Milan 2, SPAL 1: Waiting for Borini

Coming into this match, everyone with a friend in journalism or maybe just a Twitter account was criticizing Higuain and Milan for their goalscoring droughts. Gattuso’s fate rested on this match, they said, and the players all said they wanted to score for the Mister. But all of that senseless babble missed the crucial key for Milan to score again: Fabio Borini.

Amidst all of the celebrations is the humble, incredibly fit Borini

Milan-SPAL Preview: Clash of the Feeble

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.

Hmmm.... Petagna doesn't look feeble

Frosinone 0, Milan 0: Stale

This game had everything Milan fans are fast becoming accustomed to: plenty of possession, plenty of shots without any accuracy or power, and absolutely zero goals. Well there was the one Frosinone goal called off, but other than that, this game was everything the last three games have been: stale.

I do believe I specifically requested no more pics like this, people

Frosinone-Milan Preview: Please

I didn’t ask for much this year for Christmas, only that Milan would play better and get a result against Fiorentina. I got half my wish – Milan did play better. But the loss was unlucky and did more to add to holiday depression than Christmas goodwill. So I am going to ask one more time, especially since the game is at 3:30am for me: Please, Santa? Please let Milan play better and give us a result against 19th place Frosinone tomorrow. Please?

I can't handle anymore disappointment this year

If I Could Talk to Santa

This is Gattuso’s second Christmas in charge of the first team, and I like to think he’s learned some things. For example, last year, like the worst Grinch ever, he took away the team’s annual Christmas party and put the team in ritiro for a week, away from their families at the time of the year most people want to be with their families the most. And it didn’t help, they suffered a soul-killing 2-0 loss to Atalanta at the San Siro just two days before Christmas. At least this year, despite also being in a slump (coincidence?) he seems to have a heart that grew a size or two to allow them to spend time with their families. However after the 1-0 loss to Fiorentina on Saturday, there are still a lot of things that I would say to him if I could talk to Santa.

Still trying to decide if you're naughty or nice

Milan 0, Fiorentina 1: Nothin’ For Christmas

Gattuso must have been a very bad boy this year. In a game where Milan had more possession, more shots, and overall looked more threatening for much of the match, the win should have been gift wrapped by Santa himself. Instead, a single moment of brilliance from Chiesa cost us all three points, and Gattuso had no answers. Not on the pitch or in his press conference. So now Milan are getting nothin’ for Christmas.

One shot on target.

Milan-Fiorentina Preview: In the Bleak Midwinter

Unlike the Christmas carol of the same name from a Christina Rossetti poem, Milan’s circumstances going into the Fiorentina match do not offer much hope, least of all any kind of savior. After two mindnumbingly bleak draws against Torino and Bologna, as well as an unthinkable Europa League loss, only the most masochistic Milan fans are likely to even watch this match. It’s another humbug Christmas match for us.

You never know how much you miss someone until they are gone

Bologna 0, Milan 0: Frozen

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.

A picture is worth 90 minutes

Bologna-Milan Preview: Old Friends

Gattuso and Pippo Inzaghi are old friends. They won trophies together, they even retired together. But tonight they will meet for the first time as coaches that are also opponents in Serie A. Inzaghi is coaching for his job, and Gattuso is coaching for redemption, with whispers once again that his job is on the line as well. Neither has lost their seemingly endless amount of passion that they exhibited as players, but only one can possibly win. So it will be interesting to see which coach comes out on top at the end of 90 minutes.

They even said goodbye together

Podcast: Birthday Blues

Milan are celebrating their 119th birthday having just crashed out of the Europa League and then being slapped with sanctions from UEFA. Not the birthday gifts we were hoping for, but at least not playing in the Europa League might help curb our injury crisis. It’s enough to give anyone the holiday blues.

Not the kind of birthday party anyone wanted

Olympiacos 3, Milan 1: On Empty

I asked a simple question in my preview: Do you want it bad enough? And at the whistle, the answer was no, not quite. Amidst a hostile environment, our boys simply didn’t do enough to get through, even though all we had to do was lose by only one goal or better. The next round was in our hands, and we let Olympiacos take it from us. For that alone, they deserve to go through and Milan deserve to go home, despite having had to work so hard off the pitch to get here. But I don’t have a lot of criticism for the team, as we are still injury ravaged. And as for our grinta, we’ve seen it sputtering a lot lately. Maybe tonight in Athens, their tank was just on empty.

Has his time also run out?

Europa League • Olympiacos FC vs AC Milan Preview: Do You Want It Bad Enough?

Milan have an excellent chance of making it through to the next round. Our opponent in this match isn’t Olympiacos as much as it is ourselves. A win or a draw against Olympiacos would guarantee us to go through, while even a 1-0 loss would still see us through. But Milan have become particularly good at shooting themselves in the foot when it matters most. So the question Gattuso should be asking is “Do you want it bad enough?”

Can we win in spite of ourselves?

Milan 0, Torino 0: Drawing a Blank

It was written in the cards. Although I had entertained a hope that we could pull off the win, I should have known that Milan’s innate ability to choke when there is opportunity on the table would never allow us the three points. But at least we kept a clean sheet, there is always that. And one point is a point more than Inter took this week, so that is also good. Still, a nil-nil draw is never fun. It sucks when your team is drawing a blank.

The Golden Boy in the middle hit a milestone with a great game

Milan-Torino Preview: Bigger Than You Think

Some matches don’t seem like much on the surface. Then you look at the table and look at the time in the season and other factors, and realize that this game could be very important in the big scheme of things. For example, Torino are showing signs of climbing up the table, and they are only four points behind us going into this match. Meanwhile, Milan would be only one point behind Inter with a win in this match. That’s one point behind third place, leaving Lazio a full three points behind us, too. That would be massive right now. Especially with our injuries and playing a team that does so well away. So maybe this game is bigger than you think.

