It’s really sad when even the weather is more noteworthy
than your team’s performance. But that was the case yesterday. With all eyes on the
former teammates who are now coaching against each other, there was very little
to distract from that storyline. However, it wasn’t the weather that made this game
unwatchable, Milan were just frozen.
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| A picture is worth 90 minutes |
Despite Milan supposedly taking 18 shots, we only had four
on target. Bologna, who only had 28% possession and played very defensively,
only took half as many shots but had five on target. It was not pretty. Also,
consider for a moment that their captain was Poli. Andrea Poli. And we couldn’t
even get one goal against the 18th place team with him as a captain.
Despite claiming that subbing Cutrone was the wrong move
last time, Gattuso did it again, bringing on Castillejo in the 61st. With that
being yet another step backward, Bakayoko decided to at least force his hand
and make him sub more. The midfielder committed two insanely stupid fouls back
to back, and in just three minutes got himself two yellows, an early shower,
and Saturday off. Milan were on ten men.
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| The warrior can only be stopped by himself |
His buddy, Kessie, apparently tired of these insanely boring
performances himself, also got a yellow in the 83rd, which means he will also
be suspended Saturday against Fiorentina for card accumulation. Gattuso had
introduced Mauri for the heavily marked Calhanoglu right after Bakayoko’s red card,
which really just meant less work for Bologna. Then he took the also heavily
marked Suso off for Laxalt, which again just made things easier for Bologna.
We talked
about the subbing on the last podcast, but it’s not simply a lack of
bench that makes Gattuso’s changes so poor. It’s his lack of subbing, his
timing, and choices. Even in the poorest of teams, coaches are able to
introduce players who are worse than those they are replacing, but their fresh
legs alone make an impact. The only times Gattuso’s subs have made an impact
this year is when he held starters back and then introduced them early in the
second half. At least the red card forced him to sub in this match. Despite an
injury crisis of epic proportions, I believe the last time Gattuso even used
all three subs was our draw against Real Betis in November. He holds
potentially winning cards in his hands, but either doesn’t play them at all or
doesn’t play them correctly.
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| The only match highlight |
Literally the most entertaining part of this match was seeing
the sweet reunion of old friends in Pippo and Gattuso. Our current coach
punched Inzaghi in the back, his version of a friendly greeting. It was fun to
see them speak for a moment, but also fun to watch how passionate and animated
they were during the match. Like if either of them could have translated even
the smallest percentage of that passion to even one of their players, this entire
match could have been worth watching.
But this match was not worth watching. After disappointments
on and off the pitch, Milan fans are turning to alcohol again or just turning
away altogether. And who could blame them? They exceed even the lowest
expectations. And even though it was very, very cold in Bologna, having snowed
steadily for the previous few days and with a lot of fog, Milan’s performance
was even more frigid. Sure, Bologna defended like their directors’ lives depended on
it. But that is no excuse for Milan’s poor performance… again. One gets the
impression that even in good weather, Milan are simply frozen.
This post inspired by the music of Foreigner’s
“Cold As Ice”
Our next match is
Milan vs. Fiorentina
Saturday, December
22 • 15:00 CET (9am EST)