The Risks and Benefits of Staying the Course

Social media is rife with fans who insist that all Milan needs are some investments in the transfer market. Or that it is time for Pioli to go. (Ironically, this second group are probably the same group who wanted him out before he even signed for Milan.) But there is a lot more going on here than just transfers or coaches. Most everyone would like to see something change, because the results are getting progressively worse. Our Scudetto hopes have vanished in just a few short weeks, and now we are left hoping that we will even be able to qualify for Champions League again next year. Reports are that management are not planning to make any changes. What are the risks and benefits of staying the course?

The 'Pioli Out' vultures are circling again, and there are risks and benefits to sticking with him

Milan 2, Sassuolo 5: Defensive Kryptonite

Looking at the final score, many are quick to judge. Milan are now six matches without a win, and have the worst defense of the top five European leagues in 2023 in terms of goals conceded. Plus, this was the first time they had conceded five goals at the San Siro since 1997. The stats are anything but flattering. However, those of us who sacrificed sleep and sanity to watch the actual match know that there was more to it than just stats. There were two more Milan goals, for example, both called back for offside due to SemiAutomatic Offside Technology (SAOT,) conveniently introduced just this weekend. But also, we were facing not just Sassuolo, but more specifically, Berardi. He was involved in four of the five Sassuolo goals, and has always been Milan's defensive Kryptonite.

Sassuolo and Berardi have always been Milan's Kryptonite.

Milan-Sassuolo Preview: Early Intervention

The performances in the last five matches for Milan have been beyond disappointing, and the results are proof of that. Looking at Sassuolo's season, however, sitting just above the relegation spots, you would think this match would bring confidence to Milan fans. It doesn't. Milan have often struggled with the lunchtime fixtures, and Sassuolo has long been a jinx for Milan, especially Berardi. Unless Milan can score early and defend well in the early match, this could be another disappointment. This one will be all about early intervention.

"Has anyone seen our mentality?"

Milan's Mentality Bleeding Out: The Black Knight Theory

Everyone is talking about what is happening at Milan right now. We are five matches without a win, but more importantly our performances have demonstrated an absolute nosedive in mentality. I wrote about the club's "no excuses" policy being harmful to the players after the Lecce match. We discussed more of the complexities leading to this sudden psychological crash on the last podcast, as well. Having watched the spiral deepen during the loss to Lazio, I've coined the visible bleeding out of Milan's mentality "The Black Knight Theory." My theory takes its name from a famous comedy sketch from the legendary movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail known as "The Black Knight." 

Mentally bleeding out for so many reasons

Lazio 4, Milan 0: Adding Injuries to Insult

Milan are going through some things right now. That has been obvious in the past four matches. Spoiler alert: They did not pull out of it in this one, Lazio won 4-0. As if that was not painful enough, though, both Tomori and Calabria came off of the pitch with injuries during the match. And Bennacer earned his fifth yellow card, so will be suspended on Sunday, too. Meaning as of this point we will miss eight players against Sassuolo, five of them starters. Talk about adding injuries to insult.

For those who were still able to, just walking off the pitch afterward was painful

Lazio-Milan Preview: Test of Nerves

Milan have had some time off since their crushing loss to Inter in the Supercoppa last Wednesday. After two days rest, the squad returned to training, hopefully refreshed both mentally and physically. Now they will travel to Rome to face sixth place Lazio on Tuesday. After four disappointing performances, this will be a tremendous challenge to see if Pioli has managed to help them get their mentality back. Playing a strong team away in such a tough stadium will be a true test of nerves.

We need our nerves of steel back

Football Belongs to the Fans

After watching "Super League: The War for Football" on Apple TV, something stood out to me. When the Super League was announced, fans in England immediately revolted against the concept of it. While in Italy and in Spain, many fans actually embraced the idea.  However, many fans of Italian and Spanish football who live outside of Europe also revolted against the concept. There are multiple reasons for the cultural differences, and money certainly plays a part in it. The men who were putting together the Super League had crunched a bunch of numbers, but they never actually asked the fans themselves what they wanted. And what they found out was that an overwhelming majority of supporters believe that football belongs to the fans.

