Yesterday afternoon, AC Milan were well beaten by Sassuolo and questions are now louder than ever about the future of the project.
What was a good season has quickly been replaced with worries about the immediate and long-term future. The latest defeat showed a Milan side much different from the one competing for the Scudetto.
Instead, it showed a mentally fragile team who are in genuine danger of letting the season slip.
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Champions League in doubt?
As read in this morning’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), the Rossoneri looked toothless against Sassuolo and it is far from the first instance of this during the season. In fact, in recent weeks, looking positive has been an anomaly from the poor performances. It is a dismal situation.
The Diavolo now sit far from second place and all of a sudden, there may be a Champions League race on the cards again. However, they were supported by Juventus’ inability to get more than a draw against an already relegated Hellas Verona side.
Tonight, Roma could move within three points, a situation which would only cause panic given how big the gap was previously.
Rolling over
In terms of the game itself, it was not the Neroverdi that rolled over, but Milan themselves. They have only scored one goal in their last five games and the team looks overly slow, which is worrying. It almost seems like they have forgotten where the back of the net is.
If they can’t score, at least don’t concede and even that has now crumbled. For both of Sassuolo’s goals, there were mistakes of the team just being too ‘soft’, as Gazzetta puts it. Even Tomori’s red card was mentally soft.
Massimiliano Allegri’s choice to remove a striker at half-time, despite being a goal down, was equally as baffling as it removed a significant chance of the Rossoneri scoring, even if Christopher Nkunku had done little to nothing.
Another very poor game and questions are rightfully being asked.
So pining for a top4 spot begs one serious question – Is it just to make up the numbers for extra revenue or is there a sporting side to this project. Only management know what the ultimate objective is because the glaring gaps in the team are not seriously being addressed. And with the performances from Leao and Puli it seems we have to start from ground zero again instead of building around certain cornerstones. This meltdown might be a blessing in disguise so we can stop plastering over the cracks and hope for the best but rather to make a concerted effort to reconstruct the team for the next 5 to 8 seasons. And get Sarri whilst you are at it…
“Is it just to make up the numbers for extra revenue or is there a sporting side to this project”
I mean, the clowns themselves have pretty much stated it’s the former, so I wouldn’t really call it a “serious question”.
But this is not a question on any club in the world. Grow up guys, there is not a manager or club woner who cares about winning the ‘trophies’. Real Madrid are not winning trophies to be the best, they just want to earn money..
Trophies are just as important as making money. It creates prestige, generates following, and the spin off from sponsorships cannot be discounted. Lets face it we have all long stopped caring about how much money Milan made in the late 80’s, 90’s and the 20’s. But we all remember the prestige that came from winning 7 UCL Trophies…and that is why Milan is still counted as a top team by many even after they have been in the wilderness for the last 14yrs. And we are not concern by the amount of money they make (which is important for sustainability reasons) but getting to be the best and counted among the best is priceless. And before you mention that the money and Trophies are concomitant, the only thing we remember as fans and the legacy that is created comes with the trophy haul…dont tell us to grow up.
I seriously hope that was said in jest
Let me give you examples…Tottenham Newcastle generates more income than Milan these days, and who remembers anything they have achieved…
Exactly. Some fans here really are imbeciles, they need to stop being so damn stupid.
The owners are American businessmen. Despite the selective quoting, the owners have said the aim IS to return Milan to the very top. They have not spent vast sums of money just for UCL revenue. They’re consistently the biggest spenders in Serie A. Even if the ultimate aim is to sell the club on for a massive profit, that will only be possible if the name of the club is raised. The stadium adds value. A team that does nothing domestically and in Europe doesn’t. Clubs with far bigger budgets and more talented squads haven’t had success. Winning projects take time. With our without UCL football, Allegri’s future isn’t guaranteed and the same goes for the players.
Winning projects take time. Well the owner and his entourage are not, first of all, carrying out any single winning project. They will have all of our patience and for now we are being right. This team is not winning anything this year. We might be right again next year while these blind/deaf/mute believers keep screaming “winning projects take time.” Yeah go get louder and louder, we are not actually winning anything yet.