he is to be kept off the scoreboard.
Milan have actually scored the most goals in Serie A this season, but have conceded nearly as many. But Parma have yet to keep a clean sheet. So we are virtually guaranteed to score, and if we can keep a clean sheet, too, then we’ve won it. We just have to keep from conceding. I have a feeling that being at home and coming off such a strange match, our boys will indeed have something to prove. In fact, I was thinking that maybe it was Ibra’s turn for an impressive hat trick, what do you think?
This post inspired by the music of Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.”