The players understand that they play for the fans.

Podcast: Identity Crisis

Milan have had ten days and four matches where they have lost their way. Having been knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Torino, then losing the Supercoppa to Inter, it is safe to say they are having an identity crisis. At this time of mourning, the courageous Boaz, from the epic Scudetto Podcast joined me for a Milan Depression Podcast to discuss all of the sadness, injuries, review the recent matches, and discuss what could be causing all of Milan's poor results this season.

He makes saves, but Maignan gives Milan our identity

Milan 0, Inter 3: Paid to Be MIA

Milan put on their killer new Off White suits, and showed up to King Fahd Stadium for all of the prematch hype. They changed into their amazing new Puma prematch kits and warmed up on the pitch, as usual. Pioli lined up his best 11, and Maresca blew the whistle for kickoff. Then Milan went missing in action (MIA). They showed up for the second half, but left their guns on stun, not kill. In the end, Inter won 3-0 and walked away with the trophy and prize money that was €500,000 more than ours. (Which is ironically how much we spent in the January transfer market.) But Milan were still paid to be MIA.

Turns out you can put a price on losing, and it's not a lot less than winning

Supercoppa Final • Milan vs. Inter: Consolation Prize

There was a time when winning trophies was about the best teams competing in hard-fought matches to entertain fans. Now, football is all about money. Milan and Inter, as well as Serie A, will be ridiculously compensated for playing the Supercoppa Italiana Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Despite the fact that the focus on human rights violations switched to Qatar this past year, Saudi Arabia is still one of the worst violators of human rights in the world today. Not to mention the values that Milan claims to stand for. Will it be a great match? That is not very likely, if you look at both teams' recent form. Despite Milan winning the Scudetto and Inter winning the Coppa Italia last year, that was eight months and a bizarre and unprecedented World Cup break ago. So this trophy is more like when they hand out trophies to youth teams no matter what, more of a consolation prize.

Sparks usually fly in the Derby, but this one could have a lot less fire

Lecce 2, Milan 2: No Excuses

With luck, they say, the third time is a charm. But Milan's week was not about luck, nor was their third game in seven days. The 2-2 draw away to Lecce was about the mentality, and a subtle shift that has happened that could change the fortunes of the team and possibly Pioli's future as well. That shift was in Pioli's comments, in his refusal to take any of the responsibility for his own mistakes for the poor results, which clearly impacted the team's mentality. Everyone from Pioli on down are feeling the pressure of the lack of reinforcements from the club, and their continued "no excuses" policy when it comes to averaging 6-9 players out for months on end. The lack of support from the club has thrown the players under the bus and left them publicly culpable for things that are beyond their control. The "no excuses" policy has literally become Milan's downfall.

The pressure affects everyone differently

Lecce-Milan Preview: Soul Searching

After two disappointing results this week, Milan travel away to Lecce to be tested once again. Dropping points against Roma was very disappointing, but being knocked out of the Coppa Italia by ten men Torino in Added Extra Time was beyond a bitter cup to swallow. To apply Thomas Paine's famous quote to our situation, "These are the times that try fans' souls." The players can either succumb to the poor performances and continue to spiral downward, or they can lift their heads and let the pain fuel them to victory. Three years ago, it was a brutal defeat to Atalanta that inspired this team. Last year, it was a bitter defeat to Inter in the Coppa Italia Semifinal that fueled the team to the Scudetto finish. This week is definitely time for Pioli and the guys to do some serious soul searching.