Is the rooster ready to return? Or can we keep him in his pen?

Podcast: A Year with Gattuso

Gattuso just celebrated his first year as Milan’s head coach, so of course his track record has been under the microscope. But with recent results and performances improving, the microscope is looking pretty favorably at him. Much of the attention this week is turning towards Milan’s new CEO, Ivan Gazidis. Certainly, there is always plenty to talk about at Milan.

Looking back on one year

Milan 2, Parma 1: Lunchtime Delight

I can’t remember a lunchtime game that I actually enjoyed. At 3:30am my time, I am usually just bleary eyed and frustrated by a lackluster performance and often a poor result. But not on this day. From kickoff, it was exciting and action-packed, and at the final whistle, it was a lunchtime delight.

Yup, that's what I felt like, too

Milan-Parma Preview: Anything Goes

Parma nearly didn’t make it back to Serie A this year. Then they did, but were going to have a five points deduction. Then that was overruled, too. Which is why they now sit in sixth place on the table only two points behind Milan. I mean why actually punish a storied club like Parma for matchfixing when they could be a storyline in Serie A? Because in Italy, anything goes.

Singlehandedly bringing legitimacy back to Parma

AC Milan 5, F91 Dudelange 2: Legendary

This match was legendary. Not so much for Milan, though a look at the score would seem to indicate as much. No, this match was almost as shameful for Milan as it was legendary for Dudelange. You see, Dudelange had only scored one goal prior to this match in the Europa League Group Stage. But today, they scored four. At the San Siro. Unfortunately, two were own goals, but still. The stuff that legends are made of.

Bonnefoi didn't have a good night, but his team are still legendary

Europa League • AC Milan-F91 Dudelange: For Honor

Dudelange are already mathematically eliminated from the Group Stage of the Europa League. But that won’t stop them from bravely coming to the San Siro and playing honorably for their club and for all of Luxembourg. Being the first Luxembourg team to play in the Europa League Group Stage is something they’ll always be able to claim, but taking points from a team like Milan at the San Siro would make them a legend. So despite knowing they will not progress, this match, they’re playing for honor.

Higuain can't play in Serie A right now, but will be available for the Europa League

Lazio 1, Milan 1: Slipping

There were a lot of concerns about the pitch ahead of this match due to constant rain and a rugby match the day before, and it was very slippery, but that was not the only thing that was slipping. Despite a very brave performance amidst an injury apocalypse, Milan let the three points slip right through their fingers in the final minutes.

Not even Franck-enstein could save us from ourselves

Lazio-Milan Preview: Falling

After some poor results and some time spent in the lower half of the table this season, Milan propelled themselves all the way to fourth place. Or should I say Romagnoli did. But the injuries are taking their toll, and there are even more injuries since the Juventus match, where we slipped up again. With Lazio taking that fourth place spot from us, tomorrow’s match could see them push us further down the table.

The other Inzaghi has his own struggles this year

Podcast: Injury Apocalypse

From Injury emergency to crisis to a full blown injury apocalypse, our season has drastically changed for the worse. Especially for so many of our players, who are personally feeling the pain of this apocalypse. We are already seeing the short term impact of these injuries, but they will also have long term ramifications as well.

When this is your healthiest defender

Impact Injuries

Some injuries are caused by impact, but right now, Milan are greatly impacted by injuries. All of these injuries have both immediate impact as well as long-term impact for the club, and none of it is positive. And it’s not just the physical injuries to the players themselves, either, which are crushing enough on their own. The injuries actually impact the mentality of the whole team, the results, as well as the long-term financial and rebuilding plans that were in place.

Fear is not a good look for you, General

Ivan Gazidis: The Right Man for Milan?

When Berlusconi finally let go of Milan from his tightly clenched, vote-seeking little fists, I wondered about who would steer Milan into the future. And after Yonghong Li’s 15 minutes of fame was over, I wondered yet again about Milan’s leadership. Who would dare venture into this spontaneous scooter-riding, drama-filled Serie A world full of racist, sexist, megalomaniacs who sleep with underage women? Who could possibly understand the Italian culture of matchfixing and gaining any advantage you can, while moaning about any perceived advantages of your opponents? Someone who could navigate the crazy while still rebuilding the club for success from the top down? Who would be the right man for Milan?

At least he's used to being CEO at a club that's not winning

Collateral Damage

Whatever criticisms any of us have about Gennaro Gattuso, no one can argue with what he has done for Milan. It is almost one year since he was hired after that whiny Montella was fired… finally. Gattuso has lasted through a complete change of management, a UEFA ban that was then reversed, and two transfer markets, even if one was non-existent for Milan. He has brought back the grinta to Milan, and taught all of our players except Montolivo what it really means to wear the Milan shirt. Only now, we have an injury plague of epic proportions, and part or much of the blame is likely on him. As much as his players love him and he loves them, they have become collateral damage.

Sure, they were happy then, but both of them have been playing injured for weeks now

Milan 0, Juventus 2: Red Like the Fire

This match started with “Black like your fear” in a coreo that was as menacing as it was self-serving to the Curva Sud Ultras. The caption was where the hypocrisy lay, it read “I never left you.” I can remember quite a few times the Ultras left the team when they needed them most. And times when they protested against them, threatened them, turned their backs on them, etc. An A+ for the artwork, but a big fat F for authenticity. But that was just the beginning of the night, things went from bad to worse and ended with a new take on “Red like the fire.”

Beautiful irony