Last night Milan played host to Lazio in a clash where the Rossoneri were eager to continue on in their winning ways. It was an ill tempered match and one that from the start showed that only one team was ready to play, and that was Milan.
Lazio, on the other hand, were happy to sit back and earn a draw. This was clear from the start. What is disappointing is that the visitors, in working for this lame objective, resorted to a game based on physical aggression and foul play. The name of Libor Kozak first comes to mind.
Despite sitting ten men behind the ball and making sure the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexandre Pato were always double teamed, the Rossoneri did create enough chances to score and on another night they would have. In all, the home side racked up twenty shots and had it been another night Milan would have recorded more than two shots on target and one or more would have found the net.
But, it was not to be. The likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho left their shooting boots at home. When one of them was able to get their shot on target, or close to, either the posts or a desperate clearance off the line by a Lazio player denied them.
Milan’s misfortune on the night can be well summarised by that one particular effort by Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Having found the room for a shot on the eighteen yard line, the Swede thumped in a shot which hit one post, deflected off the other and landed in the hands of the most fortunate Muslera. Such was Milan’s luck on the night.
Had Milan found the net, as always, the story would have been very different. But, the story is what it is and as a result of the team failing to win, questions marks need to be spread around. It was not only Milan’s misfortune that contributed to them not being able to pick their way through the Lazio defence, it may have been a consequence of the personnel sent out to do the job.
Alexandre Pato is a player of undeniable talent. When in a position to score, few are better than the young Brazilian at putting the ball away. His finishing is absolutely clinical. In contrast, however, Pato seriously lacks the ability to link up with his teammates and create goal scoring opportunities. This is why we brought in Antonio Cassano, was it not?
When Cassano, Ibrahimovic and Robinho have played together, the team, at least in the final third, have played some fluent, entertaining and effective football. But when Pato is in the team in place of one of the aforementioned three, this kind of play becomes absent. It is no coincidence.
It is hard to tell a player of his goal scoring ratio that he belongs on the bench, but this is where Pato now belongs since we now have Cassano.
Another player who is never going to help Milan break down stubborn defences like that of Lazio’s last night, is Mathieu Flamini. Quite what he brings to the side is a mystery, apart from double-footed-studs-in-the-air tackles that have seen him pick up cards in abundance.
Milan had played some of their best football all year, starting from the match in the Coppa Italia against Bari and then at home to Cesena. And, amongst others there was one constant in both these matches, Alexander Merkel.
The young German is a revelation. In just his second start he created one goal before scoring his first goal for the club. Merkel has the ability to make things happen and though he may be only eighteen years of age, age is merely a number. What counts is his contribution on the field and it is quite safe to say the he can contribute more than Flamini; at the very least, he has much more potential do so.
Not defeating Lazio may prove costly if Napoli is able to account for Chievo in today’s other Serie A matches. Should the Azzurri win, they will move to within two points of Milan, virtually nothing. For this reason, Max Allegri’s decisions do need to be scrutinised as such.
The last sticking point about what came out of the match with Lazio was the terrible refereeing. On another day with another more competent referee, Libor Kozak would have been sent off. The young Czech sent Daniele Bonera packing with a blow to his jaw. No surprise considering how Kozak was waving his elbows about as if he were break dancing. Then, his late assault on Nicola Legrottaglie which somehow escaped the referee’s attention even after it everyone saw Legrottaglie fall to the ground, not moving and losing blood because of the gash in his forehead.
Libor Kozak embodied Lazio’s attitude on the night, second best and aggressive. It was a display that confirmed the Biancocelesti are definitely not Scudetto material.
Now, as if Milan’s injury crisis was not bad enough, both Bonera and Legrottaglie will not be available. For all Andrea Galliani’s good work in the January transfer window, with van Bommel’s red card and Nicola Legrottaglie’s injury, much of it has been undone in the last week. Though, of course, things will get better.
To finish, a quick note on Milan’s transfer campaign. In all, a successful month it has to be said. The signing of Antonio Cassano was a master stroke, whilst Didac Vila and Urby Emmanuelson are two useful and young players. Mark van Bommel, despite his 34 years, adds quality to the midfield and Nicola Legrottaglie, at least if and when he recovers, represents a competent back up in central defence.
Milan is in a difficult period at the moment with all the injury concerns. However, the New Year has been generally positive and once the many now absent players return to the fold, Max Allegri should have the resources to engineer the club’s first Scudetto since 2004. Forza Milan.
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