Podcast: Lowered Expectations

With the long overdue yet surprise sacking of Montella and the unfortunately predictable promoting of Gattuso from the Primavera squad, fans are dealing with yet another change at the club. And not a change for the better. Despite making a coaching change to improve results, management have chosen a coach who is least likely to do that. It seems the club have lowered expectations.

"Thank you, Lord for giving me a team I don't deserve, haven't earned, and am about to destroy"

Battling late nights, technology glitches, and having to talk about Gattuso, David truly was a Legend this time around. Follow him on Twitter @DavidLSwan out of pity alone. And while you’re following, listen to what we talked about against all odds:

• News of the Week:  Change in fortunes, change in kits, worldwide fans, congrats Oddo, Milan class

• Season Update: Serie A & Europa League update

• Montella: regrets

• Gattuso: regrets

• Ownership: questions, FFP, refinancing, #WeAreNotAfraid

• VAR: regrets

• Coming up: upcoming matches

Download this Episode

Thanks again to David for his wisdom and his patience. Follow him on Twitter @DavidLSwan to take advantage of the money back guarantee offered.

Benevento-Milan Preview: Of Witches and Devils

Newly promoted Benevento are dead last in Serie A with zero points. Zero. That’s almost harder to do than just having a few points. But they are the Witches, so at some point they will sort out a spell to get points. And why not tomorrow, against Milan? We both have something in common, that we’ve both switched coaches. Although they are about five weeks into their new coach’s term, and have slowly but surely been improving.

Poor Benevento have become the joke of Serie A

Another commonality is that Benevento also have a Donnarumma. He is Alessio Donnarumma, a year older than Gigio, and is a midfielder who has spent some time in Inter’s youth academies. Not sure if he’s related, but our Donnarummas also come from the same region of Italy, and perhaps just the name alone will put a spell on Gigio and allow Alessio to score, should he play.

Alessio was an unused sub for their Monday 1-0 loss to Atalanta. For that match, De Zerbi lined up Brignoli; Costa, Djimsiti, Di Chiara, Venuti, Del Pinto, Cataldi, Chibsah, Armenteros, D’Alessandro, and Lombardi. De Zerbi will be missing Iemmello, Ciciretti, and Lazaar to injury. He is also out Melara and Lucioni to long term suspensions, so could certainly use some magic to beat Milan.

Gattuso (it still feels weird even typing his name as a coach) will obviously be missing Conti, with Calhanoglu freshly injured as well. He has the magic of the new coach debut game behind him. But that is all. In his press conference, he insisted that he has very different ideas to Montella, but swears by the three man back line and is planning to start Kalinic. Those ideas don’t sound different to me, and were a huge part of Montella’s undoing. I guess Gattuso is a slow learner, too. He also said this match is like a Champions League final. Maybe for Benevento, if they win, but clubs don’t usually promote a poor coach from their Primavera team ahead of a Champions League Final.

The Witches have absolutely nothing to lose, they have become the joke of Serie A. Whereas if Milan lose, they will instantly become that joke. It’s like a Halloween match, with witches and devils, but in December. Which evil will triumph? Only 90 minutes will tell. For Gattuso, though, it could be a baptism by fire if those Witches finally master their incantations.

Serie A Week 15

Benevento vs. Milan

Sunday, December 3 • 12:30 CET (6:30am EST)

This match will be shown LIVE on RAI Italia in the U.S.

  

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