I have long mocked
Montella’s possession-based tactics that he wanted for Milan. Beginning with
the fact that I felt it was a system and style of play that he was putting on a
team that was not suited for it. And so far, I’ve been proven right. But just
like Dr. Strange having lost the use of his hands, then going in search of
alternate methods of achieving his goal of using them again, Montella has
tapped into other-worldly magical powers to achieve the results he wanted (even if his
system still isn’t happening.) For me, this season, Montella has truly been
like Doctor Strange.
 |
| He's worked magic with the mentality |
It really is strange, if
nothing short of miraculous, that Milan sit where they do. Not that I’m
complaining, mind you. And my issue with Montella’s tactics is only a matter of
ego – his blind arrogance in the beginning. Not only did I not see it working out, I didn’t want it to. I don’t even
like that style of play. And despite a lack of discipline between the issues with Bacca and all of the red cards, Milan are still winning.
Montella has built on the
mentality that was developing last year under Mihajlovic by being the opposite of that coach. And
while that has also created the discipline issues, which could still potentially
explode and collapse the narrow bridge our mentality is walking on, so far it
has produced far more results than problems. I don’t know anyone who has an
issue with that.
 |
| So the discipline is lacking. He's magic, not perfect |
There is a big bump in the
road ahead with the sale of the club looming. Like battling other mystical sorcerers, Montella will have to keep
his focus and the focus of all of the players as Berlusconi and Galliani are
banished from this dimension. He will have to use all of his powers to maintain this reality and
help the new ownership restore Milan to its proper place in time and space.
Montella, like Dr.
Strange, seems arrogant enough to attempt this feat. But also, I think he has
proven that he has the ability to control the mentality at least. If given
time, and perhaps if he finds the equivalent of the Infinity Stone, then perhaps
he will be around long enough to keep Milan in the proper dimension – at the
top of the table. But if he gets too cocky, or if the new ownership prove to be
from the Dark Dimension, then no one wins.
 |
| Many of his youth choices were forced by injury, but he still gets credit for choosing them over older backups |
I have been hard on Montella, admittedly, and I will continue to point out things that I observe and
don’t like. But for today, I wanted to be sure that he got the credit he
deserves for molding the mentality and giving this young team the belief to
win. Not every comic book ends the way we want, and Montella’s story may end
sooner than he wants, too. There are great forces at work here, in multiple
dimensions and planes we can’t even see. But for now, I believe that Montella
is a strange kind of hero just for bringing back the mentality and results Milan deserve. Maybe
it wasn’t how he envisioned it, and I think it surprised everyone, including
the players themselves. But for now, this dimension is safe again. Thank you,
Doctor Strange.
This post inspired by the music of Michael Giacchino’s “Doctor Strange” (Original
Motion Picture Soundtrack)”
Our next match is
Palermo vs. Milan
Sunday, November 6 • 15:00 CET (9am
EST)