After reaching a shocking new low in performances this week,
rumors of Gattuso’s job being on the line didn’t even need spreading. Fans
could feel the tension based on the performances alone. And we knew that a loss
today would impact his tenure exponentially, while a win might buy him some
more time. And so against all odds, with changing the tactics and dealing with
injuries, the team pulled off the win, providing all of us with some much
needed respite.
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| mood |
Gattuso switching to the 4-4-2 helped in that when Cutrone
starts, Cutrone scores. Having been used all season as a super sub, I saw a
stat that he was scoring a goal every 39 minutes. That’s just a ridiculous stat. But with every intention of keeping it up, he opened up the scoring with a
fierce header in the 17th minute, assisted by Suso. 1-0 Milan.
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| The Cutromask for a deserved opening goal |
Unfortunately, Saponara is still angry at Galliani kicking
him to the curb, so just four minutes later, he emphatically replied with a goal
of his own. 1-1 all. In the 22nd, Murru elbowed Suso in the side of the face,
but Karma is not kind, and just seven minutes later, he was subbed off because
of an injury himself. The lesson here is don’t mess with my Suso. Quagliarella
had a lesson for us, though. In the 31st, from a Saponara assist, he scored to
take the lead. 2-1 Sampdoria. However the 30 year-old Higuain, not to be
outdone by a 35 year-old, first had a great shot saved, then punished Audero
with a goal in the 36th, assisted by Cutrone. 2-2 all.
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| Gattuso wanted 23 lions, he got at least one |
The second half saw plenty of action. Like in the 47th, Audero saved another great Higuain shot. And Cutrone didn’t just let it be, he followed up on it. I love when players do that. In the 62nd, Suso just took matters into his own hands and destroyed Sampdoria’s defense, leaving the ball in the back of their net for the game winner. 3-2 Milan. In the 75th, Cutrone scored another one, but in his excitement had fouled a player on the way, so the goal was called off.
Because Milan cannot seem to hold a lead and Gattuso
apparently doesn’t value his job, he made his first sub in the 76th, subbing
off Cutrone for Castillejo. His next sub was forced, in the 78th, because
Calabria, playing injured since the 66th, could no longer play. And clearly, he
was concerned for Calhanoglu’s reputation of fading, because he brought him on
in the 89th for Laxalt. Can’t fade in one minute, right? Besides, Laxalt had
that double chance in the 86th where he should have scored and didn’t. So
clearly, bringing on Calhanoglu then was going to do something, right?
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| Ustoppable |
Despite Gattuso’s best efforts, we still managed to win. And
the 4-4-2 was a vast improvement on what we’ve seen lately, too. We’ve all
known that when you only have two strikers (sorry, Borini, that haircut has
lost you your title of striker,) playing with two strikers is dangerous. But
today, it proved more dangerous to Sampdoria. We still have to stop conceding
goals, even if we’re finally scoring. I’m not sure what our near future will
hold, but at least for a day or two, this win provided us with some much needed
respite.
This post inspired by the music of
Interpol
Our next match is
Serie A Week 1
(our game in hand)
Milan vs. Genoa
Wednesday, October
31 • 8:30pm CET (3:30pm EDT)