Podcast: PTSD

Some people suffer from a serious condition called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is not to be taken lightly. Milan fans have also suffered over five years of trauma, and in some ways we may have our own version of PTSD. Nothing brings the flashbacks and anxiety back like talks of funding or deadlines, and there has been some talk about those things lately. However, there is football being played now, and still so many good things to talk about that we can still enjoy being a Milan fan better than we have in a long time.

Did we buy eight players and put two on layaway?

Europa League • Craiova 0, Milan 1: You Get What You Pay For

After 90 minutes of terrible football, I realized that we played as well as can be expected in July with the players we fielded. We could have fielded better, but we haven’t actually paid for those players yet. So as every misplaced pass, every time a Milan player was beaten by a Craiova player, etc. transpired, it became more and more obvious that you really do get what you pay for. And Milan haven’t paid for all of our players yet.

A moment of brilliance (paid for) in a sea of mediocrity

Europa League • CS U Craiova vs. AC Milan: Mangia Mangia

Romanian is a tough language

Europa League • CS U Craiova vs. AC Milan: The Final Countdown

Thursday sees Milan finally return to Europe. Not to the Champions League, where we have seven trophies. But rather to the Europa League, the only major competition we’ve never won. And we are not going into the group stage, either. We will have to play two qualifying rounds just to get there. While I am still not convinced that this is a good idea for Milan right now, as it would be better to focus on getting a top four spot in the league, it’s off to Romania we go. For Milan’s return to Europe, it’s the final countdown.

It could be their Gustavo vs. our Gustavo

Dressed to Kill

Our transfer market has us prepared to just crush it on the pitch. Best team on paper that we’ve had in years. But sometimes it’s not enough to just be talented. Sometimes, players need a little extra something to give them the confidence they need to play to their potential. With a background in fashion, I understand the importance of looking your best when you want to be your best. Already, after the Bologna match, I wrote about how our incredible new first team kits helped us secure sixth place, amongst other things. But now, finally, not just our away kits, but also our third kits have been released, and if they are any indication of how well our team will be playing, you can rest assured it will be an amazing season. Because with these new kits, Milan will be dressed to kill.

Quality players require quality kits

Dress Rehearsal

Tomorrow in Shenzhen, Milan will face off against Bayern Munich. Not only will we face our old friend Carlo Ancelotti once again, but there will be another face off with another transfer target: Renato Sanches. Normally, it would just be a preseason friendly in which the results don’t matter. But with the Europa League qualifying next week and two poor performances already, Montella is under pressure to pull off a decent performance. Just think of it as a dress rehearsal.

Ready to rule the world... or China... or something

Friendly Fumbles

Let me preface this with the fact that I know we have only played two preseason friendlies, and that they literally don’t matter at all. Except maybe to fans. Friendlies are an opportunity to try new things, play some players that you might not otherwise give playing time to. They are not to be taken seriously, or as any indication of how the season will go. Still, one has to wonder if Montella hasn’t already made some friendly fumbles.

Are the poor performances in friendlies justifiable? Or should Montella be worried?

Podcast: Bonucci Madness

They said it would never happen. But “they” are mostly Juventus legends who are clearly not up to date on modern football, or Juve fans who have had their hearts ripped out, stepped on, and shipped to Casa Milan. And “it” was Leonardo Bonucci agreeing to come to Milan. And be our new captain. And possibly impregnate our women. (Okay, I may have made that last part up. There is a lot of hysteria around this transfer. Forgive me.) With five new players coming in since the last podcast and more possibly being signed as I type this, Milan’s mercato has become a frenzy of spending, celebrating, and sheer excitement for the future. Please join us as we celebrate Bonucci Madness.

Fans greeted Bonucci like little girls at an Ariana Grande concert

The Two Sides of Leonardo Bonucci

When the reports of Bonucci’s agent offering him to Milan came through, I laughed. Why would arguably the best center back in the world right now leave a club he just won six consecutive Scudetti with betray that club and come to a direct rival? This was a classic mercato rumor. But as the reports became reality, my laughter turned to tears of joy. In three short months, this new management have managed to create a project that would convince a world class player to believe enough in their project to not only agree to a five year contract with the club, but to accept the captain’s armband, too. A champion, a man who has consistently proven his worth on and off the pitch, and for both club and country. The kind of player Milan have been lacking since so many of the Senatori left. And yet, there also seem to be two sides to Leonardo Bonucci.

Welcome to the right side, Captain Bonucci

The Donnarumma Double

Even before taking control of the club, Fassone made it very clear that they were willing to do just about anything to renew Gigio Donnarumma and keep him at the club. And while his renewal was filled with missteps by everyone along the way, Fassone did pretty much bend over backwards to get the renewal done. That included loaning out the last of our other young, talented keepers and bringing Antonio Donnarumma back to deputize for his “little” (as in 1 inch taller than him) brother. So instead of just keeping Gigio, we did the Donnarumma Double.

Will they negate each other in the long run?

Embark

After eleven months of waiting for the sale of the club and three frantic months of new ownership and incredible transfers, Milan will embark on their new adventure on the pitch. Not just paperwork and purchases, the actual football that we’ve all been dreaming off. Will we get the football of our dreams? Highly unlikely that it will be anything close to what we want, considering they’ve only been training together for six days. And some of the players who had national team duty haven’t even joined the squad yet. But every journey has a beginning, and for Milan’s return to beautiful football, let’s hope that journey begins in Lugano.

Ready to take the first step towards playing like Milan again

Farewell

So much focus has been placed on all of the new arrivals that I have failed to thank those who have left us or will likely be leaving us shortly. Not only to thank them for their service to Milan, but to thank them for making space in the squad for our new players. So it is with gratitude (in varying degrees) that I say thank you to these players, and farewell.

Sometimes dreams come true, they just don't end the way we want them to

How Far We've Come

If this mercato hasn’t blown you away already, you must be new not only to Milan but to football in general. With Andrea Conti taking his medicals, he will be our seventh signing and the mercato hasn’t even been officially open a whole week. Every club in the world is jealous of us. But if that isn’t enough to make you feel grateful, La Gazzetta dello Sport published the starting eleven as of July 5th for the past ten years, along with the signings to date each year. Check them out. Then you’ll see just how far we’ve come.

*Nessuno means no one, those years we hadn't signed anyone by July 5th

Starting Point

Today is the day. There have been a lot of benchmarks leading up to this new management and new season and new Milan. But today is the day the team resume training at Milanello. It’s known as Raduno, or rally, when the fans gather to watch the first day of training for the team. The beginning of a new season, the most highly anticipated season in years. It’s almost impossible not to dream of the possibilities. But one thing is for certain: today marks a starting point for the new Milan era.

Every dream has a starting point. Mine is learning how to say this guy's name properly.

Podcast: Raduno 2017

With the team returning to Milanello, there is excitement in the air. All of the new signings not only give Milan fans something to talk about, but also something to finally truly dream about. There are some players leaving, some deals yet to be worked out. But for the first time in years, the return to Milanello will actually feel like a rally, or raduno.

They're doing their job, now it's time for us to rally around the team