Milan 1, Napoli 1: There and Back Again

This match was a tale of two halves if ever there were one. Milan were missing seven players, well six plus Borini, including three starters. After going down initially, Bonaventura scored a goal that felt like it was worth ten, and still all we could get was a point. Not to mention that not one, but two hobbits featured for the other team, it was truly like something out of Middle Earth. Milan were there, and then they came back again.

A personal victory for someone who has definitely been there and back again

Despite a last-minute substitution in the starting lineup of Rebic for Suso, who was ill, the first half was where Milan seemed to catch Napoli almost by surprise. There were a number of chances, and it seemed almost inevitable that Milan would score. But then, out of the blue, a hobbit hit the crossbar and Lozano headed the rebound home. 1-0 Napoli. The fans at the San Siro deflated faster than a balloon.

Not to be deterred by a mere mortal’s goal, however, Bonaventura answered back just five minutes later with a brilliant rocket straight past Meret. 1-1 all. The stadium exploded, and I know that I was even happier for Bonaventura than I would have been if I had scored. It was his first start back from such a long injury, and I honestly don’t know who was the happiest. It was amazing to witness. After Hysaj almost scored an own goal from a Hernandez cross and a Rebic header wasn’t enough, the first half ended in a stalemate.

More wizard than mortal

Rebic had, of course, been playing injured for 30 minutes, so Kessie was subbed on for him at the half. Biglia was subbed off in the 73rd after making an error that nearly cost us the match. Surprisingly, Pioli brought Calabria on, which shows what seven players suspended or injured for this match will do to a squad of only 25. His last sub was in the 85th, bringing on Leao for Piatek, who was subsequently whistled by what must have been Napoli fans, because I know that Milan fans would never do such a thing. Especially after their beloved and worshipped legend, Maldini, asked them to have patience and support the team. Clearly, those idiots didn’t support this club.

The second half was tense, and the most telling thing was that for the first time under Pioli, the squad lost mentality and intensity in the second half. Which was unfortunate, since Napoli cranked it up and tested us every chance they could find. In fact, our old pal Carletto actually had two hobbits on the pitch at once in Insigne and Mertens, that’s how serious they were about trying to destroy the rin… I mean win this match. In the end, we had a similar amount of shots, with them being a little more clinical, and with them having a little more possession.

"Psst... it's not the hobbits you have to worry about, it's the Orcs in the stadium"

For the actual Milan fans, this wasn’t a terrible match, but it obviously wasn’t as good as we wanted. In particular, only one point does not really help our plight on the table. For those moronic Napoli fans or whoever it was that whistled our team and our players, I really don’t know what they thought, because I think they have some kind of mental illness or behavioral disorder that makes them act like Orcs.

If you listen to reason, and also to our management, then this game was a stepping stone on the long path of rebuilding. It is a path that takes patience and determination. And settling for a draw with Napoli is something that Milan fans would have willingly accepted in most iterations of this team in any other season. But if you are an Orc, then you have only hate where your brain should be and can’t read this anyway, so you surely don’t know the meaning of patience. We can only hope that this tale of two halves is not repeated again any time soon, lest the Orcs destroy our team with their stupidity.

This post inspired by the music of Enya’s “May it Be”

Our next match is

Serie A Week 14

Parma vs. Milan

Sunday, December 1 • 15:00 CET (9am EDT)