As individuals and as a team, they have had to take a good look in the mirror this week

Milan 0, Torino 1: Gored Again

Milan had no choice in this match but to take the bull by the horns, but instead were gored by Il Toro once again. Not only were we knocked out of the Coppa Italia in the Round of 16 by a team who had also beaten us in Serie A, but they did it on ten men. And cost us an extra 30 minutes of exhaustion, too. Pretty much the worst case scenario. So while my red and black blood bleeds out, I will write as much as I can manage about how Milan were gored again.

Bleeding out

Coppa Italia Round of 16 • Milan-Torino Preview: Take the Bull By the Horns

After a demoralizing ending to a strong match on Sunday vs. Roma, Milan have no time for self-pity. The players have to shake it off and prepare themselves to compete in the Coppa Italia, a win-or-go-home scenario. Worse still, Milan face Torino, the opponent they froze up and played a horror show of a match on Halloween in October. With a couple of players added to the squad in training on Monday, perhaps there is a small injection of mentality along with them. Either way, it is time for Milan to take the bull by the horns.

Ready to roar

Milan 2, Roma 2: Coming Unglued

Milan had this game in the bag for 87 minutes. With a 2-0 lead, they were playing with confidence until they conceded on two set pieces late in the match to drop two points to Roma in a heartbreaking 2-2 draw. There are tons of theories as to what happened, but when you take a team like Milan, who have been conceding both set pieces and goals late in the game, and pit them against a team who has scored the most goals from set pieces and also boasts one of the best away records, it just makes sense that they would even out. With the Mourinho suspension curse, Milan were lucky not to give up all three points. Still, it was not fun to watch them coming unglued.

Kalulu represents how we all feel right now

Milan-Roma Preview: Back to Normal

Milan host Roma on Sunday night in a San Siro stadium with over 70,000 fans expected. After nearly two months away because of the ridiculous and unprecedented World Cup break, Milan fans can unite and sing "Pioli is on Fire" in unison to their beloved manager once again. Mourinho, meanwhile, will probably be on some sidewalk eating his dinner or in a bus somewhere, as he is, yet again, suspended for this match. And Milan are also without nine players to injury yet again. Everything is back to normal.

Back home, back to normal

Salernitana 1, Milan 2: Like a Lion

Milan kicked off 2023 like a lion, despite missing nine players to injury and playing away. Salernitana were saved by their new goalkeeper, Guillermo Ochoa, because Milan were far more clinical than usual as they pulled off the 2-1 victory at the Arechi. While Milan traditionally struggle with the early timeslot, and suffered a dreadful performance away to PSV on Friday, the return of World Cup players made it seem like they were in prime form. It was a pleasant surprise given so many missing players and the disappointing results over the break. A statement win to start the year right.

Pioli dug deep to bring back that winning mentality

Salernitana-Milan Preview: Ready or Not

Serie A kicks off again tomorrow, and Milan are away to face 12th place Salernitana. After a first part of the season that was plagued with so many serious injuries, it was hoped that Milan would have most of our players back at this point. Instead, we have two fresh new injuries as of Friday, with Rebić out again and Ballo-Touré's surgery yesterday set to leave him out of action for four months. Probably most surprisingly, Maignan is still out, leaving Milan with a dilemma about the goalkeeping situation. Worse still, the performance against PSV left much to be desired, and definitely not the way Pioli would want to kickstart the restart after this unprecedented break. But ready or not, here we are.

Rebić and Ballo-Touré, heroes vs. Empoli, are the latest additions to the injury list

The Milan Goalkeeper Dilemma

Last season, Maignan was out injured for almost two months after having surgery for a small fracture and ligament damage. With an international break tucked in the middle of that, and him returning sooner than expected, Milan's season survived the absence, but just barely. This season, his calf injuries have seen him out since the end of September, and Milan have missed him sorely. Much has been discussed about signing a new second keeper in January, with Milan heavily linked with Atalanta's Sportiello. However, the news surprised many as 24 year-old Devis Vasquez arrived in Milano last night ahead of medicals today to sign permanently. But will he be the solution to Milan's goalkeeper dilemma? Or is he even intended to be?

One of these keepers is not like the others