Poll: Shapechanging

Inzaghi changed formations to a 4-2-3-1, reportedly to support both Menez and Torres’s strengths. And yet on Sunday, neither of them had a particularly good game with the new system. And then there’s the question of whether or not the new system supports the rest of the team, whether it exposes the defense too much, etc. There are actually a lot of considerations when choosing a formation, a few of which I touched on in the last post. But today, I want to hear from you. What do you think is better, sticking with the 4-2-3-1, or going back to the 4-3-3? Or something else? Take the poll, then feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section.

(insert Jeopardy music here)

Cesena 1, Milan 1: Back to the Drawing Board

So Inzaghi dared to try a new formation today, one that Tassotti explained just ahead of the match was meant to support Torres and Menez. Ironically, it all but neutralized those two, giving more scoring and assisting chances to defenders and others instead. But it was a fantastic idea on paper, so maybe with some more tweaking and giving it a few more chances, everything will click. Or, like today, maybe it will further expose our weaknesses and Inzaghi will have to learn the hard way. Some tough questions to answer for him, I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes as he takes everything from this draw and goes back to the drawing board.

Rami definitely had something to celebrate

Cesena vs. Milan: A Chance for Bonera

 Seahorses do move very, very slow after all…

GUEST POST: Cesena-Milan Preview

A special treat today, as Francesco has written a great preview for us! Please follow him on Twitter  @FrancescoPetra8, and be sure to share your thoughts on his Milan Obsession debut post in the comments section!

A.C. Milan are facing A.C. Cesena, no they have nothing to do with Milan despite their initials. You might have heard of the Derby Dell’ Emilia between Bologna and Parma, which is disputed to see who makes the best ham, but there’s another club who has held, at least in the ongoing season, a great home record. Cesena has won their first match against Parma (ring a bell?), and tied against Empoli…you know, the team against whom we almost lost on Tuesday.

Those Seahorses can cause problems

Empoli 2, Milan 2: Spectator Sport

Daniele Bonera is something of an anomaly. He has scored one goal in his entire career. Even for a center back, that’s a very, very low number. That is not counting the number of goals and assists that he has made against Milan, of course, that number is much, much higher. But usually, he seems to enjoy watching the ball go into Milan’s net. Whether it be from the ground, like he did tonight, or from any other sedentary position, he seems to truly enjoy the up close and personal view of Milan conceding goals. So much so that he is often at fault, as he was both times tonight. For Daniele Bonera, football is purely a spectator sport.

The nicest guy you'll ever wish horrible things upon and Empoli's MOTM

Empoli-Milan Preview: Tuesday in Tuscany

No, you didn’t miss Milan going back in time to qualify for the Champions League and being drawn with Fiorentina. Our destination tomorrow is actually Empoli, the newly promoted side that also hails from Tuscany. And it’s certainly not going to be a Champions League match, it’s just one of those silly midweek games that Serie A has to throw in to make up for international breaks. So change your plans if you need to, because Milan need our support as they spend this Tuesday in Tuscany.

The Young and the not-so-young: former Milan youth Verdi and Big Mac

Milan 0, Juventus 1: Pecking Order

Thus ended a two game winning streak that had Berlusconi claiming we would win the Scudetto (even if he was only hoping to fill his stadium after he scared all of the fans off these past 2-3 years by selling all of our quality players.) It was a tough one to swallow, especially with Allegri on the opposing bench. A bench he didn’t even get off of to shake Inzaghi’s hand at the beginning of the match. But a necessary lesson for Galliani that you have to spend to win, and a reminder to all of us that unfortunately the beautiful game has a pecking order, and investing in quality players is at the top, irresponsible management and not investing in quality players will always land below on that pecking order.

Sometimes grinta only gets you so far 

Milan vs. Juventus: Grudgematch

Can Inzaghi’s boys pull off the upset?

Milan-Juventus Preview: DAI Another Day

Normally I would write about my fear of Juve or try to make clever comments about their myriad fines because of their fans’ behaviors or whatever. But not this time. This time there is something far more hilarious than anything I could make up or poke fun of. Because this time, they’ve got Allegri.

The irony is too much

Unbelievable

There’s something that I’m still struggling to wrap my head around: Milan are top of the table. Granted, we’ve only played two games. And there is much of our game that leaves much to be desired. But for a team that has had three different coaches since the beginning of this calendar year, even just having back to back wins is amazing. And when you look at the fact that we won against Lazio and away to Parma, it makes it even more incredible. It almost feels as if I’m dreaming, it’s unbelievable.

Pinch me I think I'm dreaming

Parma 4, Milan 5: The Greatest Show on Earth

Step right up, ladies and gentlemen! You’re about to hear all about the greatest show on earth! That’s right, this wasn’t just a game, it was a spectacle of epic proportions. A nonstop display of thrills and chills that made you feel as if you wanted to cheer and vomit all at the same time. It’s not as if the win wasn’t deserved – Milan played harder and smarter and took better advantage of their chances. But there were several moments where I felt as if I’d been punched in the stomach, our errors were so egregious. Bottom line, Milan took the three points and remain at the top of the table once again ahead of our match with Juventus coming up on Saturday. So sit back and enjoy the ride!

So much celebration

Parma vs. Milan:The Fellowship is Forged

 Torres on target for Milan

Parma-Milan Preview: Biabiany’s Revenge

As if Jonathan Biabiany didn’t punish us enough last year, I’m pretty sure we’re in for some hell this week. Like a spurned lover, he’ll want to show us what we’ll be missing. And if Zaccardo is on the pitch, he may have a thing or two to say to him, too. There are so many storylines here, with ex-players, coaches who are ex-players, and Parma taking 6th place last season only to be disqualified from playing Europa League, while Milan settled for 8th place (even if only one point behind them.) But the story that will make the headlines will be Biabiany, who wore the Milan jersey for mere hours the last day of the mercato. And I’m pretty sure he’ll be seeking revenge.

Biabiany just got punked

Fernando Torres: Eye of the Storm

Fernando Torres has been nicknamed “el niño,” which means “the boy” in Spanish. For me, though, el niño is the band of warm water temperatures that occasionally occurs in the Pacific Ocean, which combines with atmospheric conditions to produce a lot of rain here. Rain that is desperately needed due to a severe drought in California. So I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Milan’s new “el niño” could also potentially end a drought of winning ways for us. He has the potential to be the eye of the storm.

Torres should be right at home in the trophy room

Around the World in an International Break

With the ultimate anticlimactic start to Serie A of playing one fixture and then waiting almost two weeks to see Milan play again, at least we are on the back side of the international break. Today our players play their final matches for their countries, and then come back to train for the Parma game. In case you are wondering, here are the fixtures for the matches today:

That's Captain Honda to you...

Giacomo Bonaventura: Jack of Hearts

Apparently, Giacomo Bonaventura also goes by “Jack,” the English equivalent of “Giacomo.” And if you stretch the translation a bit, his last name is almost “buona ventura,” which is a way to say “good luck” in Italian. Our very own good luck Jack, who has won over Milan fans with his sudden and emotional move to Milan, instead of going to our hated rivals Inter. If I were a betting girl, I’d say he’s our very own Jack of hearts.

Lunch with Silvio

Berlusconi is back… at Milanello, that is. True to his word of a couple of weeks ago, he is visiting Milanello on Friday, even though it’s an international break. That transfer money we supposedly got and didn’t spend has got to go to a good cause, right? Why not helicopter fuel, then? Or is it because whatever sorcery he used to put a spell on his mediocre squad to help them play a little better only lasts seven days? Whatever the reason, he is making an overt attempt to show he cares about Milan again. Good to know the team is more important than Dudu’s website for at least one day per week.

A perfect use of a football pitch

Slow News Day

All Summer long, Milan fans wait for the start of Serie A. Oh sure, there are international tournaments, friendlies, and the transfer market to discuss. But nothing compares to the start of the season after a long summer. Well, except for maybe Galliani Day™, the last day of the mercato. So having experienced both of those emotionally intense days back to back this week, fans were rewarded cursed with a very anticlimactic InternationalBreak for friendlies that most fans don’t even know about, let alone care about. The result of which is a slow, grinding to a halt of news and even to a certain degree interest in football in what can only be described as a series of slow news days.

Even 4 year-old news is more interesting than a slow news day

Hell Hath No Fury

Heav'n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn'd,

Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn'd.

            --William Congreve, in The Mourning Bride, 1697

William Congreve coined that term before Milan even existed, and probably only shortly before the scourge of a man called Adriano Galliani started raising hell with his shortsighted and expensive transfer ways. So poor Congreve had no idea what kind of fury could be unleashed from a woman who loved a club so much that was held hostage by such a horrible CEO like Galliani. Clearly Galliani doesn’t either, because he’d think twice before unleashing his crippling free transfers and loan deals with mediocre players that we “can’t free ourselves from,” as the Curva so poignantly put it in June. Truly, hell hath no fury like a Milanista scorned.

Dr. Gallianistein strikes again