Although Milan sit precariously in sixth place and SPAL sit
way too close to the relegation zone in 15th place, this one will be the clash
of the feeble. Both teams have regrets this season, and both teams probably
should have done better than they have done. Although to be fair, only one team
has won 18 Scudetti, and therefore should really be doing much, much better.
Still, as both teams face off for their final Serie A match of 2018, it’s a
game that matters more than it should, a clash of the feeble.
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| Hmmm.... Petagna doesn't look feeble |
SPAL have only four wins, with five draws and nine losses
this season. Many of their dropped points have come after they were ahead and
couldn’t hold on to the lead. Their most recent result was a 0-0 draw against
Udinese midweek. For that match, Semplici lined up Gomis; Cionek, Felipe,
Bonifazi; Lazzari, Missiroli, Schiattarella, Valoti, Fares; former Milan player
Petagna, and Floccari. Don’t forget that amongst his subs, he also has a former
Milan player called Paloschi, aka the next Pippo Inzaghi. Or that he could also
play the other Milinkovic-Savic in goal. So many ways to hurt Milan, and you know
our exes won’t have a problem doing just that.
Milan have not scored in four straight league matches. Talk
about feeble. And Gattuso not only has no idea what to do about it, he has
basically said as much. Which doesn’t give me any hope for this match. Suso
missed the last match due to pelvic inflammation, and despite not being 100%,
he is called up for this one. Borini is also suddenly and inexplicably called
back up for this match, despite no word on what his injury was or any comments
on his progress up to now. While normally I would indicate that more of a
warning than a blessing, in this situation, he might be the perfect anti-SPAL
super sub. Who knows?
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| Deceivingly feeble |
Gattuso is of course still missing Bertolacci, Strinic,
Caldara, Biglia, and Bonaventura to long-term injuries. We have hopes of seeing
Strinic soon, although there have been no updates from the club as to his
fitness. Conti does not have 90 minutes in his legs yet, according to Gattuso,
so he must wait for the infamous seven minutes of playing time he might get, if
Gattuso decides to sub at all.
Nothing is more feeble than the death, stabbing, and racism
that Inter and Napoli fans participated in on Wednesday. Although Gattuso did
his bumbling best, by saying Italy is not a racist country and that racism is
usually just four morons. Yeah, four people can be heard amidst a crowd of
56,000 fans. Sure. Please stick to your day job, Gattuso. Wait, there are
questions as to whether you should even do that. However, his nemesis, Deputy
Prime Minister Salvini weighed in, he made Gattuso look like a genius. He
compared the boos that Bonucci received for being a traitor to the abuse that
Koulibaly received due to the color of his skin. Just think about that for a
minute, and I’m pretty sure he just proved both of you wrong. Italy is a very
racist country.
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| Tactically and socially feeble? |
Back to this feeble game, I can’t imagine either side
mustering up enough hatred to do anything like we saw on Wednesday. I can only
hope that by reinstating Borini, we have a chance at three points against a
side that has only won four games this season. Although that hope is obviously
way too much, and I should just resign myself now to another goalless draw. For
that is the most likely scenario in this clash of the feeble.
This post inspired by the music of
Weezer’s “Pork and Beans”
Serie A Week 19
Milan vs. SPAL
Saturday, December
29 • 20:30 CET (2:30pm EST)
This match can be
streamed LIVE on ESPN+ or seen on RAI Italia in the U.S.