They say that if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always gotten. For Allegri, that includes specializing in losing to Sassuolo. But Allegri likes to prove them wrong by actually making things progressively worse using the same tired, ineffective, and dreaded tactics. This 2-0 loss to Sassuolo was preventable, but so have most of our dropped points been this season. As he has always done, Allegri has stifled and choked our attack and is simultaneously deflating morale in the squad with his stubborn tactics, despite having some of the highest quality players Milan has had in years. It's all part of his special form of self-annihilation.
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| Despite beginning with the most united spirits, they managed to collectively destroy this match. |
Every match we have played recently seems to be the worst match of the season. Then we play the next one. This one was chaotic, frantic, and completely disoriented almost from kickoff. And, of course, Berardi scored just five minutes in to put Sassuolo up 1-0. That was completely predictable. As was Laurienté's repeated assault on our goal, really, not just the assist on the goal. He was relentless, even if he did not deserve the penalty call he wanted when Gabbia just after the 10 minute mark. The VAR review showed contact, but not enough for a penalty.
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| One of these number 10's scored (spoiler: it wasn't Leão) |
Tomori, on the other hand, did deserve the yellow card he earned for his foul on Thorsvedt in just the ninth minute. I was much less convinced of the yellow card he received in the 24th minute for a foul on Laurienté, particularly given the fact that it was a second yellow. But Maresca did give it, he was sent off, and will also be suspended vs. Atalanta this Sunday, which is also costly.
Playing on ten men made Milan look worse, if possible, and tensions only grew as the match wore on. Just before halftime, Pavlović and Walukievicz were having a proper shoving match at the far post, Maresca took note. And the half ended with a shot attempt from Saelemaekers from distance that was just wide.
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| Sure, Tomori let his team down, but let's be fair–it wasn't going well before he was sent off. |
Allegri had not made any changes when Tomori was sent off, so at halftime, he replace Nkunku with Athekame. I don't know if Nkunku cannot find red balloons in all of Milano or something, but his inability to score has been particularly frustrating. Three years ago, at Leipzig, he was valued at €80 million. Granted, his value had dropped considerably when Milan brought him from Chelsea last summer, he was valued at €32 million. But that value has dropped since, and it is unlikely that Milan will recoup the €37 million they paid for him if they are able to sell him at all this summer, which they are reported to be looking to do.
Laurienté, on the other hand, has no problems scoring. In the prematch press conference, Allegri noted that Milan would need to avoid letting him score from a give-and-go like they had in the home draw vs. Sassuolo in December. And then they did just that. He scored in the 47th minute on a give-and-go with Thorsvedt to make it 2-0.
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| Rabiot has been so important for Milan this season, but he is only one player. |
Rabiot put a shot in the box in the 49th, but Turati punched it away, then Athekame took his chance from distance, but that did not go well. In the 51st, Thorsvedt sent a header over, but clashed heads with Gabbia, so was down for treatment for a bit.
Allegri made three subs at once in the 59th minute: Pulisic replacing Fofana, Santi Gimenez replacing Rafa Leão, and Loftus-Cheek replacing Saelemaekers. But they were not the answers we needed. He then replaced Jashari with Ricci in the 66th minute. Much has been spoken about Jashari "failing" this year, and I cannot believe I have to remind people that Jashari was out injured for much of the season and has barely played any minutes due to Modrić starting virtually every match. People ready to give up on him have zero football IQ, he is a quality young player that we desperately need to hang onto and continue to develop.
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| Too much talk about Jashari without context. |
Loftus-Cheek received a yellow card for simulation in the 77th minute. Yeah, we were desperate. Athekame continued his long range shooting practice with no results. In the 93rd minute, Turati grabbed Pulisic's free kick. Then Fadera was booked for simulation, and I'm not 100% that Athekame did not have contact there, so may have Milan dodged a bullet on that one. Either way, it ended Milan 0, Sassuolo 2.
There is a curious stat that came out this week (since Milan are only playing once a week and the press has all the time in the world.) Allegri has earned fewer points in the second half of the season than even Gattuso's Milan or Conceição last season. For people who thought Conceiçao was a complete train wreck and Allegri was such a winning manager, I would like to remind you that the first was paid €1m for he and his entire staff for 6 months, while the latter is making €5m per year on his own. And we have earned fewer points, with players like Modrić and Rabiot.
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| Loftus-Cheek had to test the referee resolution to card more for diving. |
Mentality is everything, and as much as the players are all committed to Allegri and want him to stay on, the heads have dropped, and their frustrations at him playing them out of position (or not playing them at all) have become public. We saw how frustrated the players got last year with Fonseca when he benched key players for no apparent reason and it cost us matches. The players know what they are capable of, and they are loyal to the manager, but frustration sets in when the manager's choices clearly limit them or their teammates or the team in general with poor choices. Especially when it continues over and over.
So, between Allegri's ultra-defensive tactics, his poorly planned lineups, his substitutions without any impact, and then Tomori's random loss of focus to be sent off, Milan definitely shot themselves in the foot on this one. Many blame the players, citing Leão's lack of dribbles or goals or assists this season, despite him playing both injured and out of position all season. He has been so crucified by the fans that he recently deleted his Instagram account. Yet Allegri continues to line him as a center forward, trying to force a square peg into a round hole. It should be noted that he played Füllkrug more when he had a broken toe than he has played him lately. And we waited all season for Santi Gimenez, now he just sits on the bench?
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| Late reinforcements... if Allegri wants goal, he needs to start a striker. |
There is a phenomenon I like to call The Allegri Effect™, or the disappearance of Milan's attacking threat. Against Udinese, Milan had six shots on target. Next week, vs. Verona, only three shots on target. The following week. vs. Juventus, only one shot on target. And this match, zero shots on target. Not even one. This is by no means the first time in his career that this has happened. Nor is it the first time in his career that Sassuolo played a part in his demise, either. You hear about creatures of habit, but one would hope that Allegri would be a habitual winner, not a destroyer of morale and attacks.
I for one cannot blame the players for being frustrated, demoralized and without focus. It cannot be easy to continue to play tactics you know are not working, yet the manager keeps asking you to play (or worse, to watch from the bench.) They are probably having PTSD from Fonseca last year, honestly. But at least Allegri has earned their respect and he communicates with them. Even if he is still stuck in 2012 when it comes to footballing ideas. But this match was an absolute disaster, without a single shot on goal. Milan are at serious risk of missing the Champions League again now, and lately it has been due to self-annihilation.
Milan Primavera Draw 1-1 Away to Monza
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| Scotti confidently takes his penalty to put Milan Primavera ahead early on. |
There was excitement heading into this match, as Renna's boys had been unbeaten in six matches, and it was also Vincent Ibrahimović's debut with the Primavera, and he was starting, as well. Unfortunately, they came away with just a point in the 1-1 draw with Monza, but extended their unbeaten run to seven matches. The excitement escalated when Milan were awarded a penalty, and Captain Scotti stepped up to tak it in the 18th minute. He took a cheeky Panenka penalty, easily defeating the Monza keeper, to put Milan Primavera ahead 1-0. That was his 10th goal of the season.
However, less than two minutes later, Monza forced a great save from Bouyer, and the match slowly deteriorated after that. Bagnaschi equalised for the home side in the 67th minute, and Milan Primavera were unable to score again. Brief highlights are available. They will face Parma on Saturday in their final away match of the season.
Milan Futuro End Season with a 10-1 Goalfest vs. Vogherese
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| The players honored Tassotti, who had recently undergone surgery |
The fortunes of the first team and Milan Futuro are often tied together in a very yin and yang way, when one team is winning, the other is failing miserably. As you likely already read of the first team's miserable failure, then you must have guessed that it was delightful to simultaneously watch a pure 10-1 goalfest over bottom of the table Vogherese. This one had everything: a hat trick from Magrassi and an assist, a hat trick of assists from Cappelletti, an own goal from the visitors, 16 year-old Luca Menon's first goal, Perera's first goal, and the long-awaited return of Cheveyo Balentien, capped off with a goal of his own.
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| The mystery of Balentien was solved with his return, and a late goal each from he and Chaka Traorè |
It started with a brilliant goal from Pagliei, then Milan Futuro could not stop scoring. Along with Vogherese's own goal from Russo and Perera's first goal, it was 5-0 at the half. The other five goals came throughout the second half, with Balentien subbing on in the 62nd after two very devastating and lengthy injuries this season. Also, Vogherese pulled one back through Zito's powerful shot in the 79th minute. Rather than describing each one, I will just list each of the goals:
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| Cappelletti, with a hat trick of assists, hugs Magrassi, who had an actual hat trick of goals. |
13' Pagliei
18' Magrassi
23' OG – Russo
39' Branca
45+1' Perera
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| The team celebrates with the young Luca Menon after his first goal for Futuro. |
51' Magrassi
55' Luca Menon
59' Magrassi
72' Balentien
79' Vogherese goal
86' Geroli goal
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| A team united, celebrating one of their many, many goals. |
Highlights are available. This was a fantastic way to finish the regular season.The 10-1 win assured Milan Futuro of a fourth place finish, which qualified them for the playoffs. They will face Chievo Verona in the Playoffs on Sunday.
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| Magrassi with the match ball after scoring his hat trick. |
Reviewed by Elaine
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