Week 36 Preview: Milan – Frosinone
Week 35 was one of the lowest depths Milan have fallen. The 2-1 loss at Verona was nothing short of a humiliating embarrassment. The defeat marked by poor, indifferent play to a last placed team was even more frustrating as a last second freekick gave the hosts the win. Montolivo, the last man in the freekick wall and the team captain ofcourse, made no attempt to jump to head or divert the ball away from its trajectory towards the back of the net. The goal was somewhat reminiscent of the last second Parolo goal conceded vs Parma in the 2013/14 season. But this time the main offender wasn’t Matri but the supposed team leader.
There is now a facebook page demanding Montolivo leave Milan in the summer
The defeat piled pressure on the new coach as well as the team and it seems that Brocchi’s fate is already sealed. However, the bigger news that has taken the spotlight away from the non-existent on pitch performance is the growing likelihood that the team will be sold to a Chinese group. Berlusconi is under enormous pressure from his company, Fininvest, to sell. A €90 million loss for the 2015 fiscal year and a hostile annual shareholders meeting may finally push Berlusconi to let go but then again he might continue gutting the team while somehow satisfying his delusional ego and while he and Galliani continue to stick to past glories.
In the meanwhile another team near or in the relegation zone awaits. Bonaventura will miss his second game in a row due to injury but Balotelli and Alex return after serving a one game suspension. Balotelli will partner Bacca up front and Honda will play in front of Mauri, Montolivo and Kucka. Abate, Romagnoli and De Sciglio will line up alongside Alex in the four man defense.
The 4-3-1-2 formation is arguably a wrong one but any tactical analysis will not answer the deeper questions. The team will continue to fail without a plan, support, leaders and heart. This season’s final three games are near meaningless without these four elements. Follow the match on the forum and keep tabs on the sale saga